The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1907-03-20

through which we have traversed
thus far, the Yakima valley looks
the most prosperous and the most
picturesque. In the Yakima country
one can see the desert before the
bitches are dug, and the fertile fields
under irrigation. The whole Yaki.
ma valley is rapidly being transform
ed into a highly cultivated region.
Small farms are the rule in irri-
gated districts, because irrigation
makes intensive farming necessary.
A high type Of civilization is also
found in irrigated sections, because
the denser population made neces-
sary by small farms leads to the in
PRODUCTION of modern improvements
and tends toward distinct uplift
in the trend Of social influences. Iso-
lated farming communities in older
and less populous regions do not, Of
course, enjoy such advantages.
The Yakima valley stands pre-
eminent in the arid west for the
plentitude of its water supply; the
watershed of the Yakima river and
its tributaries consists Of a portion
Of the eastern slope of the Cascade
range; the annual snow fall on the
range is heavy, and the higher ranges
are covered with it quite late into
the summer, while the peaks are
perpetually white; compared with
such water sheds as that of the Mis-
souri, river, for instance, that Of the
Yakima is very small, but COMPARE
son Of the two streams shows the
remarkable large volume of water
that flows from its relatively small
watershed. This discharge can be,
and will be, largely increased by
storage. The larger streams head
and are fed in a measure by noun
tain lakes some Of which are of con-
siderable magnitude and all Of which
are natural storage reservoirs, cap
able of conserving an immense vol
ume of water, for all of which there
will be need, as the area of irriga-
BILE land in the Yakima valley is very
large.
1t may be said that the Yakima
valley is in various stages of develop
ment. Portions of it are highly de-
veloped and equipped with every
modern improvement. What are
probably the most valuable farming
lands in the United States are to be
found in the Yakima valley. Some
Of the farms there cannot be pur-
chased at any price. During the pres
emit year several farms changed
hands at values ranging from $500
to $1,000 an acre, these figures in
Guiding. Of course, valuable improve
ments as well as the land. Just
think of it! Twenty years ago this
land was part of a desert, and at
that time nobody believed anything
would grow there-except sagebrush,
but the land now returns a good rate
of interest at an unusually high
valuation. Irrigation wrought the
miracle, though it is understood, Of
course, that only intelligent and pro-
gressive farmers could do this.
Back from the railroad lands equ-
ally as good can be secured for as
little as $50 an acre. The investor
can find almost every sort of oppor-
tunity, ranging from improved lands
and new lands under the recent ex-
tension of canals to sagebrush lands
without water rights.
The Yakima valley, the garden
spot of the Pacific northwest, is about
one hundred and forty miles long
and extends from the Cascade foot.
hills to the Columbia river. The
/ Wlola Ndi ACo II OLl tnO " lOiSs AnllCo
the reclaimed portion varying from
two to twenty miles.
The productiveness, the wealth
the beauty and the hope of the Yak
ina country are all due to irriga.
ton. There are few great manu-.
featuring industries there. There
are no shipping; no mines; no fish.
cries; few mills; few payrolls. There
are farms, gardens. orchards, mead
ows. vineyards, groves. we'll kept
lawns and happy homes. These are
distinctive features of the Yakima
country. They all owe their being
to irrigation. The waters of the
river are the lifeblood of the land.
Until they were spread over the
prairies by men. the valley was a
desert. and where the canals cannot
be extended the desert will be for
ever.
Eastern farmers, as a rule, sup