The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-04-12
Trip of Inspection to Beulah,
Parker Heights and Mt. Ad-
ans View Orchard Tracts
CHANGE IN LAND VALUE
is A MODERN MIRCALE
Water Changes Sage Brush Des-
ert, Making it Wealth-Produc-
ing, a Land of Happy Homes,
Prosperous, Contented People

| to have passed, put that is mis-
take. There is one miracle that has
been and is being performed on the
north side of the Yakima river from
Union Gap southeasterly for a dis
| lance of many miles. This miracle is
! the Transformation of the country
| from a sage brush desert where the
! agile jackrabbit was the leading
citizen, into land of coy homes
where the people are enjoying life
and where the owners of the differ
ent kinds of orchards are rapidly
growing rich.
| The foregoing opinion is that of an
unprejudiced writer who recently
had the pleasure of making a trip to
Beulah, Parker Heights and Mt
Adams view with Mr.. and Mrs. c.
n. Hunt and John A. White, officers
of the companies which are handling
those properties.
Water Was the Necessity
There was one thing necessary to
bring about that Transformation, and
that was water. Sky. air, scenery
and rich volcanic ash had been there
in abundance for centuries, and the
water was close to hand. The Yak
ina river, carrying an immense
| amount of water flowed swiftly past.
so the problem was to construct
bitches and to get the water onto
the soil by artificial means. The
task has been a stupendous one, but
the results justify all the expendi-
ture of time and money that has been
put upon it.
Returns Are Marvellous
The returns from these orchard
tracts are almost beyond belief. even
when told in a most conservative
manner. 1t is a poor orchard that
will not produce more than 5000
worth of fruit to the acre. Many Of
| the orchardists sell more than a
thousand dollars worth of fruit an
nually from every acre of orchard
New Railroad Helps
The building of the o. W. r. &
n. company railroad through this
particular section, which has Just
been done, will, of course, give it a
new impetus. From the car win
dows may be seen the orchards, the
peach prune and cherry trees being
now in bloom. presenting pretty
view. The land under the Sunnyside
canal was of course the first to be
settled. Then came settlements fur
Their from the river, between the
Sunnysde and the Union Gap canal.
Now there is a house on nearly every
five or ten-acre tract. and an air of
prosperity pervades the entire region.
Three Orchard Companies
The three properties heretofore re-
ferred to were carefully inspected.
They lie very close to some of the
old orchards just across the road. as
it WERE and have the identical quail
ity Of soil. a volcanic ash 90 to 20
feet in depth. Without water the land
is practically valuless; with it the
land is made to look like a garden.
The Beulah project comprises $40
acres, of which more than 600 acres
were set to orchard last year Apples
We're planted, with pears and peaches
as filters. Would you be believe it?
Some of the pear trees are in bloom,
although less than thirteen months
has elapsed since they were set out
They will not be allowed to bear I'M
til the third year.
The Parker Heights project con-
!
orchard this week The Mt. Adams
project is the same size as Parker
Heights. Work Of setting to orchard
Is now going forward. These two
orchards will be of apples, with peach
trees for filters.
Eastern Purchasers
/ Many Of the purchasers of tracts
in these three projects are wealthy
and influential men of the east, and
here is where a pretty part of the
plan comes in. The purchaser does
not have to look after his property
The orchards are looked after by the
developing companies until they are
three years old, in the purchase con.
tract and after the end of that time il
1t is the wish of the owner. Thus
the orchards can be brought to bear
ing at much less expense per acre
his one small tract.
Water From Union Gap Canal
The water from the Union Gar
canal is conveyed onto these tracts
The pumping plants by which the
water is raised from the ditch and
distributed are of the most improved
patterns. That for the Beulah land
has gasoline power. a 60-horse power
engine being required. For Parker
Heights and Mt. Adams electric pow.
er is used, the engines for which
have just been installed The Pa
ciic Power e Light company has JUS
completed its line through these three
projects so that electric power MAY
be supplied.
An Army of WOrlxmen
There is an army of workmen EN-
} ployed on these tracts. The orch
; ards on the Parker Heights projec
were set out at the rate of ten acre:
; per day, and the same speed will be
followed with the work now beins
done on the Mt. Adams tract. The
: apples being planted are Newtowns
; Spitzenburgs, Grimes Golden. Delici'
Gus and Jonathans. The peach tree
filters will bear a small crop the sec
: ond year, and much larger one tbs
J third year, thus making the property
, productive almost from the jump.
} On the trop to these orchard tract:
call was made at DAWN" the farm
home of j. K. Cox He bought the
1 ard a number of years ago for $8i
per acre. He would feel insulted Il
7 a person were to offer him less thar
l $500 per acre for it now, and hi
would not take that price for it
0 either He is one of the best informed
I nrcb rdicte of that raorion and bac :