Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1898-12-09

An Interesting Letter From a
Former Citizen of Tazewen.

cue VINO was not long since one OF her
citizens, viii write you a short de-
scription OF my new and far away home
in the State Of washington.
Oaksdale has population of 1900, is
forty six miles south of Spokane, at the
junction Of the Northern Pacific and
Oregon Railway and Navigation Com
pany Spokane is the second largest
city in the State. 1t is growing rapid
ly, and has now population of over
$4,000, and bids fair to be, in n few
more years, one of the largest cities in
the Northwest.
1t is situated on the Spokane river
and has sufficient water power to run
all the manufacturing establishments
in Virginia.
The noted Spokane Falls are in the
heart of the city, and it is said they are
excelled in power, only by the great
Niagara Falls.
In Ga ksdale there are eight dry goods
stores, two hardware, three grocery,
three drug. two jewelry and two har-
ness shops. Also two meat markets,
six churches, three barber shops, and
four saloons, all doing good business as
there are no stores scattered through
the country. 1t as twelve warehouses
with storage capacity of 100000 bush
els of grain.
The free school system is very fine
and extends into the colleges. In Oaks
dale we have a graded free school with
an enrolment of over $50 pupils, and il
runs for a term of nine months. Now
as to the great Palouse Valley and her
products:
In her early days she was covered
with bunch grass, but the gang has
about destroyed that excellent pasture
where the buffalo, the elk and the wild
ponies use to roam in countless herds.
And now the Palous is one vast wheat
field.
This part of Washington is rolling
prairie, and the ground is very rich, ev-
en- to the summit of the hills. OF the
vegetables, will say that the world can
not beat us in size, qnanity and variety.
Apples never fail and to give you an
idea Of their abundance, Whitman c1un-
ty sold and shipped over five hundred
car loads at cent a pound this fall and
have plenty left for home use Apple
trees bear when only four or hYe years
old, and there is no such thing as dis
eased fruit trees, or apples with woIm
holes in them. Peaches Of the finest
Iquality and the largest ! ever saw.
Pears grew to perfection. The other
fruits are, strawberries, black and red
raspberries, prunes, plumbs, cherries,
apricots, and smaller fruits, such az
currants, gooseberries, etc.
saw at the Fruit Fair in Spokane a
cabbage that weighed a little over 100
lbs, pumpkin that tipped the scales
at l25lbs., and apples weighing 81 OF.
The wages are much better here than
in the east. No one ever thinks OF
working for less than S1.00 dsy, ard
during harvest the wages run from$1. 30
to SO so per day. The hired female help
receive from $1.00 to $500 per day.
We have about six inches of snow
The sleigh bells tinkle all day and far
in the night you can hear the merry
parties. The Young and old enjoy
themselves immensely, and skating il
one of the principal enjoyments of the
young people. One can see from 80 to
40 cutters aud tob-sleds at time AS
to nay family they have had a good sup
ply of measles. Only nine of them dowr
within the last three weeks, but are al
about over them now. All are reason
able contented, and hope some time il
the future to pay visit 10 our love
) Virginia and meet the many dear friend
who dwell Deneat her sunny skies
: J. NJ. sNAPP.
Mr.. Masterson's Lecture.