The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-28

CoLFAN March Nv eat1er pTognos-
tIcasors are inclined az last 10 accept the
promise ina. spring has come. For the
PAST three DAYS II nas been raining almost
continuously. and almost all the snow has
been melted In The mountains east Of
here In Idaho. the snow il melting with
great rauldsty. as is proved by the enor-
nous size OF the Paiouse river. which is
eth RAPIDLY rising, threatening some dam
age 10 property along lis banks.
But the high water has its good. as wei
as SIS bad features. At least 10000 feet
OF logs are piled up along the stream or IN
drives on their way 10 this and other
points Snow has been very scarce dur
ing the winter. even in the mountains.
where the logs were cut. and most Of the
hauling OF logs has been done in the night.
as then they could be hauled on the frozen
ground. But within two weeks heavy
falls of snow have come, which relieved
the fear that there would not be water
enouxht 10 float the logs 10 The mills. For
the last two years logs were fioated down
with great difficulty. and q repetition OF
the trouble was anticipated.
The winter. without being a severe ore
IN the matter OF weather. has proved a
very hard one on farmers and stock
raissrs. A slight fall OF snow came
early in November. accompanied by
severe cold snap. the thermometer sink
ing to IL degrees below Zero. The range
had been closely eaten of In the summer
and fall. and hundreds OF horses and
few cattle. already poor and weak from
lack OF food died during this first cold
snap By December ! IL turned warmer
and rained nearly all that month. While
there was little snow and hardly any
cold weather during December and Janu-
airy, continual feeding was necessary for
all kinds of stock. and when II turned
- go
heavy fall OF snow in March was accom-
panied by another severe cold snap feed
was about all exhausted, and sheep and
cattle were fed hay worth from sl2 TO SIS
a ton. while horses. being practically
worthless, were left on the range TO
rustic for themselves. and they died by
the hundreds.
To add 10 the ravages OF hunger dis
eases like the CHAMBERS have broken out
among them in some places, and many
animals have been shot 10 prevent the
disease from spreading.
On account Of the open weather and
continued alternate freezing and thaw-
Ing the roads have been almost impass-
able throughout the winter, and getting
around has been attended with extreme
difficulty. This has made the hauling OF
hay or feed almost impossible. and con-
siderable inconvenience, IL not even some
suffering. has been caused from the fact
that wood could not be hauled over the
roads
Farm work ceased early last fall, earlier
than for years but all through the winter
there have been times when IL could be
temporarily resumed. There has been at
least week in each month when blowing
could be done successfully, and much was
done in some parts OF the county.
II IS impossible as yet 10 estimate how
much damage has been done 70 crops by
the cold weather. but farmers generally do
not seem to think II has been very great.
not so much as was seriously feared dur
ing the last cold spell. Wheat Is about the
only farm crop that suffers very seriously
from the winter kill" About 20 per cent.
OF the wheat crop Is usually fall sown.
About one-fourth OF this usually freezes
out. II IL not thought that this proportion
has been exceeded this year. although tt is
impossible TO tell definitely until there Is
warm weather enough TO start 10 growing
that part OF Il which is unin3ured
The acreage Of wheat this year will be
enormously increased. owing to changed
financial conditions and the increased
price at which Il is selling. II it is good
year. as there IS every prospect now that
Il Will be- the Palouse country viii raise
100000 bushels OF grain. mostly wheat.
The acreage of other farm crops VIII prob
ably be considerably reduced to give way
-
be raised in much smaller numbers. Two
years ago there were fully SEQ head OF
hogs in Whitman county. and FIVE years
ago there were 8. coo head OF cartle. Now
there ara perhaps 5000 hogs and 1890
cattle. Cattle have been shipped largely
20 Montana IN the last three years. and
Scent hogs fed on Jo-cent wheat are found
10 be extremely Improbable. Corn has
been shipped from Iowa and other central
states 70 feed hoES this winter but IL IL
found cheaper 70 ship the hogs.
The inter- has been an unusually severe
one on ground squirrels. which Is some
compensation for its other severity. The
Hale animals came out early IN the win
ter while e Wss warn. and when the snow
and cold weather came were frozen 20
death by the Thousands. This and the
squ.-rel diseases being pr0pagated a. the
state agricultural college are considered
ample assurance against damage BY sGuir-
reis this season. which r. very large item
a. H-eeraa 81 -