The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1907-08-07

T'dciHc Oodsl, VI WHICH OHly ABOUT
one-tenth is now under cultivation,
assures "a permanent and thriving
city. The cultivation and settlement
of the reservation has been slow,
both on account of the lack of irri-
cation laterals and also the stringent
rules of the Indian department re-
garding leases. The water problem
is now practically settled, as the en-
tire irrigation system of the Yakima
Reservation has been taken over by
the reclamation service, and this de-
partment has made immense plans
for the irrigation and drainage of
the reservation, which are to be car
ried out, the engineer in charge
gives assurance, within the next few
months.
BY the passage of the Jones bill
at the last session of Congress the
Indian department now has it in it's
power to open the reservation to
white settlement in a manner that
will bring the entire reservation I'M
der cultivation quickly. This bill
provides that each Indian allottee
may sell sixty acres of his allotment
and with the proceeds purchase a
water right for his remaining twenty
acres, and, in addition, he will have
money enough left to build himself a
good home on his land and buy ma
chinery and seed for their cultiva-
ton. The Indian department has
promised, ais did also Secretary Gar
field on his recent visit here, that
the rules for selling these lands
would be adopted and published
shortly. In fact, Garfield gave out
the impression that this would be one
of the first things to be taken up just
as soon as ME returned to Washing.
ton.
The development of the Sunnyside
Canal by the reclamation service is
also of intense benefit to Toppenish
for the reason that it is the distrib-
uting point of all the fruit from the
great Zillah fruit district, the largest
under cultivation and bearing in the
whole Yakima Valley. The develop.
ment of this canal by the govern
ment gives investors and homeseek-
ers assurances that they will be sup
piled with plenty of water at the sea-
son when it is most necessary and,
under the present plans of the recla-
nation service, the "big ditch" will
cover thousands of acres of excellent
fruit land not now supplied with
water.
The fruit and produce crop in the
vicinity of Toppenish promises this
season to be one CT the largest ever
produced; new orchards are coming
into bearing and there is large in
creased acreage of cantaloups, pota-
eoOS, odoc, UdiiCy aAu alfalfa, anu
the prospects for large yields and
good prices to the farmers were
never better.
The Incorporation of Toppenish
into town of the fourth class in
April last has made great improve
ment in the morals of the commun-
ity. Exceptionally wellfitted men were
placed in the city offices and all feas-
ible methods to prevent crime and
lawlessness adopted. The establish
ment Of good police force and or
ganization of a fire department were
taken up Immediately and the city
has purchased a fire chemical engine
for fire protection. The town coun-
Gil has had surveys and estimates
made for a municipal water system,
which will be installed during the
coming fall and winter. There are
at this time three applications for
electric lighting franchises before
the council, so that Toppenish is as
sured of electric lights within the
next twelve months. A gas fran
chise has also been asked for and Is
being considered by the council. A
beautiful site for city hall has been
donated to the town by Mr.. H. M.
Gilbert. and plans are being consid-
cred for the erection of a concrete
block building to accommodate the
police and fire departments and other
city offices. The council contem-
plates the erection of this building
during the fall and winter.
Through the efforts of the Com
mercial Club, recently organized,
other improvements, such as the
urchase of site for a city park, n
campaign for the planting of trees
and the building of sidewalks and the
grading of streets, all free of cost to
the the city government, have been
accumulated