The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1898-02-04
Palouse Farmers Rolling in
the Lap of Luxury.
MoSGRovE LOSES LAND.
The Decision is in Favor of
Alonza w. Knots. -

Davenport, Feb. 1.-Lineoln county
Wash is world beater. This county
is rolling in wealth this year, careful
estimate of this years wheat crop, in
this county alone, being placed at g..
500 900 bushels, which, at prices rang
ing from IS to 7S cents per bushel,
equals $4 SOC, 900, which, taken together
with the other industries of the county,
such as live stock, fruit, poultry, miner
ais, ETC.. would bring cash return OF
SO 600 900, or $4,000 for each inhabitant,
a result which was never heard Of be
fore in any part OF tho United States.
There are about $50, 900 acres under
cultivation, 250,00 acres having been
seeded this year (lS97) which yielded an
average OF 20 bushels to the acre, some
Of which sold as high as rs cents pei
! bushel. One 100 acre farm five miles
east OF Davenport yieldei 8490 bushels
an average OF 521S bushels to tho acl g
for the entire tract.
Davenport is the county seat Of Lin
coin county and thrifty town OF 1000
people, being situated on the Central
Washington railroad 40 miles. west of
Spokane. 1t has more money in circu'
lation today than any other town OF its
size that ever was in. The people of
this state actually have more money than
they know what to do with after paving
their debte.
There is one county in the state OF
Oregon (Sherman) with only 700 voters
and the estimate OF the wheat crop is
5000, 200 bushels.
Fifty cents bushel is good price
for wheat in the Big Bend country as
it can be raised here for % cents Tho
crops of 1897, in many places, yielded a
return that would pay all expenses fer
raising, harvesting and marketing the
crop, pay the market price for the land
and leave profit besides.
There is no mistake about prosperity
having come to the farmers Of the Big
Bend country, but this country lacks a
whole lot of being like Eastern Oregon,
as crops are not sure, this being the
only crop to speak of for four years.
In 1896 the grasshoppers and squirrels
destroyed the entire crop in most sec
tione, and the other three years before
this were almost q drouth and crops
light. But the old settlers are anticipat-
ing large yield in 1898, as the first
snow came before the ground was frozen
and went off with rain, the ground
absorbing it at once, which is necessary
for good crop. Then the snow came
again before the ground had chance to
freeze, and when 1t goes off in March
will soak the ground thoroughly. All
they have to contend with is grAshhop.
pere ae some kind of plague got hold
of the squirrels and they died by The
million. It ia hoped that the grasshop
pers will not hatch out early enough 10
do any damage. When they are la,e
the wheat becomes tough and it Is i'm
possible for them to eat anything but
the blades, which does not do much
damage.
The 1897 crop was so large that the
machines couldn't take care OF it. They
are still threahing and hauling in wheat
| by the four and six horse loads on bob
sleds. A machine will move up TO a
stack, throw off the top, rake down the
sides, and commence threshing, the
water tanks and other rigs being on
| sleds.
We have had over two months oil
sleighing this winter and the weather
has been much colder than in Oregon
but still not 80 colo as in the Eastern
states. 1t has been seven below zafo
and I, being tenderfoot, could scarcely
keep warm when out OF doofe. We like
| the snow much better than the mud.
All person can see when out riding
is sage brush, jack rabbits and coyotes
there being no trees OF any descriT tiou
| in this section. Wood is $4 80 per cord
snd coal $3.50 per ton. Everybody
burns coal as it is much cheaper than
wood. j. q. L.