The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1922-08-11
40 PROJECT
SHOWS new LIFE
-. "a Irrigate Whitestone Flat and
usrss Spring Coulee with State
g Assistance.

Yur years the watering OF what Is
lam as Whitestone Fiat mas Deen
.rsam OF not only those owning
.,ouerty within the district that II is
.suoeed 70 reclaim, but the people OF
E.s. .ntire north part of the county.
K s.o,6ets nave been initiated only to
- In failure for want OF necessary
.tuuds for laying all boosting sophis-
n, aside the carrying out OF any irri-
s'iion enterprise that is 10 cover a
1i.,se area OF land is an exceedingly
(: ..rnspsiye undertaking, and the final
,ou1t 10 always many more times than
~. original figures. But let that be as
i nay the proposition of reelaiming
IN. lands OF Whitestone Flat and IA
action Of Horse Springs coulee has
-. under careful consideration Tor
several years, and one project, with
1,h,i object in view, reached a point in
III OF the promised land wAen it
xas abandoned.
Ii Is not known how many acres 1t
proposed to put under water, that
depending upon the final arrange
ueuts, but it will include several
thousand, and better land is not to be
found in the west. based on protect
Il location, fertility under the influ-
enee Of water and climatic, conditions.
furthermore, in few projects are the
Biographical conditions more favor
able for Irrigation purposes. Most of
lhe land constituting the flat is very
level. II covers plateau but a few
lset above, and to the south and west
f Whitestone lake. In Horse Spring
coulee, to the south and west of
Whitestone Flat, between the Aenas
range OF mountains and slight hills to
tbe east, there is extensive level land
lhat would be abundantly productive
with water and which will be included
b the proposed Whitestone system. In
this coulee farmers with an iron nerve
coasidering the failures that have fol-
Dowed repeated effort, have year after
yeAr attempted to grow crops. Occas-
ltoally favorable season comes to
the rescue Of the farmer and the soil
Fields abundantly, but these favorable
seasons are few and far between,
heart breaking in their infrequency.
With water on this land crops of any
kind and every kind would be as GER
lain as the change of the seasons.
Whitestone Flat has been a desert
Ilnce the white man first settled the
country and prior to tnat, since time
commenced. In former years sheep
we're pastured on the land, but the
Tield Of grass was too light to give it
ny particular value for pasturage
wen for sheep. The flat has lain
here, q dead expanse of barren land
my awaiting the magic touch OF
xater to make it blossom as rose.
my one who has witnessed the trans
ormation OF the erstwhile desert land
! the Okan0gan valley into a beau
ilul, productive Eden through the
ource OF water, making valuable
'foperty that prior to tne introduction
Y water was absolutely worthless as
source of income, can well visual
" what Whitestone Flat will come
De IN few years after the inaugu-
alton Of an irrigation system, a con-
ummatiOn that every resident of the
ounty desires to see, adding as it
souid to the population and wealth
tne county. Just now, the prospect
or the realization of that long hoped
" enterprise that aims to water
vmtestone Flat and portions of the
iorse Spring coulee looks to be near
tnan ever before. The land owners
fe getting together upon a sane basis
regard to prices of lands which will
isure settlement when the construc-
on OF the system once commences.
ne state is to get back of the project
10 no better backing could be obtain
u u means that when the pre-
"'inary plans have been adjusted.
instruction will commence at once
w there will be no long delays after
'ofk starts for want of money. A
'eesng OF the representative land
"hers or the district to be reclaimed
90 neid recently at Tonasket and the
pAnlmity with which those directly
''erested endorsed the proposition
- up to them is an assurance that
-ele VIII be no hitch in finally per-
's'lng plans and signing up property
o'uers 10 the contracts. The last is
- oi the Tonasket Times contains
= ioiiowing account of the meeting
e'ore which the plans were pre-
ented:
long, long step forward in the
'os1essive march of events wlich is
Z cuiminate in the irrigation of the
'n.'estone Flat and Horse Spring
see country was taken Tuesday
'ening in Tonasket when land own
s'sued options for their land as
sonuition precedent to assistance
a., financial way from the state.
me meeting was one of perfect
s'niony. there being but one question
.onsideration, and progress in the
,s"us or the instruments was expe-
u w the services of several volun-
!. v'erks and notaries public. Called
,uer oy R. L. Picken, president Of
= "nitestone board, the explanation
i e subject watch was up for con-
was turned over to Secre-
~ ". W. Howard, who has been
lying On the negotiations with Di-
'' Dan A. Scott of the state de-