The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1912-10-11
SEE YOUR OWN COUNTRY

II anyone desires to ascertain the
future possibilities of Oroville and the
country adjacent thereto he should
make the trip to Penticton. There he
viii have an object lesson of inesti-
mable value to him. He will there see
what enterprise and capital can ac-
complish in the face of difficulties that
land owners around Oroville have not
TO contend against, and form some idea
what this town and valley will look
like in the course of few years after
the land Is properly reclaimed and in
tensely cultivated. He will return
home wiser man, possibly somewhat
discontented, for he will have seen
country possessing not one half the
advantages of this locality, twenty
years in advance OF Oroville and this
Immediate section of the OkanOgan
valley. The experience may have
chastening effect, spur him up to en-
deayOr and determine him from now
and henceforth to put aside all petty
differences with his neighbors, which
have for so long played their part in
retarding the growth of the town, and
form resolution to work among his
fell0w-citizens to secure unity of ac-
ton in every movement that promises
the uplift, progress and upbuilding of
the place. These and other impress
sions of beneficial nature will result
from trip to PentictOn and the sight
Of q live town and progressive cOun-
try. Make the trip at the earliest con-
venience. No matter what may be the
cost, the experience will we'll repay the
outlay.
But aside from what is to be learned
through the medium of the spirit of
enterprise that has been manifested
by our Canadian neighbors, the trip
Is worth while from the striking beau
ty Of the scenery through which one
passes, for from here nOrthward to
that charming miniature inland sea,
8 Okanogan lake, the OkanOgan valley
presents its very best appearance from
scenic point of view.
From the international line to
point q few miles above the old mining
camp of Fairview, once an ambitious
and thriving town, which has grown
Into a state of coma since foreign cap
ltal ceased to contribute the sinews to
keep the mining claims under active
operation, the valley is of considerable
width, and spread out before the eye
H. 20me of the choicest lands to be
found between Oroville and Penticton,
waiting only the application of water
to make as desirable orchard holdings
q can be found in the west. 1t is an
example of the curse of landlOrdism to
any country, the holding of extensive
tracts by one individual. Here are
10000 acres belonging to the Ellis es-
tate. In old days the plains were dot
ted with the herds that contributed to
Tom Ellis great wealth. Now even
the herds are missing, and one travels
for miles without human habitat1on
breaking the monotony of the land
scape, without a human being in sight.
Il Is one broad scene of solitude,
where homes and people should
abound. As stated before the land is
ideal In places for fruit growing, and
II cut up into small tracts in a few
years the broad acres would be con-
hnuOs orchards, and scores OF pros
porous people would be enjoying the
fruits Of the soil.
After leaving these barren acres,
desolate in their neglect, the valley
rapidly contracts until finally there is
only room between the parallel ranges
Of mountains for the chain OF lakes,
engagements of the Okanogan river,
that lends charm to the drive that can
only be fully appreciated by skim
ming over the delightfully."- smooth
roads on a pleasant day. Standing
out on both sides of the valley where
It has contracted to narrow limits are
grand, beetling, rocky cliffs, marking
cleft in the mountain chain through
which cons ago the waters of the OK
an0gan cut its way to reach the lordly
Columbia. On the west side of the val
ley the brawling stream, that has tax
en- on the form of rapids, along which
me road winds, washes the perpen-
ulcular cliff that towers hundreds ol
ieet above the valley. From here on
70 vaseaux lake the valley is hiily ana
well wooded. Vaseaux lake is an ac-
quatic gem, elliptic in shape, and small
ler In area than OsoyOOs lake. There
are no level shore lines to either vas
eaux or Dog lakes, the hills generally
srlsing very abruptly from the water
me waters are deeply, darkly blue.
ana placid, giving the impression OF
being fathomless. The wagon ROAD
winds around the east side OF Vaseaux
AXE, reminding one somewhat OF the
road around the south end of Palmer
axe The comparison only exists III
me" roughness of the topography
through which the road runs, with the
almculties to be surmounted in con-
lstruction, with an abrupt mountain on
tne one side and the waters OF the lake
On the other. For while the Palmer
lake road is simply passable, the road
around Vaseaux lake is as smooth as
= noor. Where a huge elbow OF the
NIL juts out into the lake, making IL
impossible to build around on account
or the great depth of water, the road
builders, who know their business ana
10 1t right, have hewn a passageway
tnr0ugh the obstruction, leaving
great mass of rock like a roof over
hanging the highway.
From Vaseaux lake to Okanogah
Fails and Dog lake the valley is rougn,
broken, and it is up and down NH
until you glide down the grade, pass
through belt of timber over levei
Wretch and rim into OkanOgan Fails,