The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-06-27

| reach Of the service and the appropria-
tons at this time. For a year or more
it was believed that the government
engineers would begin building the
Palouse river-Pasco canal January 1,
1906.
Investigations and reports made at
ter the favorable action of Secretary
Hitchcock last fall, have developed
conditions in the Washtucna coulee
that have induced the government en-
gineers to believe that the Palouse pro-
ject would cost s6,O00,0OO. The lands
to be watered under the Palouse river.
Pasco project aggregate 100000 acres.
They lie along the main line OF the
| Northern Pacific, and vary in elevation
| from 35 to 700 feet above sea level
| The richest lands under irrigation in
| this state today are along the Snake
river in Asotin county. There land is
worth from $3.50 to $1,000 per acre.
The elevation. which is a big factor
in determining the productiveness and
| value of irrigated lands. ranges from
0'S 1eet upyaro' :" ''','' Il
Rich Lands Going to Waste
The lands in the Snake river coun-
try under water today are not greatly
different from those in Franklin coun-
ty. included in the proposed Palouse
river project. They have one great
advantage, being fortunately situated
midway between the two great mar
kets, Seattle and Tacoma on the west
and Spokane and the mining cities of
Idaho and Montana on the east. Ken
newick strawberries, raised just across
the Columbia river from Pasco sold
this spring in Seattle at $13 per crate.
On one farm near Pasco, w. ]. Lives
ley produced last year $1,9S5 from two
and a half acres of strawberries. These
before the advent of the Hood river
berry.
In Yakima county there are nearly
100000 acres of land under irrigation.
Judged by the value of the crops, this
land is worth from 500 to $1,000 per
acre, according to the improvements.
Land in the Sunnyside district, under
the canal system of the Washington
Irrigation company, is held at 500
when unimproved, and up to $500 when
cultivated and with bearing fruit trees.
Alfalfa land is worth from 5000 to
$3.50 per acre and even higher. These
prices are not fictitious. They rule to-
day in that district. The value of the
fruit and other crops produced last
year in the Sunnyside district alone
was approximately 100000.
To Store Waters in Lakes
The government is now considering
the purchase Of the Sunnyside canal
and the reclamation of over 100000
acres in the lower Yakima valley This
fact was brought to the attention
of the committee. Involved in the pro-
posed reclamation of these lands is the
widening of the Sunnyside canal to
twice it's present capacity and the stor-
age of waters in Lakes Kachees and
Kitchelos, forming the source of the
Yakima river. Under the laws of this
state no private company can secure
rights at the lakes which would make
feasible from a financial standpoint,
the development of the storage capac-
ity of the lakes.
1t is proposed that the government
take over the Sunnyside canals and
assume control at the lakes. If this is
done the s1,5OO,OOO appropriated for
this state would become Immediately
available.
In Yakima county the reclamation
service has investigated the Cowiche
project, a small district involving a
few thousand acres. Reclamation en-
gineers are now preparing report on
the Okanogan project, one Abandoned,
providing for the reclamation of 1000 |
acres of land at an estimated cost OF
100000
The Ellensburg project has also re-
ceived attention. This provides for |
the reclamation of lands in Kittitas
county wren the waters in the lakes |
at the head of the Yakima river are |
stored by the government.
Found-Tne best place on earth to |