THE CONQUEST OF ARID AMERICA 



Ocean and decreeing that the western third of these 

 States shall have too much rain,, while the eastern two- 

 thirds shall have too little. 



The humid coast region is comparatively well settled 

 and in a condition of flourishing development. Port- 

 land, one of the most substantial of American cities, is 

 sustained by the trade of the interior, by manufactures 

 using the power of the Willamette river, and by a 

 growing commerce moved by railroads and shipping. 

 The cities of Puget Sound are younger and less firmly 

 established. While it is impossible that all of them 

 shall realize their early dreams of greatness, Seattle and 

 Tacoma have passed beyond the period of doubt, and 

 are clearly destined to be populous and powerful. The 

 Washington coast is marvellously rich in forests, which 

 creep down to the very edge of the Sound, and in other 

 forms of natural wealth which will contribute to the up- 

 building of manufactures and commerce. The growth 

 of centres of population between the Cascades and the 

 sea will have an important relation to the prosperity of 

 the much larger regions east of the mountains. 



Not all of eastern Washington is worthless for agricult- 

 ure without irrigation. Large areas of rolling land are 

 farmed in wheat by dependence upon the rainfall. The 

 Big Bend and the Palousc countries are notable districts 

 of this kind. The high, rolling, bunch-grass hills on the 

 western side of the Columbia are so well adapted for 

 grazing as to be locally known as the "Horse -heaven 

 Country." Along the northern line, running easterly to 

 Idaho and covering a broad belt of territory, are rich 

 mineral and forest areas. But the future of eastern 



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