The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1908-04-02

Some Of the most valuable fruit and
agricultural land west of the Rocky
mountains lies in that section of the
country known as the Inland Empire.
The empire comprises vast expense
Of country bounded on the east by the
Rocky mountains and on the west by
the Cascade range in western Wash.
mgton and Oregon. On the north 1t
extends TO the British Columbia line,
and even the broad prairies OF the Al.
bcrta country are tributary to the dis
trict. On the south it reaches to the
lava bed and sage brush country OF
southern Idaho and northern Nevada.
Probably no other section of the
western country has been provided by
nature with so many rich and varied
resources. Vast forests of pine, fir
and tamarack timber cover the hills
in every direction; gold, silver, lead,
copper and many other valuable min
erals are stored in the mountains; the
rushing mountain streams furnish
power for operating miles of electric
roads and for many mills and mines;
the Erairies and valley lands produce
annually many millions Of bushels of
wheat and other small grains that are
shipped to all quarters OF the globe to
feed humanity, and the apples and
other fruits raised are considered the
finest that grow.
Within the past 10 years the Spo-
kane section of the Inland Empire has
been attracting the attention of the
general public to a greater extent than
any other portion Of the Empire. The
development of the country during that
period has been one Of the wonders
of the west Electric and steam rail
roads have been constructed in all
directions from Spokane, the largest
city in the Empire, and thousands of
acres of land, formerly unprOductiVe
and considered of but little value, have
been cultivated and are now producing
bOunteOus crops of great value every
season.
Farming in this section formerly
meant, almost entirely, the production
of wheat, barley, oats and other small
grains and large areas of land were
planted with these cereals. Finally
some ventureSOme rancher began ex-
perimenting along other lines and
soon established the fact that the Spo-
kane country was an ideal fruit and
especially an apple, country. But lit
tie Roadway was gained in fruit cul-
ture in the vicinity Of Spokane until
about 10 years ago, when ShreWd in
vestOrs began to see the possibilities
in varied and intensified farming and
apple raising, and purchased large
tracts of land in the vicinity and be-
gan the work OF developing the re-
sources.
The large tracts were divided into
five and ten acre tracts and planted
to fruit and sold on easy payments at
low figures. The success of the plan
was instantaneous. The land sold rap
idly to parties of small means or those
who desired to get away from the
cities and enjoy life close to nature.
These buyers realized large profits
from the small farms as soon as the
trees began bearing fruit. Other large
land owners saw the results that had
been achieved and soon all OF the large
holdings were divided into small farms
and the prairies covered with frat
trees and nice homes Where a few
years ago the houses were few and
far between. now there are thousands
of comfortable homes occupied by
prosperous fruit growers and the cOun-
try appears to be one continuous town.
A considerable portion Of the land
in the vicinity of Spokane must be
irrigated in order to obtain a crop.
In some sections, notably on the north
and northeast, the land is sufficiently
provided with moisture by sub-irriga
ton. The mountains in that district,
being covered with dense forests of
timber, retain the snow until late in
the summer. AS the snow meltS but
gradually the water resulting there
from seeps down through the soil and
furnishes the required amount of
moisture necessary for vegetation to
grow and mature.
More recent Investigations regard
ing the character of the bench lands,
now covered with timber, in this local
ity has resulted in the discovery that
these lands are much superior for fruit
culture and for general agricultural
purposes than are the prairie lands.
The soil is richer and the lands receiv-
ing their needed moisture from nature,
are capable of producing larger and
-