Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1903-12-24
THE PACIFIC SLOPE
Points on Irrigation-Spicy News
From Geo. Ackert's Pen.


From Geo. Ackert's Pen.
Seattle, Wash, Dec Is, '03.
Editor Bedding Banner.
Dear Sir:-''In one OF your papers of
recent date you gave few tips on lr-
rigation In the Pacific States.
presume that the most OF the peo-
pie east think as we did that part at
least of the Pacific states il level like
the prairies of Illinois and other west
ern states. The facts are outside the
mountain ranges where you find 1000
acres level enough to irrigate and culti-
vate, you will find 10000 acres to billy
10 ever produce anything more than at
the present time "Sage bush and lit
tie bunch grass"
If Uncle Sam intends furnishing the
means to irrigate the arid plains OF the
Pacific states he is undertaking very
large job.
In Yakima county this state there is
an irrigating ditch so miles long and
they are asking Congress to help ex-
tend il so more, it will cost some two
million dollars and still not over one
half Of: the land along that so miles
level enough to irrigate. A ditch
must be nearly as large as Erie canal
in N. Y. state to convey sufficient
water to irrigate about one and quar-
ter million acres that can be irrigated
along that one hundred miles OF the
proposed irrigating canal,
Water is a necessity in raising any
thing except sage bush and bunch
grass. We were in Yakima county
from the middle of April until Sept lst
and in that time less than one inch of
rain fell. In central Washington the
soil never gets wet down more than two
or three feet and in the late fall and
winter at that, when it comes April it
is dry as ashes down TO bed rock.
There is no dews, no moisture of any
kind ontside the irrigated districts
with clear skies, scalding sand, vol
canic ash and alkali dust. You will see
cloud of dust raise away off on the
hills eight or ten miles, it may be an
emigrant outfit or band of horses or
few Indians with their pack ponies a
score or more OF loose ponies, squaws,
papposesand dogs, going no one seems
to know where and no white man cared.
Here in Seattle there is no scarcity
OF water for in the fall and winter there
is more than we want for comfort. It
is not cold here the grass is just as
green today here as tits in Bedding in
May, no snow and but little freezing
weather, but when clear we can see the
snow ADD ice away up on Mt Rainier
IA 500 feet above the Pacific ocean.
Seattle is large city over IS5, 900 in
habitance and world OF business tran
sacted here.E In the harbor you will
see ships from all oyer the world. The
greater portion of the Alaska trade is
here, the most of the supplies for the
U. S. army in our new possessions
leave here. The money in use on the
Pacific coast is gold and silver
There is from 40 to 80 building per-
mits taken out daily, ranging in price
from a few hundred dollars to fifty
Thousand, the city is growing fast.
A young man with good trade OF
any kind can do we'll in Seattle, car
penters and painters get $3.50, masons
So. 90 for nine hours work. Lumber is
quite reasonable in price ranging from
$40 for no. common to s26 for no.
selected clear per m, clear cedar shin
giles 81 rs, no. / lathe 81.
We are building few cottages in
one Of the residence districts, have one
completed and one nearly ready to
be plastered, A house costing $3.50,
the lot $3.50 all in good shape, .rents
from 80 to $40 month with good
prospect OF selling for rs per cent above