The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1906-10-26
Oct. Q. 1906.

Oct. =, lSuo.
We are now about to take.our de
psrrpre from the famous Yakimis
valley. As we said in our last letter
Toppenish Is one of the greatest ship
ing points on the N. P. railroad
There must also be other places that
contribute their share Of the great
stream OF farm range and forest pro-
ducts. There are hundreds Of cars Of
wheat passing, over this line1of road
daily on its wsy to Seattle. Tht
grain out here 10 al shipped In SACK
and ie hauled IN coal cars and covered
with paulins to protect II from rsir
or dust.
There are many beautiful valleys In
eastern washington. northwest Idaho
and Montana where small grain II
raised 10 abundance. Occasionally
We see an effort to produce corn bu,
this Is In no sence corn country eyer
with irrigation the seasons are TOT
short and the nights too cool and tht
cut worms are very numerous.
Spoka ne IL q city Of some import
ance. 1t 10 situated some l8 miles
west Of the Idaho line. Has ab0u,
$1,000 people and 10 growing, has
electric cars and Other modern i'm
prosements IN this part Of Washing
ton. Some farming is carried on with.
out irrigation. Small grain and al
falfa are the principal crops.
Just before reaching Spokane we came
into the timber region again and are
not ouSt Of sight Of timber any more
until Ne get some distance southeast
Of Biillngs, Mont, That part Of Idaho
that lies between Washington and
Montana has abundance Of fine timber
while the southern portion Is practi'
cally without timber.
Along the Clarks fork Of the Column
bia river there are some large saw mills
, and the timber trade predominates.
There are some beautiful lakes along
this route and some large saw mills on
their banks, and logs are brought from
long distances oyer these lakes TO the
mills. Besides sawed lumber, teIe.
phone and telegraph poles, fence posts,
railroad ties and cord wood In abun-
dance are piled up along the railroad
track,
Montana surely has the correct
name for 1t is mostly mountains,
though there are many beautiful
valleys that are used for farming pur.
poses, while the mountains. furnish
abundant range.for stock, Horses,
cattle and sheep do we'll here.
As we pass down the Yellow Stone
valley below Billings we pass through
q fine valley that is being brought
under irrigation. When the system
IL d iished 1t will furnish HON. 70
several thousand people. We now
pass the Grow agency and here is q
small beautiful valley partly under
Irrigation. We now come 10 sight OF
the Custer battle ground and can
plainly see the mo nument on the hill
mile or more from the railroad.
We soon pass into Wyoming. This
part OF the state Is destitute Of tim
Der Is hilly and is very good stock
country but little farming is done
here. fhe state is noted for it's fine
veins OF coal. Some veins being as
much as 40 feet thick, situated as it
is, the coal business is very
lucrative one.
Western Nebraska Is Q fine stock
country and the business is engaged
In quite extensively. The middle
and eastern parts traversed by
the @. b. @, was the most beautiful
farming country we saw on the whole
trip but there is no fruit to speak OF
raised In this state.
In cOnclunon l would say that
some people Of small means or
no capital at all may contemplate
gsing west to hunt homes In soma OF
those government irrigation projects,
they will find that these new countries
brought under irrigation produce
phenomenal crops. They had better
count the cost before they attempt to
enter upon any Of these projects.
will give one instance that will about
Illustrate the whole scene. Take the
Minedoka project as government
proposition. The land 10 taken under
the a. me stead law not to exceed 50
acres q lone person and within II mile
f OF the center OF q town. 40 acres 10 the
. limit. They must pay s25 an acre for
water. Is not TO excede ten annual
! payments without interest. must pay
\ maiutence tax of 15c to soc per acre
4 annually. Then comes the expense Of
improvements and oGher taxes fol
state and county purposes and they
must reside on the land FIVE years and
comply with the general homestead
law. Where private company builds
the NJ n ms and dfOa the ditches. thf