The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1907-02-15


q few paragraphs which are If interest
to peple of this section of the state.
sit is but little more than Il hum
bred years since Lew is aud Clark under
took their memoi able Journey to TX
plore the land Win h lies beyond the
Rocky mountains Much as l should
like to do so, shall not undertake to
detail the struggles "f the pioneers in
founding upon-thc shores Of the Paci-
iic aud in the fertile valleys that lie
between that ocean aud the Rockies
II new empire; neither shall l UNDER
take to paint word pictures of that re-
gi"n which has been SD generously
favored aby nature. To appreciate,
however, TO the fullest extent the MAJ
velous growth and development OF tie
land of which | speak, Jet NE remind
you that AS late AS 1913 the Oregon
country contained but 200 Americans.
Since that time the states Of Oregon,
Washington. idaho and the western
parts of Montana and Wyoming have
been carved from that princely domain
| say plincely because it now furnishes
it will become, Within u span 40 urlet
that l dare got mentiU.i il for fear OF
challenging Your creddisty, the abode
OF millions. or the people who founded
that new empire. and all those who
followed over the trail which they
blazed, need not speak, for their wo.k
is more enduring than the words IF
man, however eioque.,tly spoken.
Their broad ana liberal views upon all
questions have contributed tn no small
degree to their own progress as y peo-
pie, and to the wonderful development
Of the land in which they have cas,
their fortunes.
THE INLAND EMPIRE
'Om tie east eide OF the mountains
is what we call the Inland Empire,
containing minerals, valuable timber,
immense wheat fields and almost un
limited grazing lands. It is country
in which fruits, in amazing prOfusiOn,
att ain perfection, and in which arid
regions invite all the skill of scientific
irrigation. On the west side, which in-
cludes tn, Puget sound country, are
inexhaustible forests, measures of coal
and iron, all inland sea stocked with
fish, and region Of agricultural
wealth. The state has an area of
little less than 10000 square miles, IF
which 1900 IS water. Washington, in
land area is almost exactly the size Of
Massachusetts,, Connecticut, New York
aud New Jersey combined.
: +"rhe wheatfields turnout their
length anb breadth produce on aver
age Of thirty basnels to the acre; aud
even now, in the infancy OF that i'll.
dustry, with broad acres yet untitled.
the total is more than $1,000, 900 bu-
u year. In central Washington des-
er is being reclaimed thru irrigation
and lands once considered wort HESS
bring $500, $500, 81, 900 and even 81, 900
per acre. An acre Of apples will net
from 5000 to $500 in a year; peaches or
pears, ST 900 OF 81 200; strawberries or
black 6erries, from $3.50 to $500. Hops
are prolific The yield Of hay Is as-
founding; u farmer reaps from three to
live crops Of alfalfa in q year, and the
average IL from six to ten tons per
acre ia a season. Cherries, berries and
similar small fruits are unsurpast
Sugar bees aud melons thrive wo, der.
fuzzy; and know Of one crop Of five
acres of potatoes which sold for $500
al average per acre Of 1850 Crops OF
all kinds are amazingly large. Prob
ably In no section Of the United States
has diversified farming approached SO
closely to perfection. The fruit belt
IF Washington is land of small homes
and here family, the Ii ppy p,,ssess-
Of ten acres Of y ound, is Sustained 10,
merely in comfort, tut in luxury.
The crops never fail, and one crop has
often paid more than the urigieal cost
Of the land The story Of those fields
anu orchards is writteu in fire volcanic,
which at some remote period blasted
the mountains aud scOrciied the plain;
the accompaniment Of gigantic dis
tut bance that tore asunder the crust
of the earth. uplifted the Cascade
range, aud wituest AL GU. pouring of
lava compared with which Vesuvius
would pale into insigmigcance. While
the convnlutiohs Of nature were in full
play there was distributed over the
rolling pia'us AID arid regions Of wha,
is now eastern WasiiintOn u thick
layer of finely divided volcanic ash,
hich has been transformed Into u
soil of Incompatible fertility. Az if t.
emphasize the strange and marvellous
contradictions OF nature, that land,
once the outbust of Titanic clnvulsions
is now devoted to the peaceful vOca.
ton of pastoral life. Some Of our
farmers have sold as high as $50, 900
bushels of wheat year. I saw a