The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-03


employment Of Irrigation ths. brown sieaers
has been made 20 blossom as the rose. and
where, a few years ago. the landscape
Has dotted only by neutral tinted sage
Brush covering miles of level prairie land,
walled II IN the distance by abrupt. tree
iess nslas rising 70 a height OF from 1000
rc I,s,e feet, there can now be seen beau
fifsl patches Of iuxariant green-the farms
OF the sturdy pioneers. The general Idea
Of ten years ago that the valleys OF the
Yakima We're q barren waste. worthless
and useless. and thai. ike the old He
braic idea or Nazareth. nothing good can
come OF 81. has long since been proven 20
be a popular deluzion and a snare. The
truth is that much OF the finest land In
the West Il IN sage brush valleys and
the larger the sage brush the better the
.snd. The oaIy thing that Is needed 10
transform the land into veritable gardens
OF Eden Is Mater. and this necessity can
be had along the Yakima river almost for
the asking.
The water shed Of the valleys OF the
Yakima, comprising tho length OF the
eastern slope OF the mighty Cascade
range from ragged Mount Stuart on the
north TO the imperial Mount Adams on
the south. insnres an ample supply OF
water for all purposes. Many streams
pour duwn the mountain sides and. unit
Tag. form a large river. For nearly 90
miles the Yakima river flows In a south
eas,eriy direction through valleys that
appear as level and even a placid lake.
and 70 the casual observer 1t appears
almost incredible that the pitch of the
sntlre country is from ten to atty feet to
49, rail fab. Il
cation completely practical. and. as has
bean demonstrated by experience. water
can be placed on Amos, every acre of
land where the dun brown sage brush
fionrishes and the yeip OF the coyote can
be heard AZ he chases tho frightened jack
rabbit. Irrigation canals were first COM
menced IN this country many years ago
and the pioneers soon had small patches
OF meadow fuxariant with grain. fruit
trees. vegetables and Cali manner OF
cereals aud growths native TO a semi
tropical zone. while adjoining and beyond
the claims were endless stretches of mo-
notopons. colarless country. AZ time
passed and immigrants were few the
earlier settlers grew wealthy from the
products Of their farms, and long before
the railroads touched the country the
entire district became the home OF thou
sands OF head of horses aud cattle and
many OF the stoekmen Of those days are
now the polished miIlionaires OF today.
An Inspiring spring scene.
The vicinity of North Yakima and FL
IeBshurE at this time of the year presents
a beautiful appearance. and viii we'll
repay the visitor. whether he gees for
either business or pleasure. Roth cities
are fionrisaing centers OF rural. mining
and agricultural population. and are but
fhiriy~ssven miies apart. being separated
b. range OF hills through which the
railroad cuts its way. following the wind
Tugs OF the river. Each city Is in the
center Of a valley, and while their re-
sources are of the same character their
interests do not conflict. for each has
ample tributary resources Tor the support
OF towns Of many thousand people. At
this time the season of sleigh riding Is
over for tho year and merchants and
farmers are settling down for the spring
work In the wide splendid valleys there
Is no elgn az snow. the chinook wind CT
the past week having absorbed the winter
gayn. and the stretches Of level country
are beginning 30 blossom with inaumer-
abs, Wild flowers which the hainy air ana
warm sunshine are bringing out The
grass Is sasiaging through the ground
and the earth IS mansled With a covering
OF tender grsen. In the distance the tow
es,ag. abrupt hills. completely cnciFcitog
the valleys as II to guard of attack from
an outside zoe. have not yVt cast of al
o. tealr winter covering and the snow
rreaominates. iasssmiagling here and