Oakes Republican. (Oakes, N.D.) 1898-1906, 1902-05-16
M. J. ANDERfoN.
the Fruit T44s.
Portland. OrelMay 8. 1902.

ing Oakes several thd dFe asked me to
write to them of our Courtney and Of
the eountry through (which we passed
and also of the city bf Portland, and
| solemnly promised to do so. But
to write to each bne individually
would take up too nj uch of my val
liable time (sight saeing). Now Mr..
Editor if you will ks sdly help me out
by allowing me to 3iy few words
through the Republican would
thank you very mug dh. We left Oakes
at 80 a. m. Sunday the 9th arriv-
ing at Portland, Tuesday at 9:l5 p.
NJ, nearly two houfs behind schedule
time, which time | Jas lost at Spokane
waiting 70, a brolen switch to be re-
paired. The couhtry through which
we pas sed from Jamestown, N. D. to
Livingston, Mont, would not inn
press one as being the Garden OF
Eden, and what some of it was made
for I am not wise enough to know.
We saw but few horses, cattle or
shesp out upon the prairies of Dakota
while passing along. At Mandan we
run our watch BACK one hour so as to
be in touch with the natives the rest
of the way. 1--WE passed through
some very fine and fertile valleys in
in Montana ana Washington, going
through Idaho2in the night we saw
nothing of that country. Prickley
Pear Valley, Mon. is fine looking
valley containing lots of sage brush,
horses, sheep and cattle and all look
ing fat and s}ie X Nhis includes the
sage brush). EBlackfoot valley or
Blackfoot Indi1 1n reservation as it is
called, is anothS Sr fine looking valley
where raising Sdians, dogs, horses
and cattle are a bout equally divided.
Then we coma to Yakima valley,
Wash. The Yakima Indian Agency
is located here.f The Indians rent
land 10 white folks for three bits an
acre and l understand there is good
money Tor the renter. Then we pass
directly into Npth Yakima valley
the beauty of alls North Yakima Of
5000 in habitantS is fine looking
city. Here is located an electric
sheep shearing plant, One mar has
$1,000 sheep out alpon the mountains
and as we pass along far below they
look no larger than rabbits and how
they can stay Upon the mountain
side is conundia1m. North Yakima
valley is from tp 10 miles wide and
70 long. Yakims river here gives up
salmon weighing from 5 to 30
pounds. The Indians catch and
smoke a great many. Three thous-
and acres of potatoes are planted
here this spring They are cut,
planted, cultivated, dried, assorted
and sacked by Smachiuery. Vege-
tables of all kind8were up and look
ing fine. A m4n owning twenty
1es lust outside the city would sell
III $4,000, but did not care enough
aboutit to look uph customer. Land
farther out could He had for from $40
to $40 an acre. Three crops of three
tons each of alfalf$ is the average
during the season through all these
valleys. We saw Fruit, fruit, fruit
trees Of all kindss all in blossom.
Cherries are now as large as large
peas. We have lived in fruit coun
try but [ never sawSthe like before.
The first apple blossom my eyes
rested upon was in P yard at a small
station in Montana.S The train slow
ed up and stopped Snd | made quick
time into that yard fand out again,
but long enough to be convinced that
the train was not rup pning for the ac-
commodation of passengers to gather
apple blossoms along the way.
Nevertheless, | got What [ went after
and passing to wheb Mrs. M, j. sat,
held the blossom uR and said, 'ladies
and gentlemen, thisis the first apple
blossom we have saen for eighteen
years, and I now plt ice it in my wife's
hair and christen ber apple bios
son." (Cheers). "And are you
from Greeland's icy mountains?' q
"Oh no, but fronH the prairies Of
North Dakota" hat settled it
More anon. nj. y. "A.