The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1907-01-23

arities about the United States en-
bodies many unique facts which are
well worth remembering.
One day while / was riding across
Texas several of the passengers on
the train began talking about the gil
gantic size of the Lone Star state. One
gentleman said: "a novel way to
demonstrate the enormity of this
great commonwealth is to spread out
a map of the United States, stretch a
string across Texas the longest way.
then, placing one end of your measure
on Chicago, you will find that the other
end will extend into either the Atlantic
ocean or the Gulf of Mexico" Try
this experiment to satisfy yourself.
The two largest counties in the
United States are Custer county, Mon
tana, and San Bernardino, California.
Each of these is little more than
10000 square miles in extent, and the
four states of Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, Delaware and New Jersey
could be put inside the boundaries of
either of them. The smallest county
in the Union is Bristol county, Rhode
Island, which has only % square miles.
The county in the United States hav-
ing the largest population is New
York, which has more than 100000
people in it. At the time of the
last census Bailey county, Texas,
which is about as large as Rhode Is
land, had only four inhabitants.
Longest Block. Longest Street.
The longest block in any American
city is located at Watertown, N. Y.
This municipal freak is row of BUSH
ness houses nearly five squares long
without break in it. 1t contains the
OFFICES and stores of las different firms,
45 tenants and hotel with So rooms.
The total valuation of the property in
this monster block Is almost million
dollars.
The longest street in the United
States, and in the world as well, is
Western avenue, Chicago. This re-
markable thoroughfare is exactly %
miles long It's nearest rival is Hal
sted street, also in Chicago. which is
but two-thids of a mile shorter. Hol-
sted street is so much more closely
built up that it is usually spoken OF
as the longest street in the world. BY
traversing it's length one may see all
the outward indications of the vary
ing phases of American life. from the
novels of outcast sin to the gilded PAL
aces of pork packing millionaires. In
terspersed with the native Americans
on this one street are six distinct colo
MES where the people speak other Ian
guages than English. namely. Germans,
Italians, Russian Jews. Bohemians,
Poles and Greeks. Holsted street is
crossed over and under by 20 railroads.
It is estimated to be the chief business
center and lounging place for $4,000
people, more than there are in any one
of four of our states, viz. Arizona, Ida
no, Nevada or Wyoming.
Where Four States Meet.
About so miles from Durango. Col.
there is a point where four states cor
ner. At this place. by stepping few
feet in either direction one can walk
in four different commemorative in as
many seconds. These states are Colo
RADIO, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona.
A nearly parallel case is at Harper's
Ferry. where the train stops few
minutes to allow the passengers to
,alight and enjoy view which permits
them to look into three states-Mary-
land, Virginia and West Virginia.
The highest and lowest elevations in
the country are in California, within
100 miles OF each other. The Hottest is
Mount Whitney, 14,49s feet high. and
the lowest Is Death valley. about $50
feet below the level OF the sea. Two
Oceans pass in Yellowstone park Is so
named because whenever there is
shower in the vicinity and certain
small creek overfiows, its water spread
out over the edge of the continental
divide and pass into tributaries of
rivers. part OF which now to the At
lantic and the other to the Pacifc
, oceans.
There are n number of cases where
unique situations have developed in
cities that happened to be divided by
state lines. These oddities are the re-
suit, of differences in law The bound
airy between Texas and Arkansas runs
along the main street of Texarcana,
and formerly IL fight occurred on one
side of the street. the combatants
merely had to cross over to the other
sidewalk to be out OF the jurisdiction
of the authorities governing the ter
ritory where the disturbance had taken
place. The two sides Of Texarcana did
not develop equally, because the ad-
ministration of one state was more en-
terprising than that of the other.
Bristol is located on the state line
between Tennessee and Virginia. One
of these states has a regulation pre-
venting colored people from occupying
the same streetear seats with whites
and the other has not, consequently
the coiored people have merely to stay
on one side Of the car, on the boundary
street. to sit where they please. The
dividing line between Missouri and
Kansas is State street in Kansas City.
Missouri Is wet and Kansas Is dry, SO
one side Of that particular avenue Is
literally lined with First" and Last
Chance. saloons. This locality is sup
posed to have been the birthplace Of
this original form OF saloon advertise
ment.
North Dakota has prohibition Ian
and Minnesota mas not. The Red river
OF the North 10 the boundary and II
separates the two towns Of Fargo and
t.<