The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-06-16

countries. The formation of the coun-
try is rolling or level and the soil
is fertile, so that large quantities of
wheat and other grains are produced.
One SEES many fine farms with good
buildings, but to Minnesotan, the
country does not look good. This i'm
preston was deepeIed by the fact
that a heavy wind was blowing, which
filled the air with clouds of dust. AS
We approached the Columbia river.
great barren hills hemmed US in on
all sid-s.
Near Wentachee we crossed the Co
lumbia river and entered enc of the
most noted apple orchards of Wash
ington. The valley of the Wentachee
is irrigated, of no great width, but
extending for some miles towards the
Cascades. Under irrigation the soil
is very productive, so that large and
valuable crops of apples and other
fruits are raised. About the time
that we were there, a ten acre apple
orchard sold at s.. 500 per acre. This
is above the average, but both there
and in the Hood river valley in Ore
gon such values are not Uncommon.
The Wentachee river is a beautiful
stream of tumbling water, as is char
acteristic of the other streams, both
east and west, which have their rise
the Cascade mountains, and all are
scenic beauty, the Cascades on the
lire of the Great Northern surpass
the Rockies, although they do not
reach so great an elevation. Never
theless the road at $500 fest seems
to be far above that of the Rockies
at Summit. The vegetation is rich
el and the tres are larger. At the
entrance to the Cascade tunnel, which
l.; three mil S in length We reach
the highest point, from where the
road drops rapidly. At the west en-
trancl of this tunnel occurred the
snow slide last winter, which cost
the lives of 80 people, The wreck
age was still plainly visible. In the
next ~ miles the descent is one
thousand feet, and the road winds in
and out, clinging to the side of the
mountains, until it reaches a point
not a mile from the entrance to the
tunnel. but 1000 fest below at Seen
il Hot Springs. This part of our
journey took us through the most
wildly picturesque country, which we
have seen up to this time. The ride
from here along the beautiful Sky
komish will not soon be forgotten.
We reached Seattle about 10 O'Clock
at night, after an interesting ride
along the sound from Everett. We
only had half a day to see the sights
of this growing western city with its
splendid harbor, mills and factories
Nevertheless we took in its main
business streets, some of its resident
district and one of its famous parks.
Another Exodus was on for Alaska,
to a newly discovered gold field.
Five thousand men are rushing H.
where at most only one Thousand
ought to go. There is no rest for
the tired or the lazy in Seattle. Inc
spirit of its intense life seems to i'm
bue all her citizens. If you listen to
their talk, there is no other city in
the world like it, and it may well
be so. And perhaps it is just as well
that there is no other. In the mat
ter of blowing her own trumpet, Seat
tie stards second to none. But with
out question she is destined to be-
come one of the greatest seaports OF
the world. Easily standing, first OF
the three cities on the north Pacific,
Seattle may well rival San Francis
CO in the years to come.