USA > Washington > Lincoln County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 1 > Part 33
USA > Washington > Adams County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 1 > Part 33
USA > Washington > Douglas County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 1 > Part 33
USA > Washington > Franklin County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 1 > Part 33
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ties of wheat grown here are Little Club and Blue Stem, the latter ranging higher in price than the former. The average yield per acre will range in the neighborhood of twenty bush- els. Yet in many instances crops have been marketed that gave returns to the producer, of from 50 to 60 bushels to the acre. Fall and spring wheat are both sown and do equally well. In size farms range from 80 to 3,000 acres. The bulk of the crop is harvested with headers and threshers and combined harvesters. These latter machines are operated by 32 horses, simultaneously reaping, threshing and sacking the wheat. Harvesting usually begins about the latter part of July, continuing through August and into September. During these months there is but little precipitation, they be- ing the dryest of the year.
The government records for a period of ten years show that the annual precipitation of rain and snow in Lincoln county was 13.06 inches, and the mean monthly temperature, as recorded by the government observators at Fort Spo- kane, Lincoln county, for 1895. shows that Jan- uary was the coldest month, with a mean of 23.8 degrees above zero, while July was the hottest, with a mean of 67.5 degrees, the mean temperature for August being 67. The county may be said to be as near absolutely free from cyclones and tornadoes, or violent atmospheric disturbance's as any other in the world. The air, is clear, bracing and invigorating, with an unusual number of sunny days continuing through the summer months, with cool nights. Rarely does the thermometer indicate a tem- perature below zero or above 80 degrees. The water supply of the county is ample. On its northern boundary flow the Spokane and Col- umbia rivers. There are many smaller streams flowing through the territory and the county is dotted with lakes. Bituminous coal of the most desirable description is mined east of the Cas- cades which is laid down here at a fair price. but it is not in great demand owing to the gen- erous quantities of wood in the county. The
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
question of grasses is treated by the editor of the Lincoln Times as follows :
"One of the domestic grasses grown with most success in Lincoln county is what is known as brome grass. It roots deeply, forms a tough sod, withstands the drought and also thrives under tramping and pasturing. It appears to be the only grass particularly adapted to this soil. Clover and timothy are cultivated with some success on bottoms where there is more moisture, and those who have had experience with these grasses in Minnesota and Wiscon- sin claim that they were not any more of a suc- cess in those states in early days, but that in- crease in the rainfall, together with the fertiliz- ing of the soil, enabled the farmers to produce both clover and timothy with great success in late years. It is claimed that the same will be true of our upland farm lands after a few years of fertilization. The native bunch grass indi- genous to Lincoln county, while very nutritious, will not endure close pasturing, matures the first of July, and, therefore, does not grow any more that season. Stock like it however, better than other grass and they fatten on it. Even after it bleaches out with rain and snow stock seek after it and thrive on it. But as before stated, it will not stand steady pasturing, so that other grasses are being introduced to take its place on stock farms."
The "barbed wire telephone" in Lincoln county is unique, although it has no monopoly in this particular district. It is a net work of telephone lines extending throughout the coun- try districts, the farmers utilizing their barbed wire fences for lines. The only expense in- curred is the purchase of instruments which en- able them to become connected, not only with the outside world, but what is in reality a super- ior advantage, with their immediate neighbors. some of whom may reside many miles distant so large are the farms in some localities. Wherever these country telephones have been introduced, and they may appear extremely pri- mitive, they are regarded as an indispensable
convenience. The barbed wire telephone has robbed farm and ranch life of its former isola- tion. The farmers' wives can call up their neigh- bors at pleasure. The family physician may be summoned by wire at critical moments. It is unnecessary to dispatch a hurried messenger boy on horseback. The farmer who breaks any of his machinery may converse with hes dealer in town, or a machine factory hundreds of miles distant. In many other ways he finds this prim- itive service of the greatest benefit to him.
Orchard Valley, a district entirely devoted to fruit culture, is situated near the month of Hawk creek. In this it resembles the farms along the Columbia and Spokane river bottoms. Orchard Valley, in common with these river fruit farms, comprises sandy bottom lands, more than one thousand feet below the upland wheat fields, that can be irrigated and will pro- duce almost every variety of fruit aside from those of a purely tropical nature. Each recur- rent season the Orchard Valley fruit farmers ship car-loads of strawberries, apples, peaches. and pears. The first crop of strawberries is marketable in June and July: in October a sec- ond crop matures. These fruit farms are all irrigated, and the land is valuable. A few acres of fruit-bearing orchard are all that one man, or the average-sized family can success- fully manage. The Orchard Valley bottom, on which some forty families reside, resembles a large village. There is yet considerable fruit land along the river and canyon bottoms, more elevated and difficult to irrigate than the im- proved farms lower down, but in time this, too. will be supplied with irrigating ditches, and planted to fruits and berries. These fruit farm- ers are in comfortable circumstances. Their land has become quite valuable. . \ large por- tion of the fruit product is shipped to Spokane and other outside points at a distance. Peaches usually retail on the market from 50 to 60 cents per box. apples from 50 to 95 cents, prunes from 40 to 50 cents per crate, plums from 40 to 75 cents, pears from 50 to go cents and for
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
strawberries the producer generally receives $1.50 per crate.
The last half dozen years has witnessed the greatest development in the fruit industry of Lincoln county. Mr. Robert Neal was the first to engage in it about fifteen years ago, on the Columbia river. Not many years since the Orchard Valley flat was an open waste on which horses and cattle ranged the year round. It is. and was then, a beautiful spot. It overlooked the river and was sheltered on both sides by timbered hills and grassy glades, over which roamed large bands of horses and cattle. Its beauty has been still further enhanced by ele- gant homes and fruitful orchards-scenes of thrift and enterprise. In the midst of this ely- sian scene is a fine school house building, and though it is situated several miles from a rail- road the community is supplied with a telephone system connecting them with the surrounding towns and cities. Altogether it is one of the most prosperous and happy neighborhoods in the county.
Nearly all the rich bottom lands along the Spokane and Columbia rivers and the deep can- yons that lead down to them from the upland prairies are devoted, almost exclusively, to the cultivation of apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, cherries, strawberries, blackberries, etc., and these lands are very valuable. The river channels lie about one thousand feet be- low the level of the prairie land, the descent in many places being quite steep, and occasion- ally the slopes are covered with forests and brush. In other places the hillsides are rocky and rough, and again the descent is formed by a series of plateaus, or terraces, covered with more or less timber or brush, over which stock ranges both summer and winter, the locality once being the retreat of deer and other wild animals.
Concerning the cultivation of fruit the Northern Pacific Bulletin says in 1897, and quite conservatively :
"While Lincoln county has never claimed
to be a fruit country (which statement would not at present be borne out by the evidence), there is hardly a farm to be found which has been occupied for any length of time, which does not possess its orchard sufficient not only for supplying the wants of its owners, but also to enable him to add to his income by sale of fruit. Certain localities are especially famous for their fruit, the warm, sandy river bottoms where irrigation can be easily applied, being utilized almost exclusively in this direction. *
* As many as 10,000 quarts of strawber- ries have been taken off a single acre. Lincoln county is especially famous for its apples, which possess keeping qualities of a very high order. It is not unusual to find Ben Davis apples and Newton pippins from Lincoln county on the markets in good condition in June and July. Aside from its grain and fruits the county is noted for its dairy products, the native grass being extremely nutritious, while alfalfa is a very profitable crop. Poultry, also, is raised quite successfully, and the farmers are learning that the poultry yard can be counted upon to furnish a very considerable addition to their revenues. The farmer who knows how to handle bees is also sure of a handsome income from this source."
It is interesting to watch the evolution of any new county. Each successive year it pre- sents a new aspect. The editor of the Lincoln County Times thus describes that portion of the county under consideration lying between Sprague and Davenport, as it appeared in 1888:
"The road runs up hill and down, the face of the country everywhere being decidedly un- dulating. On the rounded summits of the hills one can see far off, north, east and west, over vast stretches of the same hilly prairie. On the southern horizon lies the long, pine timber belt. This woody district terminates about ten miles east of Sprague. The highest elevation sur- mounted during our drive from Sprague to Davenport affords a pleasant view down the valley of Crab creek, and also into Lord's Val-
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
ley which, it is claimed, is the finest agricultural region in this vicinity. On the far northern horizon, 60 or 70 miles distant, you see the blue summits of the mountains lying north of the Big Bend of the Columbia river, between the mouths of the Spokane and Okanogan rivers. The prospect affords a striking impression of an immense fertile region, rich in possibilities for agricultural development and very sparsely occupied as yet by settlers. All this region be- longs to what is known throughout the state of Washington under the general name of the 'Big Bend Country.' It contains more good land still in possession of the United States govern- ment, and open to homestead entry, and pre- emption claims, than can be found in any other region west of the Rocky Mountains."
Surprising, indeed, is the change that has taken place in the physical aspect of Lincoln county since the above lines were written. Six- teen years have elapsed and there is no more government land open to homestead entry. The absence of settlers noted has been supplied with a thrifty class of solid, substantial farmers, and the wide waste of rolling prairie-virgin soil- is now dotted with farm houses, cattle and or- chards. It is a transformation worthy the en- terprise and business sagacity of the inhabitants of Lincoln county, and one upon which it is good for the eye of man to dwell.
The mining industries of Lincoln county, while not approaching in importance those of the northern tier of counties in the state, are not unworthy of serious consideration. Within its limits there are no large deposits of mineral bearing ore or numerous "flattering prospects." Still, Cedar Canyon, in the southern portion of Stevens county is, practically, contributary to Davenport, and this city transacts considerable business with that district in the way of mining and other supplies. According to the report of the Washington Geological Survey, "Lincoln county lies, practically, altogether within the domain of the Columbia basalt, a formation in which metalliferous veins do not occur." Along
the northern boundary of the county, however, especially near the confluence of the Columbia and Spokane rivers, metamorphic rocks appear which were never covered by the lava, and in these veins of ore occur. For several years mining has been carried on in this section and many ledges prospected, some of which prom- ise to become valuable producers in the future. The contemplated erection of a smelter at the new town of Crystal City has renewed activity in mining circles. The formation of the Crys- tal City district is granite, traversed by feldsite and blue porphyry dikes and innumerable quartz veins. Rhyolite, andisite, and phonolite dikes are also in evidence. Pitney Butte, one of the heaviest mineralized buttes in this section, has been the scene of considerably activity.
In 1889 a large body of high grade ore was exposed on the Pennsylvania. A shaft was sunk to the 100-foot level and two drifts run on the vein. Two cars of ore were shipped during development. In the fall of 1901 the shaft house and other buildings were swept away by fire since which time nothing but assessment has been done. L. N. Miner and associates are driv- ing a tunnel on the Nettie M., and are now in 1 50 feet with ore in the face showing brittle sil- ver carrying gold. These people also run the Silver Cup No. I and II, Big Bend and Great Western. Several hundred feet of tunnels and drifts have been run on the Silver Cup No. 11, several shoots being encountered carrying val- ue's of fron $4 to $40. A picked sample from the surface of this property assayed 230 ounces of gold, and 278 ounces in silver. The Big Bend has a 30-foot ledge averaging $14. This property has been developed by a 40-foot shaft and a 30-foot drift. The Great Western is a promising property showing free gold. James Young is working on a feldsite dike carrying free gold.
C. Grutt and sons are pioneers in this camp and have done considerable development work on their several properties among which are the Cupid, Independence and Storm King on Pit-
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
ney Butte and White Faun, Blushing Morn and Lone Cabin on Grutt's Butte. The Cupid is on the Pennsylvania lead and carries the same grade of ore. This property is equipped with a large shaft house, bunk house and blacksmith shop. The Lone Cabin was the first location in the camp, then known as the Egypt. It is de- veloped by several tunnels and shafts. The ore averages about $35 in gold, copper, silver and lead. Clarence Mccullough and associates are doing assessment work at Carp Lake and are taking out some high grade gray copper ore running as high as $85 to the ton. Mr. Mc- Cullough is one of the pioneers of this district and has unbounded faith in its ore bodies.
Drs. Turney and Kelley have a finely equip- ped property in the old LeMarch. A 100-foot shaft on the ledge has opened showing a shaft of fine ore. The latest strike is on the Thomp- son property, situated on the river road. High grade chloride ore has been encountered in the 150 foot tunnel. Perhaps this is destined to become one of the big mines of the northwest. A crew of men have been at work to determine the extent of the ore body. The Drum Lom- mond, a recently incorporated company, has a fine ledge showing and has a force of men at work developing the property.
The Crystal mine is located about a quarter of a mile east of the old Fort Spokane buildings, on a slight ridge, somewhat above the flat stretch of bench land upon which the govern- ment buildings are located. \ ridge that is one of a succession of raises that piled up to- gether make the bluffs that mark the course of the brawling Spokane river, that, through cen- turies of erosion, has eaten an erratic pathway far down below the level of the plateau. The Crystal mine is not a recently discovered prop- erty. Away back in 1881, when Fort Spokane was first selected as a site for an army post, J. WV. Nicholls and another party located the claim and did upon it a vast amount of work. Two shafts were sunk on the lead to a consid- erable depthi, but the owners did not have the
means to push the work. At one time Frank R. Moore, who conducted a store near the post, contributed means towards opening the ledge. An expert was imported who declared there was nothing in it, and consequently the sinews of war were not forthcoming. The property has seen many changes of ownership and there has been considerable litigation over it. In the spring of 1896 the Crystal Mining Company of Spokane, began work upon two ledges one and one-half miles to the eastward of the mouth of the Spokane river. One of these ledges is. nine, and the other eight feet in width. Each has a northeast and southwest strike. In the development of this property three shafts have been sunk an aggregate depth of 425 feet ; drifts have also been driven to the extent of 540 feet. The average assay value of the ore is about $40 per ton, in silver and lead. The company has a 32-horse-power hoisting engine and a 50-horse-power boiler. The total cost of all development work in 1902 was estimated at $28,000. The manager was John Gray, of Spokane.
In addition to the Crystal, in the same vi- cinity, are the Gray Eagle and Spokane mines, upon which a great deal of development has been done. A short distance north of there. 011 the Pitney Butte mountain, are the Pennsyl- vania, Pitney Butte, Silver King and Egypt properties, which show ore, and upon which some development was done a few years ago. The work on the latter properties has been nearly all done by Davenport parties.
Egypt, lying twenty miles north of Daven- port, is one of the most familiar localities in the. county. Very fertile are the lands of this sec- tion, timber is abundant, and Egypt was one of the first places to attract the attention of pros- pective settlers. The district to which the name of Egypt is applied is about ten miles long and from two to four miles in width. Along the east side a range of low timbered hills skirt the body of farming land. Nearly 1,000 feet below: flows the Spokane river, from three to
AS HELLGATE, COLUMBIA RIVER, APPEARS FROM AN ELEVATION OF 1,000 FEET.
PICKING STRAWBERRIES, LINCOLN COUNTY.
11,595 POUNDS OF LINCOLN COUNTY WHEAT GOING TO MARKET.
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
six miles east, and from this range of hills the country falls off suddenly into a series of benches, or rough, timbered hills, with an occasional valley threading down between them. To the west is Hawk Creek canyon and tribu- taries. This huge canyon which debouches into the Columbia river has its source just below Davenport, perhaps two miles distant, and its depth ranges from a few, to over 1,000 feet. increasing in depth as it approaches the Colum- bia. Egypt lies between this mammoth can- yon on one side, and the basin of the Spokane river on the other. This makes the approach from either way quite steep, and through which vehicles can proceed in a few places only. It forms one of the most picturesque sections in Lincoln county. There is an abundance of timber on either side. To the east and north lie the great Spokane and Columbia river basins; beyond are the timbered mountains and fertile valleys of the Colville Indian Reserva- tion.
The first settlers of Lincoln county were at- tracted to this district because of its dark, rich soil and the generous abundance of timber, sup- plying them not only with ample quantities of fuel, but enabling them to build log houses and fences at a period when lumber was not to be had at any price. In Egypt all the tillable land is now under cultivation ; its grain fields have added wealth and comfort to the thrifty, pros- perous population. Nearly every quarter sec- tion of land is supplied with commodious barns and comfortable residences. Still, a productive soil is not the only resource of Egypt. The pine forests that mantle the hill slope down to the river banks have provided employment for many sawmills during the past ten or fifteen . years ; its mines are an added resource, the im- portance of which cannot be even approximately estimated at the present time.
Allusion has been made previously to Or- chard Valley. The visitor to this spot is re- minded of a village in the midst of beautiful surroundings. This locality, sometimes called
Orchard, and sometimes Peach Valley, is at the mouth of Hawk Creek canyon, just above its confluence with the Columbia river. This land is devoted to the cultivation of fruit, but as yet only about 320 acres are irrigated and planted to orchards. It is a neighborhood of neat, hand- some residences and well-to-do citizens. This community has a postoffice, store, church build- ing, a large, two-story school house, a public hall and a fruit dryer. These Orchard Valley fruit lands are worth from $150 to $500 per acre. There is very little on the market at these prices. There are about 800 acres of unirri- gated fruit lands adjoining, and on a higher elevation. Doubtless these will be equally valu- able in the future after the construction of an irrigating ditch. Orchard Valley lies more than 1,000 feet below the prairie farming lands, and is so completely sheltered that the temper- ature is mild and it is free from late and early frosts.
One of the noted scenes of Lincoln county's many natural attractions is Hell Gate. Of this locality George W. Curtis writes as follows : "Hell Gate is where the waters of the Col- umbia river dash down through a rocky gorge, whose perpendicular walls rise hundreds of feet above the water's level. Here in the cen- ter of the stream are two giant pillars of rock, grim and foreboding; they stand like evil sen- tinels over this angry flood that sweeps irresist- ably through the narrow gate at their feet. With a ceaseless roar the river forces its way through these gaps, tearing its waters into froth and foam and bearing the flakes like silent sails on toward the sea. Ere the confines of these spec- tral rocks are reached. the water, like a troubled spirit, recoils, leaps, bounds, circles and eddies -then, like a maddened beast, springs against the inmovable walls of rock and loses itself in the seething maelstrom below."
The appended interesting statistics concern- ing the growth and development of Lincoln county are from the l'ilbur Register of Octo- ber, 1901 :
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
"The earlier records of the county are im- perfect, and the first year's reports in which we could find a record of the number of acres of land under cultivation is for 1886, when the total was given as 42,665. From our own knowledge of the rapid strides in improvement during those early years, we are positive that the first assessment in 1884 did not show over 20,000 acres under cultivation. Indeed, we be- lieve it was much under that figure. In 1892 the assessors' returns showed 125.626 acres. For the year 1901 the figures have jumped up to 397,258, and the probability is that the amount broken this year will bring the aggre- gate fully up to a half million acres. In as- sessed valuation for each year the records are more perfect, though the total is given for the original assessment in some years and in others the total of the equalization by the state board. Following is the valuation for each year .:
1884
.$1,107,871
1885 $1,623,395
1886.
1,752,807
1887 2,060,936
1888.
2,338.043
I889 3.391,880
1890.
5,138,597
1891. 5.632,439
1892.
5,399,897
1893. 6.147,636
1891.
5.555-545
1895
5.512,25I
1896
5.235,734
1897
5.399,815
1898.
5.671,832
1899
6,322,542
1900.
6.497,070
190I. 5.839.883
"This, as equalized by the state board, was $9,539.352.
"The total assessment for 1902 was $7,940,- 158: for 1903. it was $7,089.357.
"These figures show a rapid and uniform in- crease with two exceptions. The first was in 1900 when the lieu lands were assessed for the first time, which made an unusual and fic- tional increase in the total valuation. The other break was due to shrinkage of values caused by the financial panic of 1893. The recovery was slow, the figures of 1893 not being reached un- til 1899. In 1897 when the tide had fully turned, the figures are almost identical with those of 1892. Since that time the increase has made the same steady growth of former years, with the exception of 1901, when the "bumper" wheat crop incited the state board of equaliza- tion to make quite a heavy raise in the assess- ment."
Crab creek is an erratic stream which flows through the southern portion of Lincoln and Douglas counties, in a torturous course 150 miles before reaching the Columbia river. The source of the main stream is near the town of Reardan in the extreme eastern portion of Lin- coln county. In certain localities Crab creek is a large, deep stream and again it sinks from sight to reappear miles beyond, until far west- ward, and south, the thirsty sands of the desert drink it up, and it finds its way to the Colum- bia underground. A few miles east of the source of Crab creek is the source of Deep creek, which flows eastward and northward, and becomes a stream of respectable size before contributing its contents to the turbulent Spo- kane river.
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