The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-10-09

road was largely blasted out Of the
bluff. He took up the land under the
homestead law, the presumption act,
and the desert land act. He did an
three things, pre-empted made a
home and reclaimed the desert, and
thus became entitled to GAO acres OF
and which was still part OF the gov
eminent domain, and TO which no
one else cared for. He saw the pos
sibilitles of the situatiOn-that the
dirt at the foot of these towering
cliffs was largely disintegrated lava
and volcanic dust, and that all II need
ed was water to make ii the most
productive in the world. Difficulties
which might have daunted another,
the remOteness, the isolation, the des-
ert, the Inaccessible walls of rock
and the character of the undertaking,
served to spur his ambition and cour-
age. Today he begins to see the re-
suits. He has strung telephone
wire across the desert, and can talk
with Chicago Or New York from his
sitting room. He has a comfortable
well-appointed house, around which is
a hospitable porch enclosed with wire
screening and shaded with Chamber
ing grape vines. A green velvety
lawn slopes down to a brook as beat
tiful as mirror in which are large,
flashing trout so numerous and tame
that they are the pets Of the family,
whom the little daughter feeds every
evening with bits OF meat chopped
fine.
Sterilized by Nature.
In this favored niche in the earth
there are no harsh winds to chill the
growing things; the lofty lava walls
which hem the valley furnish perfect
shelter The frosts may strike the
high plateau, but they do not trouble
here. The skies are always bright,
the sun always shines, and water
never falls. Is it any wonder that the
cantaloups are sweet, or the winter
water-melons luscious, or that plums
and peaches have a flavor which
makes them seem like a different
fruit? Nor are there insect pests tC
prey on the trees or diseases Inject
the fruits, for all about the country
is sterilized by the desert. There are
no neighbors to do slOvenly farming,
or to breed things which spread.
More than 80 per cent of the fruit is
perfect, without speck or blight.
On the Blue Lakes farm there are
Is. 900 trees which bear winter apples
alone. This season Mr.. Perrine has
shipped 10000 crates of peaches. He
also raises plumbs, pears, cherries,
melons and grapes, and alfalfa for
his horses There is no fear of adj
vertising Mr.. Perrines farm or wares,
for a long time the market has sought
him, not he the market. His fruit
never gets east Of Salt Lake City.
The price it commands there renders
it unnecessary to pay the high freight
charges On the long haul to the At
lantic states. The rich Of the east may
dream of Perrine's fruits, but they are
no more to be had than the apples of
the Hesperides.
Senator ClarkS Falls.
One other man has seen the advan-
tages of pre-empting land in this
canyon namely, Senator William A.
Clark, of Montana, who is the proprie-
tor Of the ShoshOne falls, we'll named
the niagara Of the West On both
sides of the falls the land has been
acquired under the homestead act,
and is now the property of the mil
lionaire copper king. In grandeur
and beauty the falls may well be
compared with Niagara. The fall is
60 feet higher, and the setting is
more picturesque, though the amount
of water going over the fall is less.
Some day a railroad will be run 10
the falls. and then the world will pay
tribute to Senator Clark to see one
Of the earth's grandest spectacles.
Even before the tourists have arriV-
ed have come the advance guard Of
the Industrial hosts. The Shoshone
falls, still almost unknown to the
sightseeing world, are being harness
ed to make electricity. Already the
engineers are at work to turn part OF
the water through a turbine which
will generate 10000 horse power,
which enormous energy is to be trans
mitted 250 miles to Salt Lake City,
in which vicinity it is to be used to-
run street cars and operate mines.
In order to see the Shoshone falls
it is necessary now to take stage
ride of 80 miles and back across the
sage brush desert, and to do some
foot climbing which would be difficult
for a nerson not strong and well.