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The Oregon Journal, Portland, OR., May 5, 1915, page 11

REGION ON NORTH BANK OF COLUMBIA RICH IN NATURAL RESOURCES THAT AREA DEVELOPED AS TRASPORTATION IMPROVES
Celilo Canal Will Be Another Asset To This Washington Region Given Over To Large Scale Production Of Grain, Fruit And Livestock

"The land where rain and sunshine meet" - that is Klickitat, a county rich in wealth-producing soils, a district teaming with the opportunity, now that its long, weary fight of years for transportation has been won.
While other counties on all sides developed rapidly and found rail and waterways of easy access to the markets, Klickitat, with a frontage of 94 miles on the northern shores of the Columbia, was compelled to allow her resources to remained practically dormant until less than a dozen years ago. Development was manacled. The whistle of the locomotive was never heard within the confines of the district, and the only way of getting products to market consisted of a long, heavy haul over steep grades to the Columbia, where an occasional river steamer stuck its nose into the most convenient bank. The cards seemed stacked against the county. Even nature apparently had conspired to keep the fertile reaches sterile of man's handiwork by erecting a barricade of sand-blown, uninviting, rocky bluffs and the Columbia hills between the river and beautiful 30-mile plain that stretches away to the timbered Simcoes in the north. But the handful of settlers who had followed the argonauts of the late '50s were not dismayed. Through months and years they bent their efforts to secure the key to unlock their country. In 1896 the Cascade locks were opened. That helped some. Then, in April of 1903, the 40 miles of railroad from Lyle, on the Columbia to Goldendale, the county seat, was completed up the picturesque Klickitat canyon, and the bunch grass cattleman's paradise began to find itself curtailed by the wheat man and the orchardist. Followed the construction of the North Bank railroad. This gave Klickitat her first rail connection with the outside world. Now The Dalles-Celilo canal is completed, two-thirds of the county's waterfront is above this 8½-mile ditch, and Klickitat is ready to continue her advance, so auspiciously begun when the first train whistled for the station at Goldendale a dozen years ago.

Vast Granary In The Making

Klickitat, nevertheless, is still the land of the pioneer - without the hardships. But it will not be long before this stage is passed. With railroads, waterways and an ever-expanding good roads system, this great potential granary is going ahead, and rapidly. Her advancement under adverse conditions of the past can only point to substantial growth in the future. And she has accomplished much and boasts of wealth and satisfied citizens, but not in the measure that will be within her province in the coming years.
The variety of the products that can be raised embraces a comprehensive list ranging from apples that have taken blue ribbons against the world, not excluding the famous Hood River fruits, to the plain, every-day, money-making, ugly hog. Timber, fruits, wheat, forage plants, vegetables, almonds and almost every other crop that grows in the temperate zone spring from her soil; sheep and cattle and horses range her hills, and the stubble and alfalfa fields are dotted with hogs - mortgage-lifters of the first of water.
Klickitat is generally considered along too broad lines of division -- first, the Klickitat valley, second, the White Salmon valley. What each produces and offers to homeseekers must be considered separately.
The valley of the Klickitat is tributary to Goldendale, and the main part of the valley is open country, level or rolling. The soils are of volcanic ash, alluvium and disintegrated basalt. The altitude varies from 1000 upward to 3000 as one approaches the Simcoe range.
A vast reach of timber, mostly pine, stretches away to the north, northeast and northwest of Goldendale, while to the east, south and west are the agricultural and orchard lands that lie like the bottom of the huge bowl behind protecting hills. Hear grow the grains and fruits which have brought wealth to the county.
Last year 500,000 bushels of wheat were produced in the valley alone, while the record of fruit and vegetables products for the entire county ran something like this: potatoes, 85,000 sacks; apples, 28, 000 crates; pears, 1000 boxes; strawberries, 27,000 crates; peaches, 6500 crates; cherries, 4,000 crates.

Hogs And Sheep Thrive

In addition, it is estimated that there are approximately 50,000 head of sheep grazing in the valley, while the hog output has already passed the $100,000 mark. The latter business is being engaged in to great to profit by many of the ranchmen as a side issue, while others have given over their entire time to the industry. One man who owns 650 hogs reports for example, that he profits no less than $3.50 on a hog which is corn-fed and raised to an age of nine months, and this with a low market. Greater profits are being made by men who allow their stock to range the alfalfa and stubble fields.
The rainfall varies from 15 to 30 inches annually, and this, combined with the moist breezes from the Pacific, makes irrigation for ordinary crops absolutely unnecessary.
Farms can be purchased from $25 to $75 per acre, dependent on location and soil. The average price can be placed at $50 for improved stuff. Raw land is on the market for prices ranging from $15 to $40. An average of 25 bushel of wheat to the acre can generally be counted on.
Fruit growing is looked upon as a coming industry in the Klickitat as well as in White Salmon valley, but it is in the latter section that the principal orchards are centered.
The White Salmon is opposite the famous Hood River valley of Oregon. The valley extensive northward for about 30 miles and contains almost 300,000 acres, half of which are considered excellent for orchard culture. The remaining acreage is good for dairy and timbering purposes, among other things.
Here, as in the Klickitat, are found all varieties of apples, including the Spitzenberg and Yellow Newton. Also the valley boasts the finest strawberries farms in the west. Four and five-two tier berries are produced and find a greedy outside market.
Taken as a whole, there are 44,000 acres of land, timber, agricultural and grazing, open for homestead and settlement in Klickitat county, and in addition there are 64,000 acres of state lands besides the homestead lands. Of the 900,000 acres privately owned, approximately 400,000 acres are in farms, but only one-fifth of this acreage is improved, although 400,000 acres of the county are tillable.
When these facts are taken into consideration, combined with the reasonable price asked for lands, the reason why Klickitat's future is destined for rapid development is apparent.
The great problem of transportation has been practically sold now. The Celilo canal is open - good roads, fashioned on those of San Hill's famous Maryhill road, on the southern edge of Klickitat, are being built, and at last "the land where rain and sunshine meet" is coming into its own.