The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1912-11-21
NORTH YAKIMA LETTER.
N. Yakima, Wash.
Sun. Oct. ID, 1912.

n. Yakima, Wash.
Sun. Oct. ID, 1912.
Dear Home Folks
The Washington State Fair and our
Yakima Co. Teachers Institute were
both held here from Sept y 10 80.
We were allowed both Thursday and
Friday afternoons to attend the fair.
The reason for Yakima Co. holding
its Institute after the beginning of the
term, and not during vacation, as is
the custom back East, is due to the
fact that over 900 of the teachers Of
this valley are from Ohio, Ind, H.,
Wis. and Iowa, and go home during
vacation, consequently it would be i'm
possible to hold Institute turing vaca-
tion. We received pay for attendance,
that is we drew weeks salary in Sept.
for three weeks teaching.
We had some of the finest speakers
that could be found, and, in addition,
had lectures by State Supts. of Oregon
and CAL, Gov. Hay, U. S. Sen. Jones
and congressman, besides Hodge, the
Democratic nominee for governor.
took in the State Fair Thursday
p. M. and certainly enjoyed it very
much. We spent the greater part OF
our time in the Educational the Art,
the Needle Work and the Floral build
inn no he iu
but little larger than the Co. Fairs
back east. They say that Yakima Co.
furnishes the greater amount of dis
play at the State Fair. While this
valley is noted for dairying we could
not help but notice the display in that
building crates of butter and ) OF
cheese, each of the latter bearing a
prize ribbon, LIST, 2nd and Bird. Thurs
day was Seattle Day and there was a
great delegation of Seattle. people here
for the day. The State Fair grounds
are most beautiful as are all of the
buildings. Over 500 autos were on the
grounds Seattle Day, yet while this
may not seem a great number, still il
seemed so to me here in the West
Friday was Tacoma Day and from all
reports equally as great day as Thurs
day. All stores and business places
closed Thursday and Friday afternoons.
But to me, the Indians on the Fair
grounds in all their regalia and many
colors were as much feature as the
fair itself. | believe there were no less
than 1900 of them mingled with whites,
Japs, Chinese and Negroes. 1t seems
as if every Indian here in the West
owns his own saddle pony, team, and
conveyance, and all looking as if given
the best of care, But, no matter what
the color may be the men and women
wear fancy beaded moccassins, the wo-
men their heavy bright colored shawls
and the men with their blankets wrap
ped about their shoulders and body.
Their reservation can be plainly seen
from here, and it is said that some Of
them are practical farmers.
The public lands-lands owned by the
Gov.-where water is now available,
have been divided into farm units vary
ing in size according to 1.-THE formation
of the soil and the distance from town.
The greater number of the Sunnyside
ranches are from 40 to GO acres. In the
Teton unit the ranch units are uni
formly 40 acres in size but private
lands to the amount Of 100 acres-not
one ownership, may re-
ceive water. Most of the lands under
the Tieton unit are private lands
Some of the Siwash Reservation viii |
soon be open for ranches, hut one now
public lands in this valley |
cannot obtain water for more than |
80 acres as a maximum. Private lands |
are those owned by private individuals, |
or lands entered under the land laws, |
previous to the reclamation lwork of |
the Gov, and public lands are those |
owned by the Gov. which will be sub |
ject to homestead entry when water is |
available. Those who have not eXer- |
cised their homestead rights are priv
LEGGED to do so upon any unoccupied |
public land under project when such |
land is open to settlement, but resi-
dence of years is required before title |
is passed. Veterans of the Civil and |
Spanish wars and Philippine Insurrec-
tioh are entitled to have their term of |
service, not exceeding 4 years, deduct
ed from residence period, and are also
privileged to file on lands by proxy.
The land of this valley varies in val
ne according to character OF soil, i'm |
water right and proximity
to towns. Fruit lands bring the high
est prices, selling as high as $1,000 to
$500 per acre, and good irrigated inn
proved farm land, for other purposes
than fruit growing are valued at from
800 to 800 per acre, depending, as do
the fruit ranches, on location &c. I'm
improved lands bring from $50 to 5000
per acre and non-irrigable lands suit
able for dry farming can be bought for
from S. to $50 per acre. suppose the
prices of improved orchard tracts seem
high to you, but these fruit ranches,
farmed as they are, and with the irri
cation facilities assured, the ranches
must no doubt return good interest to
their owners, as one may see from the