The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-05
COuLEE CITY AND VICINITY.
Grazing and Agricultural District-
Natures Wonderful Work.

Coulee City, Feb. .. 1895.
Geographically Coulee City is situated
by railroad ia miles west of Spokane. on
a bench of the Grand Couiee. and is the
terminus of the Central Washington rail-
way. The lands surrounding the town are
valuable only for grazing purposes ana
stock raising Is the principal occupation.
Some idea of the importance OF this I'M
dustry can be gathered from the fact that
during 1888! there We're shipped from Cou-
lee City las cars of cattle. or 1919 head
worth ST. Some of these cattle were
shipped 10 the Eastern states. there To be-
fattened on corn. a number of cars found
their way to Seattle and other coast CIT
les for home consumption. while others
that We're large and well fatted were
bought for the Klondke trade.
Besides these were ten cars Of horses
shipped East and about as many more
driven into British Columbia and sold.
There is a large surplus OF horses in
Douglas county and we can freely say
that there running at large between
this place and White Bluffs, on the Col
Tmbia south. I5.ooo horses.
Scab or grazing lands extend on the
east and west OF town for six miles when
good agricultural lands are found. North
east is the California settlement that lies
north of the Central Washington railway.
extending to the breaks OF the Columbia
n.
There is plenty of rain fall and the soil
equals the famous Palouse. 1t has been
cultivated for several years and the farms
are We'll improved and their owners are
in good circumstances.
The products OF the settlement are
marketed at Hartline. a station twelve
miles east Of Couee City. On the plateau.
six miles west. at an elevation OF ]. 900 feet
above the Coulec. are found the ST. An
M Rat soft
proving good grain producing countries.
These settlements are more sparsely set
tied and there are still thousands of acres
OF as good prairie lands subject 10 entry
as ever Was turned by the pillow and judy
ing from inquiries. there will be quite a
number in the spring that will take adj
vantage OF this opportunity TO secure free
homes
The greatest natural wonder OF Eastern
Washington is the Grand Coulee This
great hsSure In the earth commences a
Coulee City and runs in a northeastern
direction for thirty-five miles 10 the Col
umbia river. The Blue Lake coulee.
whose head L. also here runs southwest
and ends az what il known as the desert
at Ephrata north OF the Great Northern,
The walls Of both couiees are perpendic-
ular, those OF the Grand Coulee ranging
from $40 10 100 feet high while the west
walls OF the Blue Lake coulee are "a high
as 1900.
The original cause of these great IFS
sures has brought forth numerous opin-
ions from men or prominence. Prof Rus
sell who several years In behalf OF The
government investigated its geological
formation. reported that once IL was tire
bed Of the Columbia river. Later inves-
LEGATIONS have proven fhat the profess
scr erred
The altitude Of the north Of the Grand
Coulee Is 460 feet lower at the Columbia
river than at couiee CITY. and the river
runs siilI 40 feet below ne coulee boz
tom There is nothing in the couIe~ 20
indicate that IL ever was the course OF A
great river. The deposit in the bottom 81
the coulee indicates that al some time
the country was inland seattle pie
historic John Day lake and the receding
Of the waters naturally carried the sea'-
nfent or wash 20 the lowest level and that
Is ALI 10 be found in the coulee.
There are undoubted evidences ~ both
elements Of FIRE and water here. East
OF Couiee CRY half mile there is ridge
II wash gravel and b0uIders while Within
a quarter Of mile further east running
parallel with the first Is a terrace II
basali or lava.
Again tne %orthnp canyon. that leads
from me plateau on the east Is another
south side OF the canyon the great perpen-
dicular walls are 2 mass Of basait. while
on the north side the eye IL greeted with
.hs purest OF white granite
ON the north side trees. pine and ar
are found while on the south nothing
hut sage brush and bunch grass grow
A. the mouth % NorthuD canyon the
coulee - ia widest about six miles
Here r. the center stands Steamboat rock
whose sides tower even With the Coulee
walls on each side. on one side are two
springs that freeze over every night dur
ing the s4lmrner q sheet of ice thick as
q rane 81 glass. Here close 20 the base
Of the big rock Is Devil Lake bat why
such a beautiful placid shees 81 water
should be 50 named Is o~yend ordinary
eornprs h.-n@san. Around THIS lake are
walls 81 beavtgful serpeniine granite ln
strange contrast with the surrounding
basait and not found elsewhere In the
resslee This Is a great resort for water
fowl that come and 20 70 the wheat heids
of the Zig Bend
Upon tle question % foFusa ton. sr cause
az these large hxsur.s. great men Siner.