East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1904-11-15


IN intensely interesting article on the
Inland Empire written by ex-Gov-
ernor T. T. Geer, and published in
The last number of the Pacific Home
stead.
The article reviewed in an able
manner all the features of the Inland
and sets out the advantages
OF the district in an able manner.
Part of the letter follows:
The term INLAND Empire" is a
very elastic one. Its scope depends
upon the idea which the particular
writer entertains or the amount of
country he desires to include within
his immediate purpose. Properly
speaking, however, all that territory
which is tributary to the Columbia
river, and whose products naturally
find a market in the direction of its
course, combines to form the inn
mense section which has come to be
known in general terms as the I'm
land Empire" Its boundaries are
lot arbitrary nor well defined but
nevertheless, popular custom has
given the name to the vast region that
is drained by the Great River of the
West.
And the history of the development
of this section which includes large
portion of Eastern Oregon, Eastern
Washington, and part of Idaho, has
all the interesting features which per-
tain to a well-conceived romance.
Its earliest settlement by the whites
began with the establishment of the
Waiilatpu mission on the Walla Wal
la river by DIR. Marcus Whitman in
1895, though his first object was the
conversion of the Indians to Chris
tianity. He soon saw, however, the
great value and vast possibilities OF
the country and the immeasurable
wealth il would eventually add to the
possessions of the United States, If
secured, and the last years of his life
were devoted to inducing as large an
American immigration as possible In
order to prevent it's acquisition by
Great Britain.
II was to directly punish him fol
his share in bringing the enormous
immigration of 1S47, which alarmed
the Indians and persuaded them tina
the Boston men would overrul
their country and take away thei
lands. that the awful massacre a
Waiilatpu occurred on November rs
1sa1. by the Cayuse Indians.
The first bonafide settlers in wha
is now known as the Inland Empir
B naturally sought the lands in tn
, valleys. such as Powder river, Gran
Runde, the Weiser, and other smalle
: localities which appeared best fitte
\ by nature for agricultural purpose
) and for permanent homes The write
2 became a citizen of Grand Ronde va
3 ley in 1866 and well remembers tn
2 utterly primitive condition of all thi
4 was then called the Upper Country
! 1t required four days of constai
4 travelling, and a part of some OF tf
3 nights. to reach the town of Unio
2 There was not a house where u
! busting city of Pendleton now stan'
2 and the tedious stage line that wour
y its way from Umatilla Landing
\ Summerville was the best way pr
z yided rfor reaching that country al
Z the Boise valley beyond, which WI
z practically the furtherest point to Il
y ! eastward to which anybody desir'
& to go.
u Hundreds of thousands of acres
q the Inland Empire counties are cap
4 BILE of producing, and are producil
! splendid crops without any irrigau'
Z whatever A few years ago Sherm'
Z county produced a crop of whe'
! without irrigation. and all on rolli
< INLAND. which averaged in the neig
- Aor-hood of $500 bushels for eve
= man. woman and child in the cou
u tx The ftanres are given fro
\ memory. but are none too lar,
4 This was certainly beyond that
x any other oonnty in the United stat
4 or of any other region of equal
y tent In the world.
, In 1897 Ulnatilla county produc
4 over 600. 900 bushels of wheat, wit
= out irrigation. which was per &C
= of the entire yield of the UNI
y States for that year; and, while
\ lands I'm these seopnties which pi
4 duced these immense crops are
! arid, they belong to that other ca
Z known AZ semi-arid, much OF Whl
! was originally largely given to
z growth of vigorous sagebrush a
: greasewood.
\ A feature of irrissted LANDS
q that after a few years they apps
\ to produce good crops with much
Z water than when first placed UNI
= cultivation, and in many cases nm
~ ly' I'm favorable seasons, Will mat'
= larger yields without any water WIN
~ ever. This has been demonstra'
by experience over and over aga
Z the generally accepted theory De
! that the result of yearly saturation
soil. that had been wholly unused
Z Il. makes It more compact ana cal
Bile of holding moisture ana OF TAX
z advantage Of that which can De