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The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., February 9, 1911, page 1
Includes photograph

A GENERAL SKETCH ABOUT CITY OF GOLDENDALE

The Sentinel is in receipt of a great many inquiries regarding Goldendale - so many that it is impossible to answer all of them by a personal letter, and we are compiling a few interesting notes regarding our resources and the offerings to the desirable homeseeker. We have a several extra issues of this number which will be furnished upon application to this office.
Goldendale, the county-seat of Klickitat county, is situated in the center of the beautiful Klickitat valley, which is about 40 miles in length and 20 miles wide. We have a city of wide thoroughfares, and all the facilities for education and the enjoyment of modern conveniences to be found in inland towns are located here. A first-class high school and two grammar schools provide efficient requirements sufficient for entry in universities and colleges requiring four years preparatory high school work. A progressive school board, which endeavors to secure the best talent available for a faculty, maintains the standard of our schools, and has the hearty co-operation of our people, who realize the importance of advanced educational facilities.
The streets, residences and buildings of our city are lighted by electricity, furnished by a water power plant, which, we are informed, is at present using about half the capacity of their generator. A good water and sewer system covers all parts of the city and residences are required to make sewer connections. Several denominations of churches are enjoyed by our people, as well as associated societies There are no saloons here; all lines of commercial buildings are housed in up-to-date buildings, enjoying modern business methods and representative newspapers, of which The Sentinel is the city and county official newspaper. The Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railroad, a branch of the famous North Bank road, furnishes railroad facilities at present, although there is another railroad, as well as an electric project considered, several preliminary surveys having been made. The city is situated one 120 miles from Portland and 333 miles from Spokane, the two closest principal business centers.
It was truly named many years ago, "Goldendale," and since its earliest move by the pioneer settlers for the advantages of the modern city, has progressed. It is only a short time since the value of lands adjacent to this city was learned for the culture of apples, and at present there are comparatively few commercial orchards in this vicinity. The quality and excellence, both in color and keeping qualities, have been practically demonstrated, and at the first display at the Spokane Apple Show in 1909 received the highest award for non-irrigated apples, not-withstanding the keen competition of the older fruit districts.
Rural mail deliveries, a network of telephone systems and good county schools are enjoyed by the farmers. Mountain springs furnish most of the water over the county in the mountainous districts, and the city of Goldendale has a pipe line from a large spring, 12 miles from town, running into a huge reservoir, as well as a reserve reservoir, to be used in case of fire. The reservoirs furnish power for several motors, and at all times we have pure, sparkling spring water for our consumption in unlimited quantities at a very nominal water rate.
One could dwell at great length on the industries in commercial lines of the city, but as we wish only to give a general idea of the location and opportunities of this county, and particularly Goldendale, we cannot linger on any special topic. There is power in unlimited quantities in our streams that can be readily utilized at small expense, manufacturers looking for locations for industries of any sort will do well to investigate. Industries requiring considerable wood may find the material in abundance, as well as the power to convert it into the finished product. Every inducement is offered the manufactory with a large payroll.
The lands adjacent to Goldendale have for years been used for agricultural purposes, principally wheat raising. There are portions where stock-raising has been extensively carried on to considerable success.
With the knowledge that much of this land can be converted into orchard tracts, part without irrigation, a future is readily seen for this section, its limitations beyond prophecy. With irrigation, of which several individual projects are already installed, demonstrating yearly their benefit and increased returns, as well as a general tendency throughout the county where it is possible to secure irrigation, a great deal of the large wheat ranches will be divided into smaller tracks, furnishing ample employment for many times the present population and netting returns not only from apples, but the culture of small fruits, vegetables and alfalfa. Several large irrigation projects are considered, one of which will irrigate thousands of acres of semi-arid land in what is known as the Carp Lake district, a short distance from this city. Work has already commenced on a large scale to rush their work through to get the water on their lands. The possibilities for increased irrigation property is inestimable, as in the history of other localities enjoying irrigation, land values have jumped from as low as $30 per acre to $2500, according to statistics compiled by the government. Land considered desert years ago have been raising bumper wheat crops under dry farming methods, which, under irrigation, will increase revenues in all lines of agriculture and horticulture. The soil of Klickitat is, for a greater part, volcanic ash, moisture subbing from mountain streams underground. This land, under irrigation, will accomplish wonders, but bear in mind, irrigation is unnecessary, for at present there is practically little irrigation compared with the immense tracts of land under plow.
Wages here are considered good, and usually there is a scarcity of men for the work. The annual rainfall is estimated at 24.5 inches and the moist west winds furnish plenty of moisture for successful farming and fruit-raising. Crop failures are unknown. The summers are warm, yet every night is cool and restful. The altitude, which is 1600 feet, is sufficient to cause dry atmosphere and the variations in heat and cold are not noticed perceptibly.
There are no floods, cyclones, drouths, or severe thunderstorms. Our winters are mild and the spring and fall month are delightful. The temperature as shown by government statistics is given as: Maximum 103; minimum 10, which was compiled as extremes for the past several years.
Wheat is raised here from 15 to 40 bushels to the acre and hay runs 40 ton. Grain lands may be purchased from $15 to $50 per acre and fruit lands from $30 to $100 per acre. Two acres of strawberries near the city yielded $1350, six acres of grapes yielded $7,500 and less than an acre of tomatoes earned over $450.
Ten to twenty acres of our land, if properly worked, will bring you an independence. We might go on and fill columns with information regarding Goldendale and Klickitat, but this will serve to give some idea of what we all are, where we are, and why we are here. Again it may lead you to wonder "why I am not there." Come along! There's plenty of room and you are welcome among us.