The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-20

newly organized its officers and members
are intensely active and are already con-
ssdering propositions fer the location OF
straw paper mill and several other manu-
featuring enterprises. Efforts are being
made ia interest the farmers in this vicin-
ity in the cultivation OF FAX fiber. to be
used in the making OF grain bags, and In
the growing OF sugar beets.
There are three banks IN Colfax. one a
private banking institution. The total de-
pests are s4so0 The two national banks
among the strongest financial institu-
tons In the state.
Wealthy County Of whitman.
Whitman county. or as 1t Is more COM
monty and perhaps more properly called.
the Pslouse country, Is the fourth county
In the state In point OF wealth and popu-
iation. and. a; least In the minds OF its
residents. easily the flrss in the matter OF
wealth production. present and prospect
i've. 1t Is certainly the most wonderful re-
gion IN the United States OF equal size for
the production OF the different cereals.
? Though not TO the same degree. II ID espe.
cialiy fitted for the production Of the
harder fruits and ali the kinds of vs8e.
tables successfully cultivated In the north
temperate zone.
Writing Of the Palouse country. 1t Ii q
difficult matter to give the reader any very
clear idea OF the country. II Is no. a val
ley. nor a prairie. though II partakes OF the
characteristics OF both. Probably the
country can best be described as an eie-
waited plateau. with an undulating surface
very similar in general appearance with
the face Of the ocean when the winds blow
waves mountain high. But It's eombing
waves. with long. shining. gently descend
ing siopes TO the west and south, and steep.
frowning faces to the north and east are
not Of deep green sea water. They are
composed OF rich black loan. heavily i'm
pregnated with the mineral ealts necessary
10 plant life. Its soils are deep In many
places 100 fee. or more. and are practically
inexhaustisie. even when used for the cut
tiyatfon OF wheat. notably soil exhauster
Many farms. after having been cropped
continuously for twenty-five years to
wheat. we, last year yielded q harves. OK
10 exceed forty bushels an acre. And this
too. under farming methods that in the
older states Of the East. would be justly
regarded as shfftiess and ineficisns
some Geological Theories.
The formation Of the Paiouse country has
puzzled the biologists stree the early ex-
ploration and settlement of the Northwest.
Many theories were advanced and yet none
of them seemed 10 At existing conditions.
Many were firmly OF the opinion that IL
was originally the bed OF an trAnsi sea O.
lake. and that some tremerdous canvulsion
OF nature had raised I. high above the i'm
nsfiste surroundings Others advanced
the theory that volcanic ash had been de-
posted here tn grea. mound. This had
then been submerged during the period
when the great Columbia basin was a lake.
and when at las; the waters had Gu. their
WAY through the Cascade mountains. in
their suhsSdenee had left the country In
general outline we now see t. Finally.
A local newspaper man advanced the then
novel Theory that the winds had been the
chief instrument in the formation % this
region His opinion was that q volcanic
few OF molten lava. whsch furnishes the
groundwork or bedrock Of thsa country,
iyfEg In overlapping wares Ia q depsh OF
l.nn feet or more. was succeeded by sn
aufp0ariag 81 volcanic ash. that settled IN
a thick sAses On ths hardened lava flows.
Ant then TIRE winds and the rains came.
the first 10 pile up ths hills and scoop out
the svaies a. they are tcday. ard scstser
,ne seeds OF grass and weed. ard flower.
ard tree. the SECOND 70 fsrssisxe the lard
and cicsse IS ssosses ard .e<ets with 3
cloak Of v~rssmre. This theory seemed 20 fis
ira conss;stcns more nearly. and was
cepse1 ~ Prof Harrington, then az TIE
University ~ washingtcn and other sren-
fists ard geological sharpe. ana 10 now
generally admitted I'D ne corr~S.
Many Acres % Fertile Laoa-
whitman county IL In the southeastern
part Of tas state with Snake river fos -
southern Boundary. the ftaha state line 70
the east. Spokane county On the norsh. ana
the counties ef Adams AID Fsankiir CO tas