The Oregonian, Portland, OR., May 13, 1903, page 14

GOLDENDALE, WASHINGTON
County Seat Of Klickitat County, Is Now Feeling The Quickening Touch Of A Railroad Connection

     GOLDENDALE, Wash., May 10. - (Special correspondence) - The State of Washington has 36 counties, of which eight have no railroads, and, until this year, Klickitat County was one of the eight. The length of the county east and west is about 120 miles, and it averages about 13 miles wide. There are about 61 townships, making an area of 2200 square miles, or 1,___, 000 acres. According to the 1902 _____ roll, there were owned 586,641 acres, which would leave nearly 1,000,000 acres unoccupied.
     The total population of Klickitat County, according to the census of 1900, was 6___. The total taxable property of the county is 4, 41_, 525, or an average assessed wealth to each individual of $378. The construction of a railroad from the town of Lyle, on the Columbia River, up the Klickitat and out onto the elevated valley lands, through Centerville and to Goldendale, a length of 43 miles, will ad that much assessed wealth to the county, and the Northern Pacific Railroad is surveying along the Columbia River, so that very soon Klickitat County will have from 160 to 200 miles of railroad.

Has Been An Isolated Town

     The Klickitat Valley is really only about twenty miles long and five miles wide, but the farming lands extend on each side, and at the ends of the valley over a total space of about 20 by 50 miles. In the most convenient center of this section of farming land is located Goldendale, now a town of about 1200 inhabitants, although the census of 1900 gave it only 738 people. Lying between the Columbia River and the Klickitat Valley is a high range of bare hills, and in order to get to a market for the products of the Valley three wagon roads were built, one over the mountain to The Dalles, length 38 miles; one across the Valley and to Lyle, on the Columbia, length 33 miles, and one across the mountain to Grants, on the O.R. & N, length ten miles. The expense of shipping out the products of the Valley and shipping in merchandise bore very heavily on the people, but in spite of all these drawbacks the county has prospered.
     The most natural and best outlet for the products of the valley has always been to carry them by rail down the Klickitat River to its mouth at Lyle and thence down the Columbia River by steamer, and when the last rail was laid, a short time ago, connecting Goldendale with the town of Lyle, it was an event of no small importance here. Its first great advantage will be felt by the farmers, who can now avoid long hauls, and store their grain close at home. It will also be noticed by the merchants, who can get goods in cheaper, and will not have to carry such heavy stocks during the Winter, when the roads cannot be used economically for freighting. But the greatest benefit will come to the whole country in allowing a more profitable manner of farming the land. Heretofore grain has been the staple crop, and but little attention paid to fruit-rasing and dairying, although the soil and climate are adapted to both. The farms are large, from 150 to 1500 acres, and only a small portion of the country is in cultivation. This will now be rapidly changed as immigration comes in and the farms are cut into smaller tracts and more diversified crops become the rule. The Klickitat Valley alone is capable of supporting with its 600,000 acres of land at least 20,000 people instead of only about 4000, as now.

Changes For Investment

     Goldendale is growing. There are now in course of erection, or contemplated, about 80 new houses, so I am informed by a contractor. The greater part of the business portion of the town was destroyed last year by fire, and the town lost among other lines of business two hotels. There is now in course of erection a new building 60x100 feet, three stories high, which will be elegantly furnished, have electric lights, elevators, call bells and the other equipments of a modern hotel. Goldendale has no electric lights, but a company of local capitalists being organized, and a plant will be installed here soon. There is no steam laundry in Goldendale, and the present amount of washing sent away figures up about $50 a week. A laundry would pay. This is sheep country, the number of sheep assessed been 89,263. It would seem that a woolen mill would be a paying proposition. A brewery and cold storage plant, with ice machine, might also be a good investment. In some parts of this valley are irrigating ditches, and the great profit resulting from irrigated the soil should encourage the extension of the irrigating ditches. This is a matter which the residents of Goldendale should investigate and advertise the details, so as to induce outside capital to become interested. The whole Klickitat Valley could be irrigated in some proper system were employed.

Columbia River & Northern Railroad

     It is through the enterprise of Portland residents and it is Portland capital which is building the railroad from the town of Lyle, at the mouth of the Klickitat River, through the town of Centerville, to Goldendale, and which will be fully equipped for passenger and freight traffic in a few weeks, but mixed trains are now making daily trips as far as this point. From here it is not definitely known just where the railroad will go, but that it will be extended about 40 miles east as far as Bickleton, seems probable, and also that a branch will be run down Rock Creek to the Columbia River above the obstructions to navigation at the dalles. Boats can thus be put on the Upper Columbia River, and the products of that vast inland empire will be drained directly into Portland. As a commercial venture, the citizens of Portland have invested their money where it will bring both direct and indirect returns, and are to be congratulated upon their business sagacity.
     This railroad has heavy steel rails, is standard gauge, is equipped with powerful locomotives, and all the rolling stock is new and up to date. It will open to settlement a large area of country heretofore devoted to stockrasing alone, and cause the population of this county to increased very rapidly.

Taking Up Vacant Lands

     It may interest some of the readers of The Oregonian to hear the experiences of a person who has just filed on two pieces of Government land in this county. The building of this railroad has brought into market lands in the mountains, which were heretofore to remote for settlement. There are still vacant lands in the county, and it seems to be practical business to file on them.
     "How did to learn that the tracts of land you have taken were worth filing on?"
     "Through a land cruiser."
     "What did you pay for the information?"
     "For the two claims I paid $150 of $75 each."
     "What other expenses were there in connection with the filing?"
     "The expense of going out to the land, 20 and 25 miles from Goldendale, was about $15, and filing fees, $28."
     "What kind of timber land did you find your timber to be?"
     "It cruised about 3,000,000 feet to 160 acres, principally yellow pine, with fir and bak. This land will cost me, when final proof is made, about $500, and there is a ready market for it at $1500 to $2000, but with more settlers in the country, I can get at least $2500 for it. I figure the timber alone is worth $3000 and after the timber is off the land will sell for $500 for pasture. Comparing this stumpage to the prices of $7 and $8 per thousand in Washington and Minnesota, it is any wonder that Eastern people are investing largely in Pacific Coast timber lands?"
     "In taking up your homestead did you find it any hardship to comply with the law?"
     "I am required to build a dwelling and I had to haul the lumber only three miles. There was enough clear land for a garden and a small orchard, and a spring on the place furnishes me with an abundance of water. The distance from the C.R. & N. Railroad is only ten miles, only nine to a post office and three miles to the school house. I can live five years on this land, or after 14 months' residence I can commute the homestead and pay $1.25 per acre. I can sell this land when I obtain a title for it for at least $1500, and if I pay $1.25 an acre it will have cost me only about $300 and the improvements. If I reside on the land for five years the cost will be only about $100 and improvements, thus leaving a profit of $1400 for five years' work, or almost $300 a year. During the past year about 40 claims were located in the section where I am, and one of these days there will be a large sawmill out there, and a good market for all I can raise on my land."
     "Now that you have used your timber and homestead rights what are you going to do next?"
     "I am going to investigate the lands of the irrigation companies, when they are placed on the market, and invest, if I can see any money in them. People must have land, and it is only a question of making a good selection and selling at a profit. Klickitat County has heretofore had absolutely no railroads and now it seems likely several hundred miles of railroad will be built. Land which can be brought now for $8 and $10 an acre will be worth $15 and $20, and higher-priced lands in proportion. Now is the very best time for securing a title to lands in this country."

He Lost The Bet

     On the morning of the day Columbia River & Northern Railroad was to entered Goldendale Charles Powell made a bet with Attorney N.B. Brooks, that the engine would not get into town that day. Mr. Brooks, who knew the plans of the railroad company, was so certain that the engine would run into the town that identical day that he wagered $25 with Mr. Powell. Sure enough, the rails were laid and the engine came over them as he anticipated, and he claimed the money. But Mr. Powell refused to pay, as he proved beyond a doubt that only one rail of the railroad was in the city limits, the other rail being outside, and consequently the locomotive did not "enter the town." It was a technical point which Mr. Brooks could not dispute and so he had to pay the money to Mr. Powell. A few days later a side-track was built into the town, but it was too late. E.C.P.

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©  Jeffrey L. Elmer