IN MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK.IN MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK.
The summit may be reached by five different routes. These are the Paradise Valley, Indian Henry's, the Kautz Glacier, Ptarmigan Ridge, and Emmon's or the White Glacier route.The Paradise Valley (known also as the "Gibraltar") route, on the south side, is by far the most popular, for it is well provided with hotel accommodations, and both the government road and Paradise trail lead right up to the Camp of the Clouds, at the mountain's foot. It is usual to leave this tented village at midnight, arriving at Muir Camp (10,062 feet elevation) at about 5 a. m., and Columbia Crest, the highest point on the mountain, at about 11 a. m. From this celestial height one may see more than a hundred miles in every direction, far away to the ocean on the west and into the great Inland Empire on the east. The snow-capped peaks already noted are seen toward the south, Mount Olympus to the northwest, and Baker, Shuksan, Stuart, and Glacier Peak to the north; while the Mother, the Sluiskin, the Sourdough Mountains, and the Tatoosh Range near by seem like mere foothills, between eight and nine thousand feet below. No grander or more inspiring view may be observed anywhere in the world.
Scaling the peak, however, is a feat undertaken by only a few, and always with the aid of an experienced guide. The largest measure of real joy is found in the alpine "parks." The best known and most frequented is along the Paradise River. Tributary to it and reached from Longmire, are Indian Henry's, Van Trump, Cowlitz and Magnetic Parks. Others requiring more time to visit are Summerland, one of the largest and most beautiful, Elysian Fields, and Morain, Saint Andrews and Grand Parks.
Surrounded by rugged peaks and snow fields these natural amphitheaters present a pleasing contrast. Scarcely any underbrush exists in them but many beautiful flowers, shrubs, and trees abound; three hundred distinct plants are said to exist; pretty lakelets gem their surface; and all are drained by trickling streamlets or cut by raging rivers producing waterfalls of rare beauty as they go tumbling from the melting glaciers to the sea. Excellent trails, built by the government, lead to every point of interest and extend clear around the mountain. Camping places are plentiful or accommodations may be obtained at comfortable hotels.
MOUNT RAINIER—LOOKING ACROSS LAKE WASHINGTON.MOUNT RAINIER—LOOKING ACROSS LAKE WASHINGTON.
THE COLUMBIA RIVER
This wonderful and majestic river whose history is enhanced with legend, offers the exploring tourist or curious sight-seer unusual opportunities to indulge his unbounded imagination and to satisfy his desire for the spectacular in nature. Upon its banks were enacted events of greatest importance in northwest history, while interwoven with the incontrovertible happenings is many a fascinating Indian story and song. Overlooking its waters were the first settlements of the Pacific northwest, upon whose sites are now built, within easy hearing of its persistent dashings, some of the proudest and most prosperous cities of the country.
One of the largest rivers on the American continent, with many important tributaries, it drains a territory equal to five times the area of the state of Washington. By a series of cataracts, falls, cascades, and bold turns, it flows nearly 1,400 miles with a total drop of 2,500 feet, before finally delivering the waters gathered from many sources to the great Pacific ocean.
Like other great rivers, some portions have needed vast expenditures to increase its value as a navigable stream. Near Stevenson the government has built locks at a cost of several million dollars, enabling large vessels to reach The Dalles, at present the head of navigation. At Celilo, two hundred miles from its mouth, where, in twelve miles distance, the river falls eighty-one feet at low tide, other locks are being constructed. When these are completed, merchant vessels can go direct fromthe sea as far as Priest Rapids, a distance of over four hundred miles. As many miles additional are navigable, but broken in places by rapids and falls.
INDIAN CANOE RACE.INDIAN CANOE RACE.
Important as this river is from a commercial and geographic standpoint, the greatest interest by far centers in the phenomena that are of its own creation, visible every mile from its mouth to its source. A journey upon its surface rivals one along the historic Rhine, the picturesque Hudson, or the beautiful St. Lawrence. The panorama includes besides the wilder grandeurs, economic scenes suggesting the fecundity of the earth and the industry of the husbandman. To enumerate and describe these ever so briefly would require an entire volume. This short chapter is a suggestion only that "By reason of scenic grandeur, absorbing interest of physical features, the majesty and mystery of its flow through some of the wildest as well as some of the most beautiful regions of the globe, and at the last by the peculiar grandeur of its entrance into the greatest of the oceans, this 'Achilles of Rivers' attracts alike historian, scientist, poet, statesman, and lover of nature."
In many places the natural appearances are the same now as when Gray, Lewis and Clarke, the Astorians and the Northwest and Hudson's Bay Company men first viewed its banks, with the exception that the shores have in places been denuded of their largest timber and either a younger growth has inherited the dominion or portions have been claimed for the agriculturist.
ALONG THE COLUMBIA RIVER.ALONG THE COLUMBIA RIVER.
Here and there may be seen the little fisherman craft, "chugging" away from their moorings in the early dawn and returning at the setting of the sun heavily laden with the famous Columbia river salmon that feed thousands throughout theworld. On sandbars or sand islands, of which there are many in the lower part of the river, the "purse seiners" are conspicuous and the horses dragging the nets strangled with the products of the deep. In the deeper waters close to the shore, but far from the sea, are the fish wheels whirling by the force of the same waters that conceal the treasures being sought.
Cities appear at frequent intervals, both on the Washington side and in Oregon. Before the entrance to the Snake River is reached, one will have passed Ilwaco, Cathlamet, Kalama, Vancouver, Camas, Washougal, Stevenson, White Salmon, and Wallula on the Washington side, besides many important cities on the Oregon shores: namely, Astoria, the site of the first settlement on the Columbia; Portland, the largest city in Oregon, near the mouth of the Willamette; and The Dalles, for many years the head of navigation. Kennewick and Pasco are located just beyond the mouth of the Snake River, ready to derive full benefit from the improved navigation conditions of the future. Between these larger towns is many a tiny hamlet, while isolated farms and orchards surrounding pretty dwellings slope gently towards the river and tend to make the traveler dissatisfied with his own home.
At times is visible a beautiful waterfall, a palisade of wonderful basalt, and occasionally some island draped with verdure of many tints. Further away a murmuring brook or crystal streamlet may be heard hurrying down a rocky hillside or winding between towering cliffs, adding its share to the tuneful sound of the powerful orchestra that seems everywhere to be heard. Constantly shifting color and shade attract the eye and tones of varying quality please the ear.
When the mouth of the Cowlitz is neared there appear, stretching toward the north, broad areas where man has mingled his skill with Nature's works. Green fields, sometimes fringed with willows, near the waterfront, and dotted with orchards, farm houses, and dairies, are visible as far as the eye can see. These evidences of man's encroachments are noted all theway to Vancouver (and beyond), at which city, the oldest in the state, a tourist should linger long enough to appreciate theregion which arrested the attention of our earliest settlers and inspired the beginning of the first city in Washington. A bridge, costing nearly two million dollars, will soon connect it with the beautiful city of Portland.
THE SALMON FISHING INDUSTRY.THE SALMON FISHING INDUSTRY.
Cultivated lands are seen on either side as the river is ascended, until the mountainous region is reached and the roar of the cascades is distinctly heard. These cascades, according to Indian lore, were created by the falling of the "Bridge of the Gods," which once extended from shore to shore and formed the great highway connecting the mountains on the north and their extension to the south, while beneath a mighty river peacefully pursued its course to the sea. The perpendicular buttresses on either hand, the forest areas that apparently fell from above, trees growing out of the water, petrified logs up in the reddish cliffs within the vicinity of Stevenson, and many other freaks of nature all seem to strengthen the evidence on which this story is based.
Throughout the mountainous region are wonderful examples of Nature's diverse skill. Among the most striking are Castle Rock, or Wehatpolitan's gravestone, a great basaltic rock 900 feet high; St. Peter's Dome, a sublime elevation of 2,000 feet, considered one of the wonders of the American continent; Oneonta Gorge, almost concealed behind towering rocks; Multnomah Falls, a matchless waterfall with a sheer drop of 800 feet; Cape Horn, a long palisade of basalt; Rooster Rock, unsurpassed for beauty of form and variety of color; and Cape Eternity, a massive precipice 1,000 feet in height.
Thorough appreciation of the surrounding charms necessitates climbing some of the neighboring hills, or traveling over the wooded river banks and visiting the rustic towns that lie at the foot of the mountains and guard the gateway to the alluring valleys. Near Stevenson, county seat of Skamania county, overlooking the cascade locks, and Carson, are several hot springs where accommodations for the most particular are available. From these towns one may follow the Wind River Valley to itssource beyond the headquarters of the rangers where the U. S. forest nurseries are maintained. A few miles further are theGovernment Hot Springs, near which many low peaks, easy for climbing, offer expansive views of the surrounding country.
THE SNAKE RIVER COUNTRY AROUND CLARKSTON.THE SNAKE RIVER COUNTRY AROUND CLARKSTON.Photo by Asahel Curtis.
A twenty-five mile drive up the famous White Salmon Valley takes one to Trout Lake, not far from the ice and lava caves in the foothills of Mount Adams, and near Huckleberry Mountain, a pow-wow place for the Indians. On the way, hundreds of scientifically developed orchards, and oat fields yielding over 100 bushels to the acre, are passed; also the Northwest Electric Company's power plant, which, generating 20,000 horse power, supplies power to cities seventy-five miles away. From the massive bluffs of White Salmon a panorama of perfectly blending color may be seen, formed by the unusual combination of the Columbia River and the mountains to the east and the west, while the entire Hood River Valley, with Mount Hood beyond, is visible on the Oregon side.
The trip from Lyle to Goldendale along the Klickitat River is a journey of surprises. The railroad follows the winding canyon past pretty waterfalls, crosses hurrying brooks, and emerges finally into a wide, fertile plain overlooking the Columbia basin. Fields of waving grain and other products exhibit the richness of the Klickitat valley. Those desiring can motor from Goldendale into the Yakima valley or return to the Columbia via Maryhill, where Hon. Samuel Hill has built a $100,000 road across his 6,000-acre farm.
Nor do all the wonders belong to the lower Columbia. Before being joined by the Snake River, it has drained a region noted for agricultural superiority and contributed liberally to the needs of irrigation. The "Big Bend" on the left, and the valleys watered by its tributaries from the right, are described under the chapter entitled "The Inland Empire."
Following its channel still farther towards the source, wilder scenes are met with, the gorges are deeper, the cascades noisier, native trees more plentiful, waterfalls higher, and the course of the stream more winding. Startling phenomena appear in rapid succession, and scenes unimagined will astonish the tourist who spends a little time in re-exploring this great river, for ages a prize eagerly sought by the searchers for the unknown.
ROCK LAKE, 25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SPOKANE.ROCK LAKE, 25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SPOKANE.Photo by Curtis & Miller.
THE INLAND EMPIRE
Thousands of years ago, scientists tell us, there existed between the Rocky Mountains and the Cascade range a vast inland sea—the waters left imprisoned when the ocean had receded. After many ages these pent up waters burst the restraining barriers and forced their way to the ocean, creating the deep canyon of the Columbia, but leaving behind a broad plain, now known as the Inland Empire.
What was once a desolate waste, however, has been transformed into a "Land of Canaan." Its plateaus unite to form one of the bountiful "bread baskets of the world" while its valleys yield generously of nearly all the products of husbandry. Near its borders the mountains, with their retinue of trees, flowers and grassy meadows, reach as far as the invisible power permits and then dispatch their emissaries, the rivers, to wind through and through and distribute the welcome waters that enkindle the irrigated districts with life and activity.
Far beyond the boundaries of our own state spreads this wonderful plain, but the brief description contemplated in these few pages must be confined chiefly to Washington. The curious sight-seer or the serious homeseeker can well afford to spend many days exploring this region, marveling at both the mighty forces of creation and the embellishments of man. Under far more pleasant circumstances can it be traversed now than when the early pioneers first fought their way over the mountains. Lewis and Clarke, the Hudson's Bay Company men, and Marcus Whitman, supplemented their sturdy limbs and indomitable courage with the trusty saddle horse, the slow prairie schooner or the rude river raft. Today the palatial cars of four transcontinental lines make daily trips across the state; branch lines accommodate the territory north and south; and parts not reached by rail are served by well constructed thorofares.
SUNNYSIDE CANAL—MOUNT ADAMS IN DISTANCECopyright by Asahel CurtisSUNNYSIDE CANAL—MOUNT ADAMS IN DISTANCE"And the old wilderness is changedTo cultured vale and hill"
Copyright by Asahel Curtis
"And the old wilderness is changedTo cultured vale and hill"
CHIEF FEATURES.
In addition to the Columbia river basin, the most important features are the Yakima and Wenatchee valleys; the Lake Chelan region; the Okanogan Highlands with the valleys of the Methow, Okanogan, San Poil, Colville and Pend Oreille; the Spokane Country; the Walla Walla valley; the Snake River; the Big Bend and Palouse wheat sections with their "coulees"; and the Blue Mountains. There are also a few low bare ridges of a semi-mountainous character which relieve the prairie effect and permit cycloramic views of the surrounding territory. Among these are the Saddle Mountains, the Simcoe Hills, and the Horse Heaven Plateau; while a number of spurs from the Cascades, including the Wenatchee Mountains, help form the fertile valleys to the west of the plain.
HOW TO REACH THEM.
These different sections may be easily reached from almost any city in the state. Visitors coming by way of Spokane can make a quick yet comprehensive survey of eastern Washington in two ways. After seeing the immediate Spokane vicinity and visiting the Pend Oreille Valley to the north, either automobiles or Great Northern trains will convey them up the Colville Valley to the junction of the Kettle and Columbia rivers, whence the trip may be continued to Republic by train, and down the San Poil by auto. At Republic trains connect for Oroville, whence the journey may be continued to Wenatchee down the Okanogan Valley, both by auto and rail. Side trips may be taken up the Methow Valley and the Lake Chelan canyon, as well as to numerous other places of interest. From Wenatchee the Great Northern railway or the Sunset Highway insures an interesting ride back to Spokane through the wheat fields of the Big Bend. The southern half of the region will be seen by making a tour through the Palouse to the Snake River and Walla Walla country. Transportation leads from there directto the Columbia River, and the Yakima and Kittitas valleys. The Horse Heaven may be reached from Kennewick and Pasco, or from Prosser.
The other plan reverses the order. After visiting the Palouse, Snake River, Walla Walla, Yakima, and Kittitas valleys, from Ellensburg a scenic overland route may be taken direct for Wenatchee, whence a loop may be made to include Lake Chelan and the Okanogan Highlands, the Big Bend and the Spokane Country.
THE YAKIMA VALLEY.
Broadly speaking, the Yakima Valley includes all the rich territory tributary to the Yakima River, reaching from Lakes Keechelus and Kachees, its sources in the Cascades, to the Columbia—a total distance of nearly 175 miles with a range of altitude, at the water's edge, varying from 2,250 down to 340 feet. It embraces, besides the Yakima Valley proper, the Kittitas and a number of minor valleys, including the Naches, the Ahtanum, the Cowiche, the Selah, the Wenas, the Satus and the Toppenish. These last two belong to the rich country just south of "Union Gap," where Sunnyside and Toppenish are located, two enterprising cities, vieing for supremacy over the rich south half of Yakima county. Further south is Prosser, county seat of Benton county. Above the Gap is North Yakima with a population of 18,000, the metropolis of the region and home of the State Fair; while Ellensburg, with 6,500 people, is Queen of the Kittitas Valley. The south half of Yakima county constitutes the Indian Reservation where the Yakima Tribes dwell peaceably by the side of the whites, tilling the soil and occasionally entertaining the people with many a "Round Up," or Wild West Show. At Fort Simcoe is their school, deserving of a visit from anyone interested.
THE YAKIMA VALLEY—MOUNT ADAMS IN THE DISTANCE.THE YAKIMA VALLEY—MOUNT ADAMS IN THE DISTANCE.Photo by Curtis & Miller.
In this valley, where once was nothing but sage brush and bunch grass, is irrigable land enough to support a population of a million people; for the total water capacity as surveyed by the United States Government is estimated at 927,000 acre feet, sufficient to water 600,000 acres. Less than a third of thisis at present cultivated and watered from small canals, built by private capital, and from the two largest ones in the state, constructed by the U. S. Reclamation Service. These latter are the Tieton, with water sufficient for 34,500 acres, and the Sunnyside, capable of irrigating 100,000 acres.
A HOME NEAR ELLENSBURG.A HOME NEAR ELLENSBURG.
A journey along the banks of these canals or the Yakima river unfolds apanoramaof unusual breadth and interest. Instead of the heavy forests of the west side, the sage brush struggles for existence just above the main ditches; but the country below is checkered with orchards, farms, and gardens; and cotton woods protect the banks of the streams. Impressive is the sight in springtime when fruit trees are all in bloom and the Blossom Festival, participated in by a hundred-thousand people, is ushering in the full tide of spring; or in autumn when deeper touches of color mark an immense crop ready for the harvester.
From the hills on either side, the picture assumes its most perfect form. Cities, meadows, orchards, vineyards, hop fields, vegetable gardens, alfalfa farms, corn fields, and prairies, bisected and crisscrossed by railroads, highways, canals, and rivers, protected by the brown hills near by and watched over by the mountains in the distance, supply composition for pictures that in detail and variety must discourage all competition.
THE WENATCHEE VALLEY.
Equally beautiful but of smaller dimensions is the Wenatchee Valley, reaching from the Columbia well up into the foot hills of the Cascades. This, too, was a desolate brown slopeuntil the effects of irrigation were felt on its rich volcanic ash soil. After that only ten years were necessary to convert it into a garden of dazzling splendor. Instead of the forlorn looking sagebrush, a maze of orchards, extending up the valley and ascending the hills, presents in springtime a solid mass of blossoms, varying from purest white to daintiest shades of pink. Serpentining along the hill sides, as if protecting the gardens below, are the great viaducts, conducting the precious waters that irrigate the land; while dodging from one side of the vale to the other, or paralleling the Great Northern Railroad, the Wenatchee river hastens onward towards the Columbia.
The north, south, and west are guarded by forest-covered hills, spurs of the Cascades, over which many trails lead to charming mountain lakes and streams, where summer homes are maintained, and game awaits the hunter. The east opens up toward the wheat fields of the Big Bend, while the Columbia River Valley to the north and south is tributary and joins in all the enterprises of the district. Every tiny tributary stream in the vicinity marks the location of a peaceful home supported in affluence by successful fruit culture or gardening.
Within this valley are several prosperous cities, including Wenatchee, the metropolis of north central Washington, with a population of about 5,000, at the junction of the Wenatchee and Columbia rivers; Leavenworth near the head of the valley; and Cashmere, midway between the two. The pervading spirit is one of optimism and liberality, for the Wenatchee red apple is famous the world o'er and nets its producers $5,000,000 annually.
LAKE CHELAN.
Chelan, "Beautiful Water," is the name of one of the grandest sheets of fresh water reposing upon the bosom of the American continent. It is one of a number of beautiful lakes found throughout the highlands in the vicinity of the upper Columbia, but on account of its thrilling beauty and easy approach has become one of the favorite resorts for the entire northwest.
THE WENATCHEE VALLEY—NEAR THE CITY OF WENATCHEE.THE WENATCHEE VALLEY—NEAR THE CITY OF WENATCHEE.Photo by Curtis & Miller.
It is reached usually via the city of Wenatchee, but sometimes from the Columbia and Okanogan valleys on the north.River boats, automobile stages, or Great Northern trains allow three principal modes of transportation, each of which reveals different scenes of interest. During summer months the overland trip is undoubtedly the most pleasant and presents the fullest opportunity for appreciating the scenery. The return might be by river boat or train, necessitating a ride down the Chelan gorge, where the river drops 400 feet in its brief course of four miles, and furnishes at low water 125,000 horsepower.
Surpassing the canyons of the Yosemite, the Yellowstone, the Columbia, and the Colorado, the total depth of the Chelan canyon reaches in places nearly 8,000 feet, while its waters occasionally cover a bottom 1,700 feet below the surface. Throughout the 55 mile ride from Chelan to Stehekin, views are observed that for immensity, sublimity and color blending are unexcelled. Right into the heart of the Cascades the traveler is drawn, while the solemnity and general impressiveness of the whole increases, as he is gradually brought in closer intimacy with divine nature. Among features of striking scenic importance are Railroad Creek, descending 6,000 feet in 20 miles, the Stehekin River, and Rainbow Falls.
THE OKANOGAN HIGHLANDS.
THE OKANOGAN AND METHOW VALLEYS.THE OKANOGAN AND METHOW VALLEYS.
This region consists of low picturesque mountains, alternating with fertile valleys and studded with lakes protected by open forests of spruce, pine, and tamarac. Opportunities for the homeseeker, pleasure for the sportsman, and continuous scenes of interest for the tourist are suggested. Here one can yet feel the presence of the true western spirit of frontiership, for this part of the state was the last to be thrown open to settlers; and the Indians are still in full possession of the Colville Indian reservation, comprising some 1,300,000 acres in the south central part of the section, extending from the Okanogan river to the eastern boundary of Ferry county. Under irrigation the valleys yield liberally of fruits, vegetables and dairy products, and the higher lands are devoted to grain and stock raising. Lumbering plays its part and mining for precious metals assumes greater importance than elsewhere in the state.
The valleys of the Pend Oreille, the Colville, the Kettle, and the Okanogan rivers, are now served by rail; but the San Poil and the Methow are dependent on highway conveyances. Of extreme interest is the ride from Spokane up the Colville and Kettle River valleys to Oroville, with a short side trip to Republic, the leading gold producing city in the state. The railroad crosses the boundary line several times, enforcing the unique experience of being at one moment under the dominion of King George of England and the next back under the Stars and Stripes. Cultivated valleys, broad wheat fields, and picturesque canyons are invaded before arriving at the heights from which Oroville appears far below—requiring an hour for the train to descend by a series of remarkable switchbacks.
COLVILLE VALLEY, SIX MILES NORTHWEST OF COLVILLE.COLVILLE VALLEY, SIX MILES NORTHWEST OF COLVILLE.
Most of the towns in the Okanogan Highlands are still in their infancy, for its development has been so recent; but therein lies much of its charm. In the Pend Oreille Valley the leading city is Newport, the county seat, prettily located on both sides of the river, half in Idaho and half in Washington. In Stevens county are Chewelah, a mining town, and Colville, the largest city in the region, with a population of over 1,500 people. A place that attracts tourists for miles is St. Mary's Indian Mission on the Colville Indian Reservation near Omak. Other interesting towns are scattered throughout the four counties.
IRRIGATION SCENES IN EASTERN WASHINGTON.IRRIGATION SCENES IN EASTERN WASHINGTON.
THE CITY OF SPOKANE FROM CLIFF PARK—MOUNT SPOKANE IN THE DISTANCE.THE CITY OF SPOKANE FROM CLIFF PARK—MOUNT SPOKANE IN THE DISTANCE.Photo by Frank Palmer.
THE SPOKANE COUNTRY.
From the city of Spokane all corners of the Inland Empire are easily reached. Five transcontinental lines enter the city and two others operate trains; while a network of electric lines serves the immediate vicinity, penetrating the territory as far south as Colfax, Palouse, and Moscow; southwest to Medical Lake and Cheney; and eastward to Hayden Lake and Coeur d'Alene. Highways have been built through the most scenic sections along the river valleys and up into the mountains. Each mode of transportation unfolds a different panorama. The hills nearest Spokane are covered with a dense growth of pine. Farther away are forests of pine, fir, cedar, and tamarac, concealing many lakes teeming with trout and black bass. Within a radius of a hundred miles are fifty mountain lakes, thirty-eight of which are ideally located and supplied with all necessary equipment for camping. They include Pend Oreille, the second largest fresh water lake in the United States, fifty miles east; Hayden Lake, forty miles east in the heart of the Idaho National Forest Reserve; Chatcolet Lake, thirty-two miles distant; Liberty Lake, seventeen miles; Priest Lake, seventy-eight miles; Spirit Lake, forty-three miles; Coeur d'Alene, thirty-two miles; and Twin Lakes, thirty-three miles.
The mountains are visible either to the north or the east. They are neither as lofty nor as rugged as the Cascades and Olympics, but they are nevertheless beautiful. The highest peak in eastern Washington is Mount Spokane, 5,808 feet, twenty miles northeast of the city. From its summit one may look out into the three northwestern states of Oregon, Idaho and Washington, and into the province of British Columbia; and count seventeen different lakes and rivers.
Towards the north are the Okanogan Highlands with the valleys of the Pend Oreille and Colville, while the Bitter Root mountains are approached on the east. The roads westward and southward lead past well cultivated gardens, green meadows and groves, until finally is spread before one a sea of grain—continuous wheat fields—the Big Bend to the west and the Palouse to the south.
INLAND EMPIRE WHEAT FIELDS.INLAND EMPIRE WHEAT FIELDS.
METALINE FALLS ON THE PEND OREILLE.METALINE FALLS ON THE PEND OREILLE.
Towards the east the "Apple Way," one of the most remarkable roads in America on account of the high class material of which it is constructed, enters the Spokane Valley, crosses the state of Idaho and connects with roads leading to the National Parks in Montana. This valley more than thirty miles in length, with an average width of eight miles, comprises a level irrigated country cut up into intensive garden and orchard tracts. Thousands are supported in affluence by raising apples, pears, cherries, small fruits, garden truck, poultry, and live stock. The advantages of abundant water power, proximity to a great city, rapid transit facilities, and a healthful climate, are quickly transforming the region into one of attractive suburban homes.
The Spokane River drops 1,280 feet in a distance of 100 miles, and 130 feet within the city limits, falling precipitously 70 feet in the heart of the business section, over a dam 200 feet wide. On both sides is built the city sloping towards its waters and overlooking the country beyond. Extensive economic developments are taking place, there being seven distinct projects under way which involve expenditures of nearly$35,000,000. These include railroad construction, power plants, manufacturing and business blocks, and hotels for tourists. Historical events are associated with Fort George Wright, named for a famous Indian fighter; Indian Canyon,tribal home of Spokane Indians; Mount Spokane, a pow-wow place for Indian tribes; Fort Spokane, one of the first government Indian posts; Old Block House, a protection for the early fur traders; and Steptoe Butte, the scene of a famous battle.
SCENES AROUND WALLA WALLA.SCENES AROUND WALLA WALLA.
THE WHEAT PLATEAU.
The wheat belt includes principally the area within the big bend of the Columbia river, the "Big Bend Country," which stretches eastward until it blends with the rolling Palouse, one of the richest farm regions in the northwest, and southeast across the Snake River to the Blue Mountains; although considerable wheat is raised in the country lying between the Columbia and the Cascades, as well as in the four counties to the north. The green carpet is visible, in spring, and the waving heads of yellow grain, in summer, extending away to the horizon. The combined harvester, drawn by thirty-six horses, is a familiar example of the immensity of the machinery needed when gathering the mammoth crop, which for the entire state is in the neighborhood of 50,000,000 bushels annually.
The Big Bend is broken in places by "coulees" or old river courses, sometimes 500 to 600 feet in depth, where irrigation is practiced and where strings of small alkali lakes have been scattered. Two of the most important are Moses Coulee in Douglas county, and Grand Coulee forming the boundary line between Douglas and Grant counties, said to be the old bed of the Columbia. Almost surrounded by the wheat belt lies the Quincy Valley, containing 435,000 acres of level fertile land to be some day irrigated by water conducted under the Columbia river from Wenatchee Lake in Chelan county.
The best known lakes include Soap Lake, a health resort, Moses Lake, near which irrigation from wells is successfully carried on, and Rock Lake, a rock bound sheet of water in the Palouse. The most important river is the Palouse which creates the Palouse Falls just before joining the Snake River. Near this stream are several prosperous cities, including Colfax, Palouse, and Pullman, the home of the State College and Experiment Station.
PRIEST RAPIDS—SADDLE MOUNTAINS BEYONDPRIEST RAPIDS—SADDLE MOUNTAINS BEYOND
THE WALLA WALLA COUNTRY.
The Snake river, largest tributary of the Columbia, with a canyon of 1,500 feet, cuts this plateau in two, and forms a natural dividing line between Whitman and Franklin counties on the north, and Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, and Asotin on the south. Its warm canyon is famous for early fruits and berries which are shipped in carloads to eastern and western points.
Fields of wheat, barley or rye extend southward in all four counties to the Blue Mountains, interrupted occasionally by orchards which assume their greatest proportions in the beautiful Touchet and Walla Walla valleys. Over this rich country the fair city of Walla Walla reigns supreme, her authority being limited only by the Columbia and Snake rivers, or the Blue Mountains; although Waitsburg, Dayton, Pomeroy and Clarkston are important centers in their own districts.
Steeped in historical associations is this valley, from Wallula, the site of the first Hudson's Bay fort, to the city of Walla Walla. When once seen, no words are needed to tell why these lovely plains, all ready for the planting and moistened with sufficient rainfall annually, were so attractive to the early settlers, and inspired the first serious efforts at colonization.
THE COLUMBIA RIVER.
All waters of eastern Washington reach the ocean through the Columbia river, uniting the entire region in one spirit of fraternity. The grandest and most reaching scenic feature of the region, it supplies unlimited water for successful irrigation and power purposes, and in places still provides the principal mode of transportation. Between Kettle Falls and the Snake river are a number of important rapids, chief of which is Priest Rapids, just below Saddle Gap, ten miles long with a descent of seventy feet and a possible horse power of half a million.
Just above the mouth of the Snake river are the cities of Kennewick and Pasco, ready to profit by direct navigation to the sea as soon as the Celilo locks are completed. At the lowest elevation in the Inland Empire and surrounded by a large area of irrigable land, they are served by three transcontinental railroads, permitting rapid transit to any part of the northwest.
OUR SCENIC HIGHWAYS
The state of Washington is rapidly developing a system of roads which, finally consummated, will rival in skillful engineering and commercial importance the French highways, and in scenic grandeur the mountain passes of Switzerland. Easy approaches are being constructed to every town and hamlet and into every farming community. So vigorously has the work been pushed that Washington now outranks every other state, except Colorado, in the facility and directness with which its mountain recesses may be reached. Upwards of 50,000 miles have been already completed, presenting altogether a labyrinth of broad thorofares, boulevards, and country highways. The most important highways built and maintained at state expense are the Pacific, the Sunset, the Inland Empire, the Olympic and the National Park.
THE PACIFIC HIGHWAY.
The Pacific Highway extends from the southern limit of the state of California to Vancouver, British Columbia, twenty-seven miles north of Washington's boundary line, a total distance of about two thousand miles. Three hundred and fifty miles is within the state of Washington, connecting Vancouver on the Columbia with Blaine at the international line. It traverses nine counties of Washington, containing forty-eight per cent of the wealth and fifty-five per cent of the population, and passes through nine county seats, including Olympia, the state capital, Vancouver, Kalama. Chehalis, Tacoma, Seattle, Everett, Mount Vernon and Bellingham.
ALONG THE SCENIC HIGHWAYS.ALONG THE SCENIC HIGHWAYS.
From Vancouver, Washington, this highway starts northward through the prune and plum orchards of Clarke county, where more of these trees grow than in all other parts of the state combined. Along the banks of the historic Columbia and through the fertile valley of the Cowlitz, it winds toward Kelso, famous for smelt fisheries; and Castle Rock, the gateway to Mount St. Helens. Deviating to the right at Vader, the north fork of the picturesque Chehalis is soon reached, which fertile valley is followed to the cities of Chehalis and Centralia, two rapidly growing railroad centers having a combined population of 15,500 people. Groves, orchards, gardens and prairies line the smooth gravelly road from here to Olympia, where the first view of Puget Sound is obtained. The desire to swerve off toward Grays Harbor or the Olympic Peninsula by the newly completed Olympic Highway, or to try the steamer on the peaceful Sound, is with difficulty overcome; but the Pacific Highway finally wins and draws one on toward Tacoma, thirty-two miles northeast. Rising above the famous Nisqually flats, and descending again to cross the oak moor lands marking the beginning of Tacoma's playgrounds and reminding one of southern England, the road soon enters Tacoma, third city in population in the state.
Along the Puyallup and White river valleys, the course leads, touching at Puyallup and Sumner, famous for berry culture; at Auburn and Kent, centers of a rich dairy section; and at Renton, bristling with manufacturing importance near the southern end of beautiful Lake Washington. A dozen miles more and you are on the streets of Seattle, metropolis of the northwest and third city in size west of the Rocky Mountains.
Northward the course continues. A broad paved road winds along by Lake Washington to Bothel, passing several pretty lakes, entering green woods, intersecting meadows, crossing streamlets, rising to sightly plateaus and descending again to peaceful valleys before it reaches Everett, a city of 32,000, located on an eminence overlooking the waters of the Sound.
The next town reached is Marysville, whence the highway skirts the Tulalip Indian reservation, crosses the Stillaguamish river in the Sylvan Flats and enters Stanwood where a scenicroad branches off to Camano Island. At Mount Vernon and Burlington, where it intersects the Skagit county road leading from Anacortes eastward to the mountains, one may appreciate the famous Skagit Valley, the "Holland of the Northwest," where 173 bushels of oats to the acre have been yielded on land protected from the sea and river by immense dykes.
Within ten miles of Bellingham the Water Front Road is reached, said to be the most picturesque on the entire route: for the Sound is plainly seen from the shaded highway which clings to the side of Chuckanut Mountain, while the electric interurban and the Great Northern railway traverse the waterfront below. Bellingham, a city of 30,000, has innumerable attractions to hold the tourist, who still has twenty miles' journey if he would follow the Pacific Highway to the Washington limit at Blaine, the most northwesterly municipality in the United States. Near by is the Whatcom County Government Farm, the only one in the northwest; where bulb growing rivals the same industry in Holland.