The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1923-04-06
SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
FRIDAY APRIL 6, 1923.
u PITY IT'S IT'S TRUE.

Douglas county, Banner, contained
lengthy and gloomy word picture of
the deplorable condition of the land
owners and farming communities OF
our neighboring county. Douglas
county is prominently an agricul-
tural county. Bounded on the north
and west by the Columbia river the
Land rises abruptly from the river to
considerable height and the county
covers vast plateau, bisected in two
places by those remarkable freaks OF
nature, Moses and Grand coulees.
Waterville. the shire town, is really
the only town in the county, the other
places boasting OF postoffices are
mere hamlets. Everybody and every
business line is dependent upon for
support from farming. and when
things come rocky for the farmer ev-
cry business interest suffers in con-
junction with the tillers of the soil.
Like every other agricultural section
OF eastern Washington, Douglas coun-
ty has been hit hard by a succession
of lean crop years. In the most fav-
orable seasons there is never an ex-
cess of moisture on that wide plateau,
and when such dry seasons come as
have marked tie past five or six years
there is no harvest. The farmers have
displayed marvellous pluck and tenac-
ity working and planting the ground
year after year only to see the grain
fail to reach maturity, but according
to the Banner those farmers. or a vast
majority Of them, have at last reached
the breaking point. In many in
stances farms have been abandoned.
the land permitted to go uncultivated
and sad depression prevails among
those who still hang on. To add mis-
cry to this deplorable situation sew
eral banks have failed in Douglas
county during the past year and those
who had little have lost their all.
These bank failures were but a nat
ural cor0llary to prevailing conditions
for money had been loaned to farm
ers, they could not meet their obliga-
tons and the banks were forced to
close. Had the elements been favor
able during the past half dozen years
Douglas county would have been one
of the most prosperous subdivisions Of
the state. The drouth came and con-
tinued and judging from the article
mentioned in the Banner Douglas
county is in the throes Of financial
But this condition will not always
prevail and it is not the first time that
Douglas county has suffered from de-
preston superinduced by crop short
age. In the early 90's when Douglas
county was being settled up times
were even harder than they are today.
Ready money was an unknown guam
tity. Lots Of people could not raise the
small amount required to make final
proof on their government land. Mea
who had taken up preemptions on a
quarter section would gladly sell the
same for few dollars more than the
cost Of completing proofs OF compli-
ance with land laws, and no buyers.
We know of number Of instances
where the land officials themselves
advanced the necessary money so that
settlers could save their land. This is
only to illustrate how
scarce money was in those days. But
better days came to Douglas county.
The elements became favorable. the
land yielded abundantly Of wheat, and
a choice quality OF wheat is grown in
that county, and the farmers prosper
ed, adding acres to those already own
ed and for long period good times
prevailed. Then came these repeated
years OF drouth that spelled misfor-
tune to the husbandman. But this ele-
mental handicap is not to always last.
Nature will again smile on the broad
acres of Douglas county and again
the husbandman will come in for MS
reward. When the season IS favorable
the soil yields literally of grains, and
as stated before Of high quality OF
grains, and happy plenty will Danish
the present discouraging depression.
We have seen Douglas county in Its
early days of financial travail, and We
have seen it when the sun OF pros
perity shone upon it. Today :ae c1un-
ty may be in an eclipse, but the sun
will shine again, the rain descend up
on the earth and in future years the
prosperous population will be able to
look back on the lean years through
which the county passed Il, a PAINFUL
ii.