The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-03
FRANKLIN.

Sliced off from the great Inland Empire
only q few years sfo. Franklin county has
net yet had time 10 grow much In pcpula-
Uon. but her county seat. Pasco. has
splendid location on the banks OF thu Co
lumbiA river. and on the main line ~ ma
Northern Pacific railway. with branch
to waliuIa. The county contains an area
OF 1850 acres. and comprises tbs most
soatheFiy portion Of tho great Columhia
plain at TIRE Junction OF the Snake ara CO.
lnmhia rivers. II forms nearly a three
sided figure, bounded partly on the west
and partly on the south by the Columbia
river. parity on the south ard southeast
by the Snake river. on the east BY the Pa
louise river, on the north by Adams and
Douglas counties. and partly on the west
by Douglas county.
The soil - composed Of a volcanic sedi-
men tary deposit. covered with sage brush
and bunch grass. and forms part Of the
great stock range OF the Snaks and Co
lumbla r'gsrs The land lies AZ different
elevations, IN benches OF several thousand
acres Oh. commencing az tho Junction q,
the two rivers at an elevation Of &no feet
above sea level and rising 70 AZ elevation
OF about 1850 feet at the north line OF The
county.
The lower or southern portion Of the
county Is composed OF uEht-coioref soil
of a sandy ma taTe and when irrtnatea set
great riehGoss in the production OF fruits
and vegetables. This portion Of the coun-
y has proven 20 be pre-emlnantly suited
for the raising Of very large crops 81 fruit
ard vegetables, OF large size and superior
quality when irrigated. Apples pears
peaches. prUns-. piuns. cherries, nectar
ines. qulncee. spricots and Al small fruits
grow very fine and come into bearing very
early
Al least 1870 no acres ~ the function or
che Snake and Columbia rivers can be
irrigated a a moderate cost by pumping
the water from those rivers by water
power Several windmill pumping plants
are now IN Use trrigsflng garden truck.
taking the water from wells. Two plants
are now under construction. one on the
Snake and The other on the Columbia
river 10 trTigata several hundred acres
by pumping tho water by means OF cur
rent rnoters. THE rainfall FOR this portion
81 the county, including all precipitation,
IL only SIX inches per year.
The northern portion Of the county In
batter adapted 70 raising grain. being a
heavier and darker cni0fad scsi than the
southern portion. Good crops OF rye and
wheat oan be raised once 81 two years b.
summer following. The rainfall is more
than double what IL IL In the other pa II
or the county. Near washtuckna. I'm the
northeast corner OF the county. Harder
brothers have forty acres under irrigation.
twenty acres in alfalfa and twenty acres
"a an orchard and garden. They ebtsin
their water from large spring.
The flanagan orchard OF twenty sores,
near Flsh-hook bend, on the Snake river,
twenty miles from its mouth, 10 irrigated
By pumping water from the river by
current wheel resting en- seows. The
water OF the palousa river r. OF such an
elevation that gravity system Of irriga-
ton can be constructed TO irrriEats sew
erai thousand acres In the northeastern
portion Of this county. A ditch nine
miles in lsnEth has already been excs-
waited and other work done for this pur-
pose. There ere lakes and streams Of
sufficient yoiums ard elevation IN the ad-
Joining counties north ana east % Frank
iia county that can 20 conducted By q
gravity Eystem to trrsgats a large portion
as the county. Surveys have already
been made for this purpose. and will no
doubt. Be carried 70 successful tsrrnina-
ton IN tha not far distant future.
Nearly one-half of the land OF thfs
county IS subject % entry under ths
tnttsd States land avs. end large per-
ton Of ths remainder Is for sails AZ rss-
sonsbls farms from the Northern Paosns
Railway Company.
The climate OF tbs southern portion eff
iris county. along with very small part
az Takirna and Waila Walla counties 81
Ike elevation. IL the wsrme~t ard hes
tbs longest growing season OF any part
& Eastern washington. Here the grow
ing season II two 10 three weeks earlier
n ths spring ard ths same later In the
fail than a. walia waiIa or NORTH Yak
irna- We have $50 days 81 sunshine Ia
the year, and rarely does the winter tenn
perature touch zero. Tns winter aver
ages abgat TWO weeks that VIII kse7 tba
farmer from cuItlvating tbs sell In the
growing season there Is from six and
half 20 seven months free from any frost.
Tas average mean temperature OF tns
winter months rarely gees below frsszing.
The heaithfainess OK the climate here
cannot Be questioned
A. A. BA-CHELLER-