The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-05-22
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON STATE
Bert Alexander's Impressions OF
the Big Bend Country.

DAvENPoRT, WASHINGTON. MAY II.
EDITOR NEWS Although the
"News" is almosta week old when
it reaches me, greatly enj ~ it..
| cannot tell much about Wash
iugton, as l have only been here
about q month. OF course, all is
not sunshine here, and many peo-
pie who come here meet with dis
appointments-especially if they
have had high expectations. A..
bout 80 per cent of those who have
come here and staked themselves
down and have remained year or
so, are very enthusiastic over the
"Big Bend" country. The best
testimony in favor of any place is
the spirit of content among it's
people; and | am free to say that
| have never found q locality
whose people were so well satic-
tied with their prospects.
That people here do some COM
planning is true. This is not heav-
en-; for people get sick here, bad
liver causes impatience, and peo-
pie are not always in harmony
with their neighbors; but there
are fewer who fail-fewer who
uarrel-and less demand for liver
pills, than any place I have ever
been.
The prospect for the wheat har
vest is good. Wheat is the prin-
cipal crop, as it is too cold for corn.
Frosts come here every month in
the year. Wheat sells for so cents
bushel, potatoes, S1.25; coal
S6.50 a ton, and wood $4.50 cord.
| said wood, but really it is pine,
about such as is used in Ayr town.
ship for burning limekilns.
This section is not so good a
place in which to get work as it
was yea! or two ago. So many
people have come in from other
places. l have met here people
from almost every state in the
Union, and Pennsy has her full
share of representatives | have,
however, not met any Fulton
county people.
Davenport is hustling little
town of about $4,000 people, good
schools, eight churches. The
Presbyterians are building a
7000.dollar church. Lest you may
get the impression that every
body goes to church and drops a
nickel into the collection basket
every time it is passed around,
l will say that there are five sa-
looms here-all doing thriving
business, and drinking and gam
bling go on day and night, week
days and Sundays.
Ipeeped in one night and saw
as much money piled upon a gam
bling table, as they have in the
Golfers of the Fulton County Bank.
Last Sunday afternoon there
was baseball game between the
clerks and the business men.
The result was 10-11 in favor of
the business men. The Daven-
port band enlivened the occasion
with music.
Now, if any one comes out here
with the expectation of getting a
homestead, he will be fooled. OF
course, there are plenty of home
stead claims lying around loose,
but they are "no good" They
are what is called here "Scab"
land and lies well, but all gravel
not a bit of soil-and nothing
grows on it but sage brush and
wool grass. Cultivated land
brings a good price.
lam not trying to make you be-
lieve that Davenport is the whole
thing. This town lies in the CO.
lumbia river basin, and in the
eastern part Of the state. The
whole state of Washington is as
large as Pennsylvania, Maryland,
Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Is.
land, Fulton county, and "then
some"
A. @. ALEXANDER