The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1938-02-03
Cell Ashby Sees Alaska a
Land OF New Opportunity
continued From Page ~

Continued From rage u
Al odd characteristic of North
.rn Alaska IS the ground moss. I,
-. virgin state the soil is covered
.1th from four inches to lin case
=, m,,skeg, three feet Of moss. Thii
v,oes acts as an insulating agen
1or the frost. It is possible late IL
,nidu,mmer to 60 out in the stand
mo timber, dig down a few inches
enough the moss and strike frost
Th;s moss can be removed either by
burning or by stripping with a bull
dosr. This latter method was uset
h the colony, bulldozing the stumps
into hugh windrows, at the same
time when they were burned later
on when dry. .>-..
10 date approximately 25,00(
acres have been cleared and put I'M
der cultivation. Some 800 acres OF
this area was land that had been
h,rned over by forest fires nearly
ten years ago and had grown up
amin to young birch of an aver
ace height Of fifteen feet. This land
vas cleared during the winter when
covered with two feet Of snow.
Bulldozers were utilized to a great
advantage here, making use OF the
light crust Of snow to hold the brush
upright while the blade shaved off
the roots at the ground and piled
snow and brush in windrows $50
feet apart. -. p E.a
Field peas and oats are the pre-
dominating hay crop raised. Alfal-
"a has been tried at the expert
mental station, but so far there has
been but little success.
The experimental station col
lects plants, seeds and shrubs from
all parts Of the world, especially
from Siberia and Tibet where the
rigorous climate have produced
many hardy leguminous plants and
shrubs.
The land cleared on each indi-
vidual tract does not average the
same, however, ranging from IS
acres to one-half an acre per tract,
due to several reasons, some acre
age being brush land that could be
cleared with bulldozers without the
use Of the axe, giving that indi-
vidual tract an edge on the others.
Some were heavily timbered with
large cottonwood, making the clear
ing difficult. In some cases the
colonists were unable to make the
best use Of an axe (should we call
It awkwardness?) but nevertheless
trying to do their best and a few
were just plain everyday, day in and
day out "cultus." W.
Speaking Of cultusness, one day
last year a healthy, robust man
came charging into the admins
tation building, brushed by the
secretary and on into the general
managers office, with fire in his
eye. Confronting the general
manager, he cried: where is that
man ordered yesterday My wife
Is out OF kindling! It's sure getting
70 be hellova place around here
when the government doesn't care if
you freeze to death!"
Well" unused the general man.
sser amt that sumpin? Would
you desire another man to build the
Ies Tor you, too?" The colonist left
WIN a scowl on his face, went home
smo spnt his own kindling and fin
aiiS decided that it might be OK.
Inc colonists' gross indebted
neS ranges from $4,000 to s16,5O0.
.aese amounts are arrived at in
as manner: Cost Of improvements
.a..elnnes, barns, poultry houses,
w. ~ some cases the colonists
~0led their labors in helping erect
escn Others buildings. Others rea-
svneo that Uncle Sam was footing
'ue oiils, 50 why worry and sweat? ]
~. - tne early days land clearing
.sss run around $50 an acre. The !
= 10y 49, season the costs averaged close {
us,s 1Mads OF stock and poultry
~. ~ shipped to Palmer from the ]
,sss long before there was any &
ms s raised to take care of them, a
Iron. : II necessary to ship in feed
W. ", seattle. The stock and poul- e
,redi ..ie sold to the colonists ION t
cam J. at exhorbitant prices. A t
rs. n, w. horses costing in one case r
,ein , paacnased in eastern Oregon,
,ovs So.o 70 a colonist for $3.50. r
MA ;. not thoroughbred stock. were v
par ~ ~ prices ranging from sS5 to +,
on s g ese en- geese at SIS each. Four ~ ~
n en- Wnte Leghorn ROSTERS came >.
,or uae Shipment. The colonists who = =
Or t th. Them We're charged 81 each >,
opd .sa Ihis amount was far be- q
,als u sae needs of the colony so the :,
e OF the four tons were y =
olonn ca and sold through the "
butcher shops at $3.50 each :,
tt ns'e sa- alfalfa shipped in from Sc S ,[
,be. SoSt the colonists SGT 5o q +on. :,
ack and 10y ~. a sack; shorts $3.50 a a
, tbese So other feeds in proportion A
!, tourists urls coming in to ,oo. o,,o. * e.
bly, sl,rnr,. at Palmer are invari- II
surprised to find ont tba+ ~ ".