The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-24
OkANOGAN RIVER SURVEY.
IMPROVEMENT At \ COST OF $50, 600
RECOMMENDED.
REPORT OF Capt. Harry Taylor tn the
War Department. Submitted to
River and Harhor Committee

! Special Dispatch 70 the Post-In.el.igencer
/ WASHINGTON. Feb. "a fra, Of The
laoors OF Hon. : G. Hyde. when he was
member Of congress for Washington has
+ }osi rpened ia tire shape OF report OF
re cn!ef Of engineers transmitted ny TIE
! secretary ~ war 20 the house of represent
atiyes FOR .he information Of The river ana
haroor committee. Cae Of Mr.. Hyls's pet
/ projects WAS the Improvement u the Okla.
hogan river buJ he found il impossible TO
/ Set survey OF IT, because 10 survey even
+ Of the river had bsen made. lie Gid tae
best thing he could. therefore. and Sc
cured = provision in ne las, river and har-
Dor bin directing the survey 10 Dee made
/ This survey vas made under the d.rec-
! ton Of Capt. Harry Taylor. WAC es,iaa IS
/ that $9.oo1 Will be necessary 10 improve
! the channel Of the river. remove certain
/ rock Instructions. construct wing dams.
and take out the snags. This would p r
mix navigation from the cnouth Of the r.y-
! er to the international boundary limo az
! all times Of the year except during cx-
/ 'reme low water Capt Taylor considers
/ this Improvement most worthy and iust-
1 fled by the interests of commerce involved
/ and this view IS concurred in Ivy Col. Su-
ter. division engineer. Capt Taylor's re-
| port follows:
The sources Of the Okanogan river are
| IN British Columbia. 1t crosses the inter
! national boundary line through Osoyoos
| lake into the state OF Washington IN lon
/ gliude ll9 degrees = minutes west OF
/ Greenwich. From this point Il flows In a
| general southerly direction 20 It's contlu-
! ence with the Columbia river. The length
/ OF the okanogan river within the United
/ states IS nearly eighty-seven miles The
| point Of it, junction with the Columbia
! river i SlNty-s!X miles above Wcuatchee
/ 4 town on tho Great Northern railroad.
| The Columbia river from Wenatchee to the
/ mouth Of the Okanogan i navigatel
/ throughout the greater part of the year
1 The Okanoean river has been navigAted
/ from the Columbia 20 the interna tional
1 boundary liue during high water. and tile
/ lower part Of the okanogan river Is reg
ularly navlSated for about four months
~ the year. during the summer high VA
ter
The valley Immediately adjoining the
/ okanogan river ranges from one 10 four
miles in width. Its soil Is generally o
liEhi sandy loan. growing sagehrush and
! rJnchcrass without irrigation. ana when
Irrigated produces most abundant crous OF
/ hay. frui. and vegetables
The land on the cast side OF the river
for its entire length belongs to the Coville
| Indian reservation. The north half If this
reservation has recently been opened up 70
mining locations. and some very good
| claims have been developed. although the
majority Of them have not been work =
/ 20 any great extent. The south half ~ the
reservation "a inhabited only by Indians
These Indians are rather more thrifty than
the average Inii1n doing cons!dera bic
farming AMI owning several small bands
Of cattle and horses.
THE land On the west Side Of the river
rs practically taken up but owing TO the
country being now end q great deal Of tt
no. having boon surveyed by the govern
ment. and The general depression " m.
times the settlers have not been able p
many instances 10 make much improve
ment on their places. There are. however
q number Of fine ranches along the shores
Of the OkanoEan river and the ranchcrs
seem 10 be thrifty and their bands Of
stock improving With better Transports
tl0n facilities they VIII De ciaased among
the most prosperous farmers in the state
Of Washington.
a. am elevation Of from $50 u 80 feet
above Okanogan river there arr several
I fine benches # slightly rolling tahle-lands
ranging in size from q few thousand acres
% probably 5nooo aores. Tpon these bench
- are n number ~ fine ranches hut
large portion OF them are rot farmed on
account ~ the scarcity ~ water for lrri-
CATION Where those benches are nor farm
ed thov produce an abundant growth ~
. hunchgrass and support LARGE herds ~ oat-
tie horses and sheer Tho stock range ~
the Okanogan country IS probably as
good as any in the e'3te Of Washington.
ftstff 4~lf-