The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1911-09-28
CAMAS DITCH RECLAINS
LARGE FERTILE AREA

of German birth, have been raising
stock and replenishing their hay mows
from the wild grass meadows that
grow luxuriantly on the six thousand
acre bottom Of what has long been
known as Conboy Lake. They came
into the country in the early days and
homesteading the land built their
homes on the gentle slopes among the
forests at the edge of the fertile basin.
On every side Is seen their homes,
snail comfortable dwellings, and ad-
joining each one is always a large barn
in most instances two or three. In
deed il is a section Of big barns with
enormous hay mows; for to the pc
culiar adaptability Of the region to
stOckraising and successful dairying do
the pioneer settlers owe their tpros-
perity.
The formation Of the Camas Prairie
region gives an interesting basis Of
study TO the geologist or soil expert.
IL is almost a perfectly fiat basin,
eight miles in length and about three
miles wide at the middle. For ages
four streams, because of the level con
dition Of the basin. have been pouring
their waters upon If, in no defined
channel but spreading them over the
whole area. From the south, the
Chapman creek flows, from the east
range the Holmes, and from the north,
the Bird and Frazer creeks enter, the
latter fed by glacial springs and the
SHOWS of Mount Adams. The water
from these streams have overspread
the land for about ten out of twelve
months in the year. The time OF har-
vesting the rich growth Of wild hay
has naturally been short.
The basin is entirely ssurrounded by
forest covered hills. A wide expanse
of fir forests stretch away To the east
and south, while on the north and west
the ranges are covered with fir and
pine. Ii is a beautiful country, espec-
tally in the fall of the year with the
dark green of the trees on every hand
and the snow capped peak of Mt. Adams
at the north overlooking all.
For a number of years the progress
sive residents of the region have real
ICED that the value of the region could
be greatly enhanced and its products
be increased many fold by draining the
excessive waters of the lake. study
of the topography Of the region showed
that this could be easily done. How
ever, the execution of the work was
retarded by few of the residents, who
feared that the cost of constructing
drainage bitches would be too heavy
for them. The matter was taken into
theEcourts and only this year was the
litigation brought to an end. lmmedi
ately on securing a favorable decision
in the courts, the bids for the work of
digging the drainage bitches were ad
veftised and the contract was let this
summer. Work Was begun on the
drainage canals August by Bertleson
a. Son. Tacoma contractors, who will
finish the task this fall. Fifteen miles
and half of main and lateral bitches
will be dug. The main dteh will be
five and half miles in length, with
the average top width of twenty-six
feet. The canals will carry off all the
water of thefcreeks and make it rossi-
Bile TO till the soil of the basin during |
all seasons during which it is possible
TO cultivate that Of the surrounding
highland.
Thevformer opposition to the work of |
progress has dwindled tosnothing and
all the residentsa of the community
have become enthusiastic over the won
derfu possibilities that the completion
Of the undertaking offers them.
On the borders of the prairie region
are three postoiiices, Fulda at the south
end, Laurel on the west and Glenwood
onsthe northeast. The progressive cit
liens of Laurel have organized devel-
opment league and are placing before
the public the possibilities of the re-
gion. Glenwood is an important village
because of the fact tnat it is the pack
ing place for the sheep men. who pas
ture in the Forest Reserve during the
summer months. During the past
summer $4,000 sheep have fed on the
government land around the base of
Mt. Adams. The government charges
the sheep men seven cents per head for
the old sheep for the entire season,
making no charges for lambs. Six
thousand lambs were shipped in one
train from this region last week to
Chicago.
Until the community has railroad
transportation the resources of the re-
gion will be mainly drawn from stock
raising, and dairy products. However,
because .of its proximity to the White
Salmon Valley, where all landowners
specialize in fruit growing, its hay will
find ready demand. This and other
adjacent fruit ssectons are developing
rapidly. Every foot of their develop
ment means an increase in the demand
for the hay raised close at hand.
However, because of the agricultural
and timber resources of the community
and the present closeness of transcOn-
tinental lines and their easy access to
the community it will perhaps be but
shortItime until railroad penetrates
II. Several surveys have already been
made through the region With the
exception OF the Columbia river the
grade across Grouse Pass west of the
Camags Prairie region is said to be
the Lowest across the Cascades. On
the hills surrounding the hay and stock
growing region is about three billion
feet of first class merehantable timber,
fir and yellow pine. Because of the
fertility of the soil, when transporta-
tion facilities have been facilitated by
the advent OF the railroad, the lake
bottom, with its unlimited depth of
decayed vegetable matter, will be an
ideal location for the small truck far
mer.
The good roads of the region are a
revelation to the stranger. Road build
ing, because of the conformation of the
country, mas been no great task. There
has been no difficult work in cutting
heavy grades and ON all sides OF the
basin the autoist may delight in long
stretches of level, graded highways.
The fruit growing eomunities along the
Columbia have realized that good roads
will not only be OF assistance in draw
ing the Camas trade to them but that
they will make easy the transportation
of the feedstuff to their barns. AT
this season of the' year the traveller
penetrating the community meets wag-
on after wagon loaded down with hay,
which the White Salmon orchardists
have purchased at good prices and
which they are hauling home for their
winter stock feed.
For a number of years water has
been taken from the Bird, Frazer a, 4