The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1920-04-09
THE ALCHEMY OF WATER.

From Conconully to the Similka-
meen river is a narrow valley hemmed
in on both the east and the west by
| ranges of hills that attain an altitude
that entitle them to be designated as
mountains. The only break in the
many miles of these rugged barriers
is gap extending from Loomis to the
Okanogan river on the east, which
widens out at one place to a con-
siderable basin locally known as
Whitestone Flat. Two considerable
bodies of water, Whitestone and Spec
tacle lakes, fill depressions in that
gap. From Loomis to the river Is some
twelve miles, and until up to a couple
of years ago the only sign of habita-
ton on the route from the river to the
old mining camp were at the SwartZ
and Smith ranches, neither presenting
any attractions that would invite the
eye of the passerby to take a second
look. From river to town, from town to
river, was a dreary waste, destitute of
verdure, supporting only scanty
growth Of grass few months in the
year. 1t was, and much of it still is,
the most unprepossessing stretch of
country in the county, and all because
of lack of moisture. But a marked
change is coming over the land erst-
while so hard for the eyes to look up
on, at least the western end Of the gap.
A few years ago Marvin Chase con-
ceived the idea of installing an irriga-
ton system to cover Whitestone Flat
with. water from Toats Coula creek
and of course covering land under
and adjacent to the pipe, flume and
ditch line. Mr.. Chase managed to ex-
tend that line to within a short dist
ance Of Whitestone lake. From the
configuratiOn of the country the line
as far as it extends, can water only a
comparatively small number of acres.
That water has been available for only
two years, but it would be hardly pos
sible for those familiar with old con-
ditions. and who have not seen the
changes already wrought, to realize
the transformation that has taken
place in so short time. The change
is not SO much in the attractiveness
of the buildings that are being utilized
by Industrious families as homes, for
those inhabitants had to make the best
with the small available means at
their command. but in the improve
ment of the land made possible by the
energy of the inhabitants of those
humble homes, and the application Of
life-giving water. All that was needed
to induce the soil to produce in abund-
ance was moisture. Chase furnished
the water, the settler furnished the
muscle. and the generous soil did the
rest. Homes. and barns, and silos, and
in the green time of the year verdant
crops are grown besides alfalfa, and
no matter what is planted the seed
responds lavishly What has been done
is only the beginning of what will be
done in the way of making an oasis
of that former desert in future years.
The land in the main is rough, but
wherever a few acres can be watered
there the husbandman has prepared
the ground for the harvest
1t is stated that it is the intention
this year to extend the irrigation sys-
tenn far enough to cover another 1000
acres, and in anticipation of that ex-
tension stacks of lumber are scattered
here and there along the course of the
proposed bitches preparatory to the
construction of homes while men are
busy clearing off sage brush and put
ting new land under the plow. 1t will
be only few years until that particu-
lar locality, SO long neglected, is 60
ing to be one of the garden and beauty
, spots of the county.
The majority of those contributing
toward the reclamation of this land
! are of the religious sect known as
| Dunkards. we know nothing of their
religious beliefs, but we do know that
the followers Of the cult are law abid-
ing, frugal, quiet people, and very
gluttons for work. Industry is their
middle name, and wherever they To-
cate they bend every energy toward
making the best of their opportuni-
ties, and Dunkard settlement is al
ways marked by the signs of thrift and
prosperity. They ask only the right to
worship God according to their con-
|
out their own salvation, spiritual and
material. And they have a habit of
winning in both respects. They have
made the fringe of Whitestone flat
blossom as the rose. They would make
the flat do the same if the water was
obtainable, and the same people are
going to make the Orchards Homes
/ tracts, south of Oroville, locality
beautiful to look upon in very few
years. The scoffer may make light of
the Dunkard, but you never heard Of
Dunkard demagogue or agitator, and
if there were more people in the land
animated by the same spirit as the
Dunkard We would never hear any,
thing about curtailment of production,
the high cost of living or the unrest
that designing men are stirring up all
over the world.