Document 4: Spokane Country Irrigation
Spokane Chamber of Commerce, Tourist’s Guide to Spokane and Environs (Spokane: Chamber of Commerce, c. 1920?), 2-3.
Pacific Northwest Collections, University of Washington Libraries.
OUR IRRIGATION POSSIBILITIES
Irrigation, destined to become the nation’s greatest source of wealth, is the leading factor in the rapid development of the great interior region of the Pacific Northwest, known as the Inland Empire, of which Spokane is the metropolis and commercial center.
Fortune beckons to the Spokane country, the land of cool summers and mild winters—a perfect climate all year around—the greatest apple-growing district of the world.
The principal irrigated districts of the Spokane are found in the Yakima, Spokane, Wenatchee, Okanogan, Methow, Snake and upper Columbia River valleys.
Forty thousand acres of land in the Spokane Valley can be irrigated and of this amount 10,000 acres are under the ditch. Government projects are completed or under way in the Yakima and Okanogan Valleys. Private projects are numerous, ranging from 80 acres to 15,000 acres each.
The Government irrigation projects in the Northwest in operation or in course of construction, are the following:
| Project | Location | Acres | Cost |
| Sunnyside, Wash. | Yakima Valley | 90,000 | $1,600,000 |
| Tieton, Wash. | Yakima Valley | 30,000 | $1,500,000 |
| Wapato, Wash. | Yakima Valley | 102,000 | $1,600,000 |
| Okanogan, Wash. | Okanogan River | 8,000 | $500,000 |
| Ellensburg district, Wash. | 50,000 | ------------- | |
| Rattlesnake & Coal Creek District, Wash. | 200,000 | ------------- | |
| Okanogan Valley, Wash. | 10,000 | ------------- | |
| Palouse River project, Wash. | 100,000 | ------------- |
Private projects in Eastern Washington will add more than 200,000 acres to the irrigated area.
When all of the above projects shall have been completed there will be nearly 2,000,000 acres of the finest arable land in the world remaining to be claimed by the National Government. It is known as the Big Bend project, and will cost approximately $50,000,000. It is estimated that the Quincy flats, an unbroken area, containing 400,000 acres, will more than repay the government for the construction of the necessary irrigation works.
SPOKANE IS PROGRESSING
From the following statistics taken from official records, probably the best idea of the activity and progress of Spokane can be gained. The commercial growth in 1908 shows a marked increase over what was accomplished in 1907.
Spokane, in addition to her rapid growth and commercial development, has a healthful and delightful climate and an abundance of pure water. Not once, since the opening of the Untied States weather bureau office (over 27 years ago) in this place, has there been an instance of loss of life or property at Spokane, caused by extreme meteorological conditions (sunstroke, floods and destructive winds and electric storms) as occur yearly in other parts of the United States.
Spokane Water is not only free from germ, but is pleasantly cool to drink in the summer.
| 1908 | 1907 | ||
| Bank clearings | $307,792,482.00 | $301,419,017.00 | |
| Bank deposits, estimated | 25,000,000.00 | 24,000,000.00 | |
| Building Permits | 2,927 | 1,870 | |
| Building expenditures | 5,927,548.00 | 5,778,876,00 | |
| City Water receipts | 31,736.46 | 291,743.58 | |
| Transfers of real estate | 20,715,405.00 | 19,869,832.00 | |
| Post office receipts | 350,504.00 | 302,388.00 | |
| Jobbing trade | 24,500,000.00 | 24,000,000.00 | |
| Population | 121,600 | 96,000 | |
| New mileage (steam and electric) | 453 | 352 |
|
| Manufacturing in Spokane— | |||
| Number of industries | 410 | 360 | |
| Capital invested | $13,000,000.00 | 12,000,000.00 | |
| Output of product | 17,000,000.00* | 16,500,000.00 | |
| Wage earners | 5,200 | 4,700 | |
| Wages paid | 4,500,000.00 | 4,200,000.00 | |
Production, Spokane and Inland Empire—
| Wheat | $27,500,000.00 | 22,200,000.00 |
| Live stock and poultry | 16,000,000.00 | 14,500,000.00 |
| Fruits | 14,000,000.00 | 12,000,000.00 |
| Dairy products | 6,000,000.00 | 5,000,000.00 |
| Other farm products | 15,250,000.00 | 14,000,000.00 |
| Mineral output | 40,000,000.00 | 32,000,000.00 |
| Lumber cut, cars | 50,000 | 43,183 |
| Lumber output, feet | 1,250,000,000 | 932,995,747 |
| Lumber, value | $18,000,000.00 | 17,000,000.00 |
*Quantity manufactured increased but lower prices prevailed. These ranged from 10 to 40 percent under the prices quoted in 1905.
