Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1898-03-02
RITZVILLE, MARCH 2, 1898.
ADAr1S COUNTY.

In view of the fact that great
lany people are coming to Adams
ounty this spring looking for loca-
ions and many others intending to
ONE during the summer, we think
he present is a proper time to express
,ur views on certain matters in regard
o choosing locations in this county.
may be proper to state here that
hey are based on the experience OF
en- years residence in the county and
majority OF that time in the farm
ng business, and it is in reference to
hat kind of business that the present
lrticle has to do. 1t is not our motive
o boom any particular locality, as we
AVE no more interest in one part of
he county than another. On the
contrary it is our opinion that too
much stress has always been laid on
ocality in this county. The fact is
there is sameness running all
through. Barring the big coulee, the
whole centralIpart of the county-that
is a strip through the centre from
north to south and ranging probably
20 miles in Widths practically the
same kind of land and gets the same
amount of moisture, and with the
same cultivation would produce about
the same amount of crop. When one
hears about piece OF land on GER
Jain section being all right, it is usually
safe to assume that all the land in
that locality is about as good. OF course
there is limit to the farming land in
the county, and we do not want to be
understood that good land cannot be
missed, and our advice is to prospect
i've settlers, go and see the land before
locating, and don't let anybody talk
you into the notion that there is only
one or two small spots in the county
that will do at all, because there is
thousands of acres just as good as any
of it, We would advise the choosing
of location for farm principally in
reference to the following points.
1st-Free of rock or scab.
2nd-Reasonably level.
Saltwater at reasonable depth this
may be determined to some extent by
neighboring wells.
4th-Near as practicable to railroad
station. This is quite an item when
it is considered that each and every
crop must go to the railroad.
After these of course comes the
schoolhouse, church, neighbors, ETC.,
but the last named are insignificant
compared to the former, because settle
ment will naturally regulate them in
a short time, while the former cannot
be regulated by settlement unless of
very long time.
In conclusion we would drop hint
to those who are looking for lands in
this county, and it is likely it would
hold in any other county in the state.
Having made up your mind that you
like the county, proceed at once to
the county seat. We know of at least
one case in the last week, where a
man lost the chance Of getting good
claim because he tried to figure it out
for himself. He figured it out all right
of course, and went to the land Office
to file his claim, but found when he
got there that in his case two witnesses
were necessary. The other fellow
came to town, found the necessary
witnesses forwarded his papers and by
the time the first man got in proper
shape No. had the land. So if you
want land of any kind or character in
Adams county come to town to see
about it, and it don't matter how
smart you are, if you are a stranger,
you can find out more about land in
fifteen minutes in Ritzville than you
could wandering around the county
in week. If you want railroad land
the company has an agent here who
will be pleased to accommodate you. If
you want decided land there are real
estate men here who make that their
business. If you want government
land the county auditor or county
clerk will take pleasure in showing
you the plats of the different town.
ships, and both these gentlemen being
old settlers and having good general
knowledge of the county, their infor-
nation, which they will cheerfully
give, will be of incalculable benefit in
locating claim,
This article is not written with the
design of booming or advertising this
county or the business of anybody in
it, but simply in the hope that it
might benefit some one who may be
looking for home among us.
Every man, woman and child who