The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-02-20
State Land
PROJECT IS
DEFENDED!
White Bluffs Editor Takes
Issue With Letter From
Mrs. Maude SWeetman

r.. j. VlAffN. tdttoF ana quo
Usher Of the White Bluffs Spokes-
man. takes violent issue with a let.
ter from Mrs. Maude Swcetman. re-
Gently published In The star under
the heading. white Riuffs.ffanford
Project Is Proving Juicy Lemon"
This article" oIarey Gays In a
letter received today. lis fun OF
false and misleading statements.
paipably an effort to discrcdit good
work. This valley was chosen only
after an investigation OF several
months. Close 70 20 projects were
carefully Investigated. not only by
state officials. but by a committee
appointed BY the American Legion.
and such experts as Marvin Chase.
hydraulic engineer: Olaf Il. jenkins.
gecloxtst. and Y. j. Sievers, soil ex'
pert. Their reports are matter of
record.
This valley Is on the banks OF
the Columbia river. about As miles
up from raseo and kennewick.
The soil Is decomposed volcanic
ash mixed with sand. The altitude
II about $50 feet above sea level.
II has long growing season and Is
enc Of the earliest fruit districts IN
the Northwest. The land produces
as much. and In most cases more.
than any irrigated district In the
West. and the quality OF It, products
Is 20 hlgh that buyers pay a pre-.
MUM for it4 fruit
SUCCESS DEPENDS
ON THREE ELEMENTS
~Whsther or not the attempt viii
be a success will depend on three
thinxs--the ability Of the soil 20
produce crops: the intelligence OF
the state administration. and the
type OF settlers who take up the
land. The first essential Is proved
BY the number Of weil-todo farm.
crs living on adjoining land. The
state has selected an able project
manager In J. c. Scott. and. II he is
not tied up with red tape. there u
little doubt about the supervision.
The type Of men who take up the
land Is the only gamble. and. II
they have some farming experience.
". they are Industrious and IL they
have enough capital 10 tide them
over until the land ts brought 20 a
producing state. they cannot fail.
Airs. sweetman thinks the soil
IL worthless because the project
manager advised against plowinE
until the water for irrigation =
ready. Anybody with irrigation ex.
perience knows thar u good advice
IN any irrigated district
while the final date for receiving
applications IL nearly "A month away.
there are already over 20 applications
for this land on file. and the average
amount % capital OF those applicants
4. e7.soo. That will probably be
startling news 10 Mrs. sweetman.-
"shs says this valley IL q desert.
OF course u is-,hat Ia. the unirn-
proved section. So was every other
district now being irrigated
DENIES HANFORD
LOST FORTUNE
~JudTe Hanford did found The
town that hears his name but We
never heard he lost a fortune trying
20 irriszts land In this barren eoun.
try
~Mrx. Swectman says . land
company had TO abandon . dem-
en>trntion farm In this valley
beeau~e the cost 81 irrigation
Wzs tao great This l. . bare.
outright fxlsehoos. No such
farm was ever conducted In this
valley.
"Obteetion. are made 70 the fact
that water for irrigation ~ secured
from wells. and that settlers are
forced 70 sign three year contracts
for power. and that the land will cost
the settler 5000 an acre. Irrigation
from wells has proved the most eco
nornical and satisfactory. and cleo
frfcity L. better than any other pow
er for the pumps. The settler II
forced 10 sign no contract: he II
privileged TO get n farm equipped
with well. pump. motor and buildings
for from $3.50 to $1,000. lie will b-
ablc 10 ret bis pumps. motors. fenc.
Ing and lumber for almost wholesale
prices thru the state. and he viii pur.
chase the land for about a fourth Of
what Il cost the settlers already here.
The question Of Holsfcin cows.
Clark seeding Strawberries and 9th
er Ike questions are administration
matters.
"Mrs. sweetmsu says a large
MORTGAGE company has fore
closed on many acres 81 land In
this valley. after futile efforts
had been made nv experienced
farmers 10 produce a living
therefrom.' This y another hare
fa<ed faisehood. In Inc last 10
years only two places were fore
closed ON by this company where
the land was improved.
WANT To PROTECT
STATE INTERESTS
The rules and regulations gov.
erning the project have been revised.