The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1922-05-05
MINER OBTAINS
VALUABLE TRACT
Orchard Purchased from ). {. Larsen
Irrigated with Water IRON due
Lake-Yields Heavily.

Brief mention was made in the las,
issue of the Gazette of the safe oil ~
acre orchard by S. c. Larson 10 L.
ui,ner of Wenatchee. The sale was
finally closed just before the Haze''e
vent IN press and was made through
Percy Walker, local real estate ueai
or the consideration being S2o,ooo.
This orchard is located snort DIST
ance south OF town. on the west siue
N the Okanogan river. at the mouth oi
the pass in the hills that is traVerseu
| nv the county road leading TO Wahicu'
lake and accommodates the FARMERS
living on Ellemeham and Paiiher
mountains. The 40 acres are portioi
If an original homestead of l60 acres
filed upon and proved up on by Aiiee
]T Clark. wife of Fred Clark, patef'
for which was issued Oct q, 1906. MRS.
Clark transferred the homestead TO T.
In Grubb. November 10, 1906. the con-
sideration being $4,000. On February
"a. 1909. Mr.. Grubb sold the Az acres
lust transferred to Mr.. Miner 10 .. y
Larson. the consideration being sz,9oo.
retaining the balance of the 100 acres
which he still owns.
| Mr.. Grubb set out large portion OF
the 40 acre tract to trees. and whlle
1.-The trees made considerable grown
they were slow at fruiting, owing TO
shortage of water. At first. Mr.. GruDo
considered taking water from Blue
lake. situated several hundred feat
|above the ranch, but abandoned TINS
plan owing to claim that the water
was too highly impregnated with al
kalies for irrigation purposes. MT
Grubb then went to considerable eX-
pense putting in a dam and building 9
reservoir to conserve water that flows
for short period out of the canyon
In the spring. but this supply proved
TO be inadequate although FURNISHING
sufficient moisture to start the youne
trees and keep them growing. The or
chard flourished but when it came
time for the trees to bear the crop was
short.
At last Mr.. Larson had the waters o
Blue lake analysed and the chemis
making the analysis declared tina
there was no chemical substance IL
the water that would prove injurious
to trees. Later developments proved
that the chemist was right. Mr.. Larson
put in pumping plant at Blue Lax
and as it was only necessary to lift tn
water a few feet to secure a gravit.
| flow to the orchard he had at his com
mand all the water he could use. AS
. result the Larson orchard has mad
remarkable growth during the pas
few years, and the trees have yielde'
heavily the fruit being classed al
some of the best produced in the val
ley.
The sale of this orchard is one o
1.-THE most important transfers OF i'm
IprOved real estate that has taken plac
in this part of the OkanOgan valley 70
some time, both as to the extent o
the bearing orchard and the consid
Grafton. But considering the price pai
for bearing orchards in other appl
districts no doubt Mr.. Miner consid
ers that he struck a rare bargain, 70
in the -Wenatchee valley, where MI
Miner has become experienced in tn
orchard game, the Larson orchar
would have commanded from $1,000 t
$4,000 per acre, and that is what
will be worth under Mr. Miners man
agement few years hence.
1t is understood that Mr.. Larson ha
taken up his residence in Oroville an
will continue member of this com
munity.