The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1907-07-19
RICH FARMING COUNTRY
Pleasant Cottonwood Valleys
and Contiguous Territory.
St. John Metropolis of This Part ot
Whitman County-AIso Heavi-
est Wheat Shipper.

st. John is both a surprise and de-
light to the eye. Instead of being
hamlet, stuck off in a secluded valley in
an unfrequented part Of Whitman coun-
ty, it nestles in one of the beauty spots
of the northwest, and is a growing,
wide awake, prosperous town of some
800 inhabitants, surrounded by prCb-
ably as rich farming community as
there is in the state. 1t has the distinc-
tiOn of being the greatest wheat-shipping
point in Whitman county, shipments for
the last three years having averaged
500, 900 bushels each season. Grain is
20 miles, which, should an electric line
penetrate this district, as it undoubtedly
will, will change this long wagon haul
and be an incentive to settlement and a
wider cultivation of the soil. st. John
is reached at this time by the Pleasant
Valley line Of the 0. 4. & n. Besides
ST. John, Sunset, Thornton, Oakesdale
and other fOurishing towns and hamlets
are passed by this line. st. John has
many large business establishments.
Three church spires rear their points
heavenward, while a large school house
is filled to overfowing. A contract has
been let for the erection this summer of
brick school house to cost $4,000,
Easum Bros of COlfax having the con-
tract to do the work. This speaks louder
than words, and is a sure index, not only
Of the wealth, but OF the home features
of the community. Many beautiful
homes are here seen, showing happiness,
contentment, prosperity.
Pleasant Valley, in which sits this
prosperous burg, is a name to cOniure
with. The name has an implied mean
ing. There is probably not a state west
of the Rocky mountains but can boast
of Pleasant Valley, but it is doubtful
if one can be found in all this broad land
that can surpass the Pleasant Valley To-
Gated in Whitman county in pastoral
beauty and the essentials that lead TO
greatness. The valley Of Rasselas, i'm
mortalized by the pen of DR.. Johnson,
came from the wealth of his magma
ton, but this beauty spot in nature was
made by the eternal God and no pen can
describe it. Seen at this season of the
year, with waving fields Of grain, some
of it nearly ripe, the rest still wearing
it's emerald hue, with comfortable homes
dottiEg the landscape, sleek kline on
every hillside, live picture stands com
plete unequaled anywhere.
Pleasant Valley is about 30 miles in
length. 1t heads within six or seven
miles of Colfax and winds it's sinuOus
course until it reaches the scab lands
near Rock Lake. 1t is not broad ex
panse, but it is another "Sweet Vale OF
Avoca," sung by Moore, from a half to
a mile in width. with gentle slopes to the
hilltops that rim it on both sides, all
under intense cultivation. The only
criticism to be made, and that is the
fault of the resident farmers, is the abb
sence of trees. The farmers have been
so intent on cultivating the soil that the
thought of planting trees has struck
only few And those who have done
so have shown that tree planting is
success, for all kinds grow to perfection.
But this is something that will surely
follow, perhaps when the large farms are
cut up and diversified farming is more
in evidence.
Grain in all this part of Whitman