The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1910-06-01
IRRIGATION in KITTITAN VALLEY

ana IaVOr IdSCer CndH FlleuSDu1R anu
the great, prolific va Hey surrounding
that thriving and prosperous little
city. Situated in "the heart of Wash
ington" with two transcontlnental
railroads-the Northern Pacific and
the Chicago, Milwaukee and Puget
Sound, traversing the valley, kittitas
metropolis, is favorably looked upon
by those seeking homes in what is
ACKNOWLEDGED to be one Of the very
best agricultural and fruit belts in
the Pacific Northwest. And Ellens-
burg and it's valley residents can
proudly boast of features not found
elsewhere in all the fruit growing
world, for there is raised the famous
big red absolutely worthless apple and
pear; fruit that one can eat in the
dark without any fear of contact with
the various worms and insects, that
cause ruin and improbable orchard
ing in many other localities.
The resources Of this valley, which
liz beautifully surrounded by the foot
hills of the Cascades are many.
Heretofore the land owner or rancher
as be is best known, held his large
acreage intact and it has only been of
very recent years that he las been
1mpuned to divide his large holdings
into smaller tracts and thereby give
way to the newcomer who is turning
this fertile valley into dollars by
diversified farming. There is no
longer any doubt but that fortunes
can be made from smaller tracts of
twenty to forty acres The soil is Of
rich volcanic ash, and here the irri
CATION problems are easily solved for
kittitas county is the home and source
of abundance of water power. The
Yakima river, which flows SO majes-
tically through the valley, finds It's
birth not far from Ellensburg, and
winds it's way enthusiastically, dis
tributing it's turbulent waters to the
various uriagtion canals, which have
turned the sage brush wastes into a
rich and succulent paradise-th
world famous valleys of the Yakima.
At present there are 75 900 acres of
land surrounding Ellensburg under
irrigation, and with the building of
the Government High Line Canal an
additional 1000 acres of the Oh DIGEST |
fruit and agricultural lands to be
found anywhere will be watered; and |
on these vast acres will come the |
homeseeker and his ten, twenty or
forty acre ranch will reap him an in
dependent fortune. And the life of
the rancher or fruit grower in this
valley is an easy and delightful one.
The soil is easily titled, the work of |
irrigation is confined to only a few
days twice or three times year, and |
the climate is such that one never
tires or becomes fatigued. In fact
the climate of EllensEurg and sur
rounding country is ideal. 1t never
becomes too hot nor Loo cold and
storms of any kind are unknown.
Every day the city or valley becomes
the new home of an eaSterner, who
has lost his home in the central states
by cyclones or washouts. He need
have no fear of either here. Nestled |
as kittitas valley is in the foot Ellis
of the cascade mountains and at an !
elevation of 1900 feet above sea level,
there is no possible chance OF the
valley being swept or water logged.
TIE valley is paradise. Its broad /
acres will produce, have produced as
tonishing yield of all kinds of grain
and vegetables. and here the winter
apple and pear grows to perfection.
And along with the delight of diversi-
fed farming. one finds delightful rec
reation in the mountains, for no
where in all the Northwest can the !
sportsman with rod and gun find more
enjoyment, for the lake and mountain !
creeks TEEN with the finest of fish. |
and the tall pines abound with bigger