The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-29

Thousands of acres OF the richest valley
land are of course as yet untouched, but
the work of Improvement and progress still
goes on and viii be felt and seen in the
increased prosperity Of the county as the
years roll by.
deep. but it Is sandy loan and has been
found to be admirably adapted to fruit
raising. Prunes and plums, as well as a
great many varieties of berries and small
fruits, thrive splendid.y in this light,
warm soil. Vegetables grow well, both on
the uplands and in the valleys. The coun-
try Is well adapted 10 dairying. and as
more land is put into grass this industry
will undoubtedly be developed.
There are a number OF farms in the val
leys near South Bend that have been cult
waited and cropped for a quarter OF a cen
fury, and to show the natural productive
ness Of the soil OF these valleys. crops
continue TO yield as well as when the land
was first opened UP. No ferti.izing is re-
quired If the crops are rotated every few
years. The amount Of vegetables and
small fruits raised on an acre of this val
ley land is not exceeded anywhere in the
state or in the world.
Shipping Facilities.
The city Of South Bend Is connected with
the world of commerce by the two great
methods OF transportation, on one side the
ocean and on the other transcontinental
railroad. few years ago. when the
natural advantages OF the Willapa hRrbo-
were made known TO the world the young
city OF South Bend at once became pace
or Importance and was recC gniZed as one
of the coming cities of Washington The
United States government appropriated
money Tor the Improvement of the harbor
as II was found that for a comparatiyely
small expenditure the naturally splendid
harhor could be greatly improved in places
where some dredging was required. Work
was commenced and pushed forward in
creditable style and the harbor as IL is
now requires only few hundred dollars
spent In dredging at one spot 10 make IL
complete in every respect and equal 10 anv
harbor on the Coast from the standpoint Of
shipping and commerce. II was found
when the first survey was made by the
government engineers, that only some IN
ternal improvements were needed in the
harbor and that no expensive jetty at the
bar would he required as the water ~
low tide was amply sufficient 10 admit yes
sells into the harb0r and that no work
would be required at this point In most
cases. as IN that OF the Columbia river
this portion Of the work costs the govern
ment by far the greatest expenditure Of
money in tET improvement Of a hArnor
statement was made TO the general gov
eminent As To the commerce Of the harAor
and also the general resources of the trIb-
rta-y country. The report fully justified
tho harbor improvements asked for and
The work Was accordingly done
A. that time there was a good deal of
talk Of a railroad 20 South Bend. and the
proposition was freely discussed in railway
circles. The first proposition was the *
tension Of the Hunt system OF RAILWAYS
down through Gyay's harbor country a~3
then across 70 South Bend. II was finally
decided 70 build a branch road from the
main line Of the Northern Pacific at Che
halls direct 10 South Bend. thus tapping
over fifty miles OF rich agricultural and
timber lands. and that road was finally