Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-03-26
LARGE NUMBER
OF FARMERS COME
Statistics Show Many New Ar
rivals From East Ia
Past Year.

SPOKANE. Wash. March 2e.-
Statistics compiled by the Spokane
chamber of commerce show that rs
per cent Of the newcomers into the
northwest during the fiscal year end.
ing February IS. 1909. turned 10
farming. stock-raislng and dairyIng.
while Of the others more than SO per
cent took up Orcharding and chicken
growing In districts tributary to the
settled communities.
OF the thousands OF visitors to the
rooms Of the chamber Of commerce
since January 1. 1905, the majority.
including men and women from all
walks Of city life. came 70 the north
west to seek homes IN the rural ais
tricts; not TO become general farm
ers, but TO take up some special
phase OF the work and in the greater
number Of Instances Il Is fruit-grow-
Ing.
The practice Of intensive farming,
more especially apple culture. has. IN
measure, solved the problem Of the
American trait Of the farmer seeking
city life and the city man dreaming
Of rural happiness. and the nearnsss
Of the irrigated districts to the towns
and cities In the northwest has
served 10 satisfy both. Small tFacla.
electric railways. telephones. rural
mail routes makes a combination Of
the best In the city and country. and
Thousands are passing useful and
busy lives in these districts.
There has been a tremendous
movement to the Northwest IN the
last II months. when, according 20
the best information available. APP
proximately 1O6, 900 persons settled
In Washington, Oregon. Idaho and
Montana. and OF these about $500
located in eastern Washington. north
ern Idaho. northeastern Oregon.
western Montana and southeastern
British Columbia. Thirty-ave thous.
and settled in the Yakima. wenat-
chez, Spokane. Walia Walla, okan-
ogan and Colville valleys. the Pa
louise and Big Bend districts and IN
settlements opened BY the Chicago.
Milwaukee q Puget Sound and the
Spokane. Portland a Seattle rail-
roads.
Illinois, Iowa and Missouri fur
nished the majority OF the settlers.
the rest coming from Nebraska. Ind
lana. Minnesota. Kansas. Pennsylvan-
ia, Ohio, Michigan. New York. West
Virginia. Kentucky. Massachusetts,.
Vermont. Nevada and Maryland with
q sprinkling from southwestern
states.
There was also q large influx Of
aliens into the northwest in 1908,
when, with the exception Of Mime
sofa. Missouri and California. wash
lnEton added more foreign popula-
ton than any other state vest Of the
Mississippi river. There were APP
proximately 10000 aliens and Of
these scandinavIans were in the lead
with south Italians second. English
third. Germans fourth and Finnish
nfth.
The most important thing about
Immigration into Washington last
year is that the greatest increase In
numbers was Of those who engage
either in professional or skilled oe-
equations. Relatively 10 the greas
mass Of immigrants. the number OF
foreigners OF good class who de-
clared washington a. their destina-
ton was larger than In any other
state.
The number Of lAborers, 50 eiassed.
who entered the state from foreign
countries last year $500 In round
numbers. The number Of farmers
!, is exceptionally high. and shows. OF
) course, the settlement Of the rural
districts by a thrifty class Of people.