THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



107 



IRRIGATION IN THE SPOKANE VALLEY. 



During the present year the State of Washington 

 has begun to realize that her greatest resource is her 

 fertile land for farming, and the supply of this is 

 gradually diminishing. Still this vast resource is com- 

 paratively free, as many years are needed before the 



RESIDENCE, ORCHARD AND SPILLWAY, GREENACRES, WASH. 



land of the State will be made to yield all of which it 

 is capable. 



The question of reclaiming the arid land by irriga- 

 tion has become of wonderful importance, and already 

 the building of canals is an important 

 feature in the commercial affairs of the 

 West, and large amounts of capital are 

 being employed in this construction. 

 Barren land over the State has assumed 

 a new value which is based upon the 

 chances and cost of putting it under 

 canal. High line ditches, deep cuts, 

 long flumes, etc., are some of the things 

 which are necessary in order to get 

 water upon tillable land near some 

 good market. At first this cost of ditch- 

 ing governs, to a certain extent, the 

 cost of the irrigable land, but in time, 

 as the district becomes well enough es- 

 tablished so that the returns therefrom 

 can be counted upon, then it is the 

 revenue which it will bring to the 

 farmer that determines what he is will- 

 ing to pay for his land. 



Along this line some almost fabu- 

 lous amounts have been realized from 

 investments made in land when it is 

 first put upon the market after ditch 

 is built. In the State of Washington 

 rushes have been made to secure this 

 land as soon as canal is completed, and 

 in almost every case companies have sold first tracts so 

 low that the farmers have the first year made as much 

 from produce as they have paid for the land. This, 

 however, is only where a ditch is new, for it soon be- 



comes known just what elements enter into the farmer's 

 business as resources or liabilities and the land values 

 are determined accordingly. 



In this respect there is no irrigation country.in the 

 West which is capable of such rapid increase of value 

 >:s the lands of the Spokane Valley. The expenses in 

 connection with putting water upon 

 the land are comparatively small, 

 and yet the merits of soil, climate, 

 and market are unequaled. 



The richness of soil has long 

 been evidenced where irrigation has 

 been used and in a few sub-irri- 

 gated tracts in the surrounding foot- 

 hills. In few cities are the yards 

 richer in trees, gardens and vegeta- 

 tion of all kinds than are those of 

 Spokane, where the city water 

 makes the soil respond to its fullest 

 extent. Time alone is needed, now 

 that canals have been built, to make 

 the entire valley one large garden, 

 and then the return to the farmers, 

 the wealth of the valley, and the 

 prosperous condition of the mining 

 country which is dependent, will be 

 many times as great as at present. 



As to the climate little need be 

 said, as the Spokane climate is al- 

 ready far famed. 



The market? Well, yes, a few 

 things can be said regarding it. A 

 careful study of Spokane's location 

 will show the vast area of mining 

 country tributary and at the same 

 time dependent upon Spokane. It is tributary in wealth 

 and commercial affairs and dependent for nearly all 

 produce which it uses. Spokane is the great general 

 store for this area, and as this land is the land where 



RESERVOIR AND MAIN DITCH, GREENACRES, WASH. 



the highest prices are paid for labor, the prices which 

 these people can pay fbr produce is not to be scorned. 

 The population of this area added to Spokane's own 

 population, making in all about 200,000 people, must 



