Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-01-14
Fair Lewiston Valley!
Vineland-- nd--Irrigat,on-Perpetual Sun
shlne-Prosperous Homes.
Lewiston. Washington.
Home Building and Farm work in Md
Wmter-A Model town where
Regulations are Based upon
Progressive Ideas.

Vineland in the middle of January
is not in winter dress. The fresh grass
Is green and wild flowers are in bloom.
The rich black soil Is mellow and
ready for the plow and awaiting the
tree planters spade. Wheat and rye
have been sown every one of the past
winter months in the Lewiston Valley
and it has germinated and grown
green even in December and January.
! These are months of rest in other
northern districts but in Vineland the
work of improvement goes on without
interruption. The people who have
chosen homes in this land Of promise
are thrifty lot. Who could be Idle
on spring day when the birds are
singing and the meadows and fields
are resounding to the vigor that re-
wives all nature. OnIy sluggards can
idle away "A spring day. That is why
vineland has made such progress in
one short year. 1t has been year of
ideal weather for farm work.
One year ago Fineland was a desert
A dearth of natural moisture had made
lovely valley Il dreary waste. The
farmers plough had killed The native
grasses aud the wheat crops he sowed
Were failure. The humesteaders
fought "A hard fight against drought
and low prices till mortgages took their
homes. When the level plain was
new in vergih sod and the green grass
OF spring or the natural cured hay
(ripe bunch grass) of fail waved there
the valley was fair, but land of aban-
doned homes is u desolate picture, and
that was the condition of Vineland II
year ago. The perpetual sunshine the
mild winters and three hundred fine
days for farm work were conditions of
all past years, but the life giving water
thar God supplied for this land was
running To waste in Asotin creek. A
year ago the Lewiston Water Il Power
Co. began the work of assisting nature
to revive the beauty and the wealth of
Nineland. The success of tina, work
has been one of the wonders of the
Northwest. The value of the land and
It's natural ertillty were known to all,
but the obstacle to its redemption was
the barrier of rock cliff and the dis
tance between the land and the wafer
that wnuld give il life
Less than one year ago the company
of which Mr.. Libby was the organizer
and is the indetatigabie manager.
began the development of VineIand by
the construction of the canal from
Asotin creek. Every step of the work
was wisely planned The history of
the enterprise has been one of unfalter-
ing progress from the very beginning
Of the preliminary surveys to the con-
dition that makes hundreds of happy
homes possibility in the desert of Il
year ago.
The engineering difficulties mastered
10y tins company were formidable. A
wall of bas;tlt five hundred feet high
and six miles long confronted En-
glneer Van Arsdai hen he first stood |
by the mad mountain stream and |
looked toward the thirsty Lewiston |
valley. On the face of the cliff he
traced a line ami steel and powder
made seat for IA finme that is as per- |
manent as the rock itself Now the
silver flood threads that niche, wind |
ing and rising Till it In-ses over the |
crest at Swallows Nest and flows i'm "A |
torturous course above the plain, It'll
crowns the brow of the hill like "A |
wrea'h of silver shiuimering In the
til! the valley is just below.
Then the laughing, lazy waters arouse
to strength and break the chains of |
idleness and rumble in mad fail of "A |
hundred and fifty feet. The music is
50 like the songs OF mills and factories
that 1t almost awaken, the old moss
backs who sle, J. in living graves.
1t is true that one year ago the Vine.
land Of tDdar presented that most des-
olate picture. deserted homes, broken
fences and untitled fields. \ bright
plumaged meadow lark, with yellow
breast that reflects the s,in, bursts out !.
III IA note ot a J si.uary song and the ,
new pict ~ takes The place of the one |
"A year old. III he place of the bread |
waste of wee : there are fifty little
well fenced field; Instead of "A few old |
tumbled-doWn shacks there are tifty |
neat new homes that are ringing with |
the music of work.
With busy life all around, with green
grass growing on the new lawns, 1t il !