Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-11-06
; ORIGIN OF THE TERM GIN.
, LAND EMPIRE"

George H. Hines in letter to East
Oregonian:
Numerous Inquiries have been made
of me in recent years respecting the
origin Of the phrase. 1.-THE Inland EN-
pre- and for that reason I hand you
this communication, hoping that
among your readers some one may be
found who can definitely state when
the expression was first used in desig-
mating the great area Of country be-,
tween the Cascade and Rocky noun
tains, lying in Oregon, Washington
and Idaho, and from the 42d to the
49th palarrels which is now generally
! referred to as 1.-THE Great Inland EN-
pire."
of the time when l first heard this ex-
preston. 1t was during conversa-
| ton between Rev. George H. Atkin-
| son. d. D., who came around Cape
| Oregon City June 16 Of that year, and
Rev. d. B. Coe. D. D., of New York,
in the summer of 1867, in Portland.
| These gentlemen had just returned
region roundabount and DR.. Atkinson
was endeavoring to impress DR.. Coe
! with the great Importance of the re-
| gion lying east of the Cascade noun
| tot r.;
| of view, of it's affording the oppor-
!Aunity for homes to countless thou
| sands of persons In the not very re-
mote future.
At this time DR.. Atkinson stoutly
maintained that where bunchgrass
would grow luxuriantly wheat would
grow, and reinforced his views with
evidences which would have been sat-
isfactory to the average man. But DIR.
Coe was not to be convinced, as it
afterwards proved. because in my
hearing, after the interview with DR..
Atkinson, he referred to him as "a
visionary enthusiast"
DR.. Atkinson followed up his con-
victions, however, gathered soils from
the hill country around Pendleton,
Walla Walla, Colfax, Spokane, up in
the Big Bend country, analysed them,
finding that these soils contained all
the elements for the successful pro-
duction of wheat. Then he secured
soils from the most productive re-
gions of Europe. and analysed them.
Thus he ascertained that the soils
of Oregon. Washington and Idaho
contained all the elements necessary
for the successful production of wheat
| Then he was met by the stockgrow-
er with the argument that most of the
region under discussion was arid and
| never could be made to produce wheat
without irrigation. This was met by
DIR. Atkinson with the statement, sup
ported by many experiments. that the
proper cultivation of he soil would
result in securing a good degree of
moisture. which, added to natural
moisture. would be sufficient to ma
ture the crops.
In this manner he in large measure.
fought the battle between the stock
raiser and the farmer. During these
years the term Inland Empire" came
to be used occasionally.
1 do not think the expression came
into general use util 1873. That year
Thomas B. Berry, a we'll known news
paper man of the early days, started
newspaper at The Dalles, and called
IL "The Inland Empire" 1t did not
live long. but the name became fast
ened TO this region. and it has been so
characterized ever since.
L hope some reader of the East
Oregonian can add to the inforation ,
here given, in order that the origin
of the phrase under discussion may
be correctly settled.