The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-05-03
WONDERS OF IRRIGATION
Rapid Agricultural Development II
the Valleys Of tie Yakima.
OPPORTUNITIES OF 4 RICH COUNTRY.
A Puget.sou1dcr, ImbueA with the
Gisries Of she Present and Future
OF the Great Theatre OF Yakima,
writes 81 His Impressions.

A correspondent. writing to the Tacoma
Ledger from the Yakima valley says:
promised some Of my friends before lett
Puget sound that would give them my
impressions of this part Of eastern WASH
ington.
II seems to me II does not require q
philosopher to at once form an indisput-
able conclusion as to the successful out
come Of this vast, rich agricultural coun-
try. Feasible opportunities for men Of
small means are on every hand. The
soil is composed Of q rich volcanic ash
never bakes like the DOLBY lands OF other
countries, but pulverizes under the action
of the pillow and harrow, even under the
most favorable conditions. Its depth Of
soil is from ten to forty feet. and with the
application Of water. the yield OF every
kind Of vegetation grown in the north
west. both in quality and quantity will
simply astonish the ordinary clameater.
/ notice the absence Of moss on build
ings and fruit trees no mossbacks can be
found in Yakima county, except q few
recent arrivals like the writer, who is,
now feeling some discomfort while pass
ing through the ordeal Of becoming Injured
to . dry climate, after living on Puget
Sound for nearly half century. The
moss necessarily had taken deep root and
may, in the process Of drying, under the
action OF this dry climate, prove fatal,
but I hope to pull through. The North
ern Pacific ditch is completed, about 40
miles long and nearly parallel with the
Yakima river, OF sufficient elevation to
irrigate $4,000 or $4,000 acres Of land,
and Of that 5000 or 10000 are under cult.
walton. Another ditch of still higher
elevation running nearly parallel with
the Northern Pacific ditch, is pronounced
by practical engineers TO be feasible, and
in the future, no doubt, 1t will be built,
thereby opening up tens Of thousands Of
acres more Of rich land for the enterprls-
ing farmer.
The Northern Pacific ditch is q grand
enterprise and the promoters are Justly
entitled to and will ultimately realize
large returns. The company has taken
waste desert OF sage brush, inhabited only
by horned toads, rattlesDskes, jackrab-
bits and coyotes, aud made 1t possible to
be transformed into a garden Of Eden.
For miles along Sunnyside the atmos-
phere 10 laden with the sweet aroma Of
the peach, the apricot and other fruit
blooms. BY getting upon an elevation
one can get birds eye view for miles up
and down the valley. 1t would seem al.
most incredible that such grand spec.
tacle could be brought about In 90 short
period OF time; vast hop fields and
peach orchards appear to the vision like
q crimson cloud in the distance.
Messrs. Halstead & Baker, Flint and
Thompson will place upon thu eastern
markets $4,000 boxes OF choice peaches
This 10 the product Of only three Of the
largest orchards in the valley. Other
farmers will harvest smaller quantities Of
oil kinds OF the choicest fruits, which In
the end, under the present outlook OF the
fruit market in the east, will bring large
returns to the fruit growers In this county.
The Northern Pacific ditch Is by far the
most extensive of the several bitches I'M
der construction and in contemplation.
The Ahtanum, the Wenas, the NatcheeE
and several other valleys have their water
courses, waiting for money and muscle to
build bitches, bore artesisn wells and es-
tablish steam pumps, which when con-
summated will place within reach homes
for thousands Of people. Down the Yak
ina valley to its confluence with the great
Columbia river, are thousands OF acres
which will ultimately he brought under
cultivation. and which, when fully devel.
oped, will furnish homes for thousands
upon thousands more, and make them q
prosperous and happy people; thus plac-
ing Yakima county about the fourth
county in the state and, in time, COM
manding the wealth and political influ-
ence to place the state capitol within its
borders, it being the geographical center
OF the state.