The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1920-04-24
PROGRESS OF COLv|uE--
RAPID IN LATE YEARS

served that every acre of timber
removed adds an acre to the hay and
grain fields of the county, and its
products are turned into the market.
the profits regulating the prices of
land. 1t is estimated that the price
of these lands will depend upon their
earnings and that lands which will
give the owner 10H on his crop
should be worth 500 per acre.
There are few acres, when properly
cultivated, which will not do this.
The hay lands and the dairy ranches
should pay out on the basis of from
$500 to $500 per acre, and the aim of
those who are promoting the farm
ing business is to make them do this.
The logged-off lands of the county,
which are now selling for from $15
to $40 per acre, when subjected to
cultivation will bring from 500 to
$500 per acre and those who own
highly improved lands at present
prices are indeed fortunate.
When lumber ceases as an in
dustry it will be superseded by min
ing. Mining has been a great boon
to the pioneer. Nature was good to
him from the beginning. When he
first came into this country it gave
him gold from the sands of the Co
iumbia and it was ample for his
needs. When market conditions
were against the farmer he found
solace in the rich mineral lodges of
the everlasting hills that gave him
value for his toll and in panicky
times these prospects kept his hope
in buoyancy pending the return of
prosperity. His intermittant labors
eventually developed these deposits
into paying propositions" until the
production of metals has grown with
other pursuits until it ranks high in
the wealth of the country. During
the past five years Stevens county
has led every other county in the
state in the value of precious metals
produced and it is doubtful if it
ever loses its place. 1t has the
largest lead producer, the largest
copper producer and the largest gold
mine in the state.
For good measure the fruit in
! 7teaistry may be reckoned with the
farming interests. 1t is reported
that last year was the best year for
the apple in the history of the coun-
ty. This, with the summer crop of
deciduous fruits, will add fully a
million dollars to the market returns
to Stevens county.
Stock raising has moved forward
with fine growth during the past 90
years. At the beginning of the
present century one rarely encounter
ed in the Colville country blooded
animal in all of the herds roaming
the ranges. The civic growth of
the country has created a demand
for better things in all lines relating
to the farm. The result has been bet
ter stock. Merit has fixed the price
of a good milk cow and one may
know that there has been no back
ward step in the cattle market when
it is known that the dairy cows of
1920 command a price of $3.50 to
$500 as against the governing figure
of $25 to $50 for the best cows 20
years ago. Where there were less
than 300 producing cows in the Col
vile valley 20 years ago valued at
not to exceed $4,000, there are in
1920, 5000 with total worth of ST.
25O,O00. The annual production of
butterfat will average in excess of
500 per cow giving an output of
more than $500,0O0 of increased
wealth. The horse and the hog
have a place in the economy of the
farm which is not negligible and
sheep have taken on an added in
terest with the increase in the price
of wool and an advance on the value
of the animal itself. Twenty years
ago the sheep owned in the county
would not exceed 1000 head and the
value not more than 81 each and the