Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-12-22
THE NORTHWEST
Letter From Hardy POcock of Wash
ingtOn to Old Friend and SchoOlmate
Good Soil, Equal Climate and
Good Crops.
Mount Vernon, Wash, Dec. 3rd, '16.
Mr. Frank Hogeboom,

Mount vernon, WASH, Dec. 3rd, 10.
Mr. Frank Hogeboom,
Dear Friend and Schoolmate:-
Your welcome letter of November
26 inst. at hand. Well Frank l was
sure happily surprised to receive so
nice a letter from you. Well Frank
there have been many changes in the
cid neighborhood since we were school
boys. Sad ones to, but such is life.
Glad to hear you are well. sure
would like to see you folks once more.
l am well and very rugged for one of
my age, if live until March 80, 1917
l will be sixty-two years old. 1t
doesn't seem possible SO many years
have rolled by since we used to go to
school at the old Bayes school house.
You speak of Ed. Mikesell, tell him
| have not forgotten him and would
like to hear from him. Well Frank L
only have three acres of land here
near the Skagit river and three miles
from the county seat Mount Vernon.
1t would take a mighty good job to in
duce me to leave it. l have farmed
about three fourths of an acre of it
and raised 47a tons of potatoes, IL
tons of squashes and pumpkins, u ton
OF carrots and beets and plenty of
other garden truck, this has been the
poorest Summer Eve seen since in
Washington. Now about the climate
OF Puget Sound the Surrems are sure
delightful, no hot sultry weather, the
nights are cool and refreshing, one al
ways needs woolen blanket and
light comforter at night, seldom does
1t get colder IN winter than eighteen
above zero, the temperature is seldom
below thirty-fve. Winter is short,
many winters one can leave potatoes
IN the ground all winter and dig them
in the Spring. This is great fruit
country for berries of all kinds. Ap-
pies, pears, plums, prunes and cher
ries. Peaches and grapes do not do
well here in Puget Sound, but east of
the mountains peaches do fine. Ore
gon is good grape and peach state.
| Now about the grain grown here, oats
| yield 100 to 100 bushels per acre, 150
to 165 is about the average yield.
Wheat yields around IS to so bushels
| per acre. Wheat here is soft and not
used for grinding only used for feed.
Corn grows fine but seldom ripens for
seed, it is used for silage. Now Frank
no doubt that you will think am tell
ing fshy tales, but come out here and
you will be as surprised as l was. This
Skagit Valley is richer than the fam
Gus Nile, the first summer was here
l planted fifty-seven rods of ground
to potatoes, got five tons and seven
hundred pounds. The next year I
threshed thirty-eight sacks of barley
one hundred and eight pounds to the
sack, so you see the soil is rich. This
valley is all made soil many places
logs are found fifty feet deep in the
fground; to the east of US are the Cas-
; cade foot hills, beyond the mountains
we can on any clear day see the snow
on the Cascade mountains; west of US
. is Puget Sound, west of that are the
Olympic mountains, they are always
covered with snow and on a clear
morning look very beautiful. These
mountains have never been explored
l because of the deep crevices in the
ice on the mountains, making it to
dangerous, also the wild animals are
!. fierce and large. The most daring
hunters avoid the snow covered noun
tains. The scenic views of this coun-
try are surely grand. There are lots
; of Ohio people Aere, also Michigan
l people, none of which ever return to
the east, they don't want to ever en-
dure the hot summers or cold winters
: of the east again. If sisters Jennie
and Della were to come and stay one
l year here 1 don't. believe they would
ever wish to return to Ohio. Well now
about the timber and timbering of this
great west, it is all done now by DON
: key engines and heavy cables anC
hauled to the logging railroad and
: loaded on the cars by the engine, ther
hauled to the rivers and the Sound
e and unloaded by the same process
t then in a few years comes the clear.
:, ing of the logged off lands, this is al
i so done by the donkey engine anC
$ cable. The cost Of clearing and get.
l ting ready for the plow is about $500
per acre for slashing $500, for burn
ing $4,000 to $125.00 for leveling pei
acre. You may judge why the lanC
sells so high. Now Frank, if can fine
a pamphlet or book describing the
work and other things of this country
, l will send you one, you spoke of my
children; the oldest boy George Fl. i!
here near me, at Avon; Clarence anC
Dewy are in Montana, the boys own {
section of good land there, 320 acre:
each. They are doing well. Ny daugh
ter Mary lives ten miles north a
Bow, Washington, Well perhaps
this will worry you and maybe haC
better ring off, Give my regards tt
' all that inquire of me. Tell P. H. B
to write me a letter. Write again
soon.
Kindest wishes to all,
| II II DnNnHK