The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-01

z N2TNE % as UZF q EE& 88EEA ~ 49,
on the reserve. At present no ore j. IT-
/ ing IN the valley. although several ranches
are stsked or and n fence hzs been BUTT
I around part Of t.. Surrounding the valley
/ and Immediately adjacent % Il are oTen
buuchErass hills. while further back tne
timer II open, with the exception = th@
/ north hfiis5des. which are invariably dense
Iv wooded with snail tanaracks and black
plns.
Leaving TnErahana Meadows. Tire tran
| follows an open valley - B31ap2rte creek.
This valley Is four miles long, bat u is
wIfest part q rot much aver one-nalf mne
IN wtlth. To the north Of re valley there
IL = series q omen benches e good 3grf-
/ cultural lard. south u Tire valley the
mountains are heavily fira5ered with pine,
fr ard tsrasr1ek. No one e living n THIS
valley. although Il & excellent f2rn-nS
Land. capable y producing 2 fine crop 81
hay. IL fact. wild hay is cut ~ u each
year ~ ihe Indians or Bonaparie creek
who zinter their stock here
anapart creek. upon which = loc2ted
the Tonasket boarding school for InaIau
children, IS the principal creek on tle
Ckauogan side % the reservation *
heads On the east side Of Mount B7nzparte
and -fter flowing about six miles along the
eastern stone If the mountaiu. turns 70
inc southwest and finally finds It's way
through low b~uachgrass hills into Inc
Oksuaran. The valley in which TINS creek
flows i settled by a few white men Win
Fnftan wives. haIf-oreads and Indians.
They nave fine ranches and raise aound-
ant crops Of hay. grain and vegetables
Thev arc az a rule now paying some atteh-
ton % fruit growing. and some very me
orchards indeed can be seen along ms
creek and the Okanogau river. the SUM
mer is long. and il gets extremely not IN
July and August IN this part of the re-
serve. but the climate altogether is suc1
that grapes, peaches. pears ana apples
grow large. rfDen we'll ard have a delight.
ffl flavor. The soil of this section Is Ter
tie. but irrigation Is absolutely necessary
for what rain does fall In the summer Is
quickly evaporated by the heat before II
can do the thirsty soil much good. When
ever the land has been properly irrigated
there II Invariably AT abundant harvest
This section. that Is. the Okanogan Vatley
generally. Will some day furnish 70 the rest
Of Washington its grape peaches ana
apples. and they will be sought Tor De
cause or their quality and flavor, but IL
viii necessarily be a distant day. Tor r.
rigatton here Is only In its inception'
transportation Is bad. indeed, and time Is
needed 70 construct the dams. reservoirs
and other works necessary 10 properly IT
rleate the fine fruit land lying along the
okanogsn river.
this summer surveyed about fto.sD acres OF
land, and practically three-fourthS OF TINS
land can be termed prime agricultural
land. Some OF the surveyed land is tim
bered with pine. fir and tamarack' from
which good. marketable lumber can oe
manufactured. There is al present hut
ono sawmiIl on the reservation, located on
NIL creek. and this mill Is operated by the
government for the benefit Of the Indians.
While as A rule the Indians VIII take thelr
time along the river ana creeks
there viii nc still a fine opportunity 70 ac-
hnaE from me river
on the upland and benches. The bench
land is as a general thing better adapted
TO growing cereals than the bottom lana
along the river and creeks. FRUIT trees
viii do equally as well there as on the
river. owing 10 the heavy soil. ana that'
TOO. probably without irrigation.
Myers creek heads on the north slope OF
Mount Bouaparte. and after flowing north
about twelve miles in the reservation
enters British Columbia ana hnally
empties into Kettle river. In this valley
as in all OF the creek valleys Of the reser-
walton. the Indians will take land. me
few that are there ut present are not so
far advanced in farming as their brothers
on the Okauogan. bat probably this Is ow-
ing 10 the fact that Myers creek Is at a
considerably higher altitude ana cohse-
duentIy much colder. This valley also nc
ing shut in To the south by Mount Bona
parte. gets less sunlight than the better
located valleys to the west of u. But,
nevertheless. between Myers creek and the
pkauopan Is the finest stock range on the
reservation and also after getting out OF
the shadow Of the big mountain 10 the
south tho bench land is just rs capable OF
producing bountlful crops as any section OF
The reserve. About 5000 acres OF land
WAS surveyed on Myers creek last sum
mnr Some of Il ~ heavily timbered. but
tho most OF il Is open bench land ana ron
ing hunchgrass hills. There Is ample room
in his section for white settlers. and no
Doubt some OF the very best producing
farms Will be located here.
Around the base Of Mount Bonaparte is
the great hunting grounds Of the Indians.
They come ia that part OF the reservation
from the Nespel.m. IN fact from
an parts OF the reservation. m the fall TO
hunt and fish and lay in their winters sup
ply Of meat.
peer are plentiful ON the reservation.
and each fan the Indians KIN great num-
hcrs n them. They kin all that cross
their path. does. bucks and lawns alike
go down before their rifles. and one would
think that they would eNterminate me
game Of this section. and indeed they
would II 81 were not for the fact that the
deer 20 into British Columbia IN the
sprlnE and return again only in the faH.
There has been much speculation con
! corning the mineral resources Of the reser-
N.tlan and many stories have been anoat
telling oC Tho rich mineral belt there IS
next 10 tho boundary line. These stories
are no doubt based upon the fact that on
fhn British Columhia side Of the line some
very fine prospects have heen found. and
/ reasoning thar what IS IN one SIDE must
necessarily he on tho other, prospecfoTs
/ have set nNnit stories ~ the richness of the
mineral helt an the reserve. The facts 70
! tNa case are chat there IS CotninE known
Wbatever MS - the mineral resources y
the reserve. pr0spectnvs are not allowed