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At the head of the famous Wenatchee Valley, "The home of the Big Red Apple." The higher up the valley you go, the Bigger and Redder the apples grow A LL HOME A PRINT V 01.7. No. 51. NEWS PROM STATE CAPITAL A Grist of Interesting Reading From the State Capital by the Special Writer for The Echo The fact that its printing fund is almost exhausted precludes the tax commission from having published at this time its report to the legislature and the governor. The report cannot be printed until the legislature con venes and makes provision therefor. The armory under construction at Beilingham is being erected in an effi cient manner, according to the report of G. W. Bullard, a Tacoma architect, who was sent by Governor Hay to make an inspection of the work. Charges made by the captain of a company of the national guard at Beilingham rela tive to the contractor's work were not borne out by the inspection. For use at the coming session of the legislature in the work of reapponion ment, Governor Hay has received from the census bureau official notification of the results under the 1910 census, according to which Chelan county's population sprang from 3,931 in 1900 to 15,104 in the present year. For no other county in the state, save Frank lin, is shown a gain even approximating this. In the latter county the increase was from 486 to 5,153. There are 180 incorporated towns and cities in the state of Washington, according to a table which will appear in the forthcoming report of I. M. Howell, secretary of state. Of this number there are shown 140 fourth class municipalities, 30 third-class, 3 second-class, and 4 first-class cities. For Chelan county there are shown 4 fourth-class and 1 third-class munici palities. Wenatchee constitutes the third-class city, and the others are Lea venworth, Lakeside, Chelan and Cash mere. Whitman has the record number of municipalities, 16, of which 14 are in corporated towns. Wahkiakum county is credited with no municipality. Kitti tas and Ferry counties have 1 third class city each, and Island, San Juan, Skamania and Mason counties are cred ited with 1 fourth-class municipality each. Pierce and King counties have each 1 first-class city, 1 third-class city and 9 incorporated towns. The classi fications of Walla Walla, Waitsburg and- Pomeroy are not given. The constitution of Washington con fines us to "a general property tax," says the state tax commission, and this results "in placing the heaviest burden upon the common, everyday and ordi nary forms of property, while vast, com plicated and predatory forms of wealth have escaped." The commission says the constitu tion prevents "us borrowing from" the laws of other states or profiting from their experience and, while the com mission would recommend nothing new, novel, or untried, it feels the legisla ture should be prohibited from "con tracting away the right to tax any thing or person whatsoever, from discriminat ing between persons or property simi larly situate, from imposing any taxes whatsoever for the benefit of any private or corporate interests, and that property of a strictly public character, the in strumentalities of government and prop erty supported entirely by contributions from the general public and not owned or operated for profit should be exempt from taxation. It says further the constitution should contain provisions prohibiting the ex penditure of public funds, except for strictly public purposes, and amend ments such as these "would result in sinking the shackles from the hands of our law makers and, while compelling them to deal honestly and fairly with all men, would still permit them to meet modern and progressive conditions with modern and progressive laws." Batchelors Have Joll> Time The Leavenwonh Batchelors Club celebrated its first Christmas night at the Rainier Cafe, when at 10 o'clock fourteen members sat down to a sump Tlbe Xeavenwortb Koo tuous banquet prepared under the di rection of the host, C. H. Phillips. The crowning feature of the gastro nomic spread was a pig roasted whole, flanked with every good thing to eat that might tempt the appetite of an epi cure, together with light wines for the first courses, followed by some of a heavier kind later on. More than two hours were spent at I the table, during which songs were sung, stories told and jests passed. Altogether it was a most enjoyable affair, that passed off most pleasantly, the party breaking up at 1 o'clock, each and every one vowing not to get j married during the coming year, and | to be present at a banquet to be given j next Christmas. Violation of the pledge is to cost the delinquent the price of the banquet next Christmas. B. F. Moore claims the distinction of being the dean of the bunch, and sat at the head of the table, around which was gathered Butler Sampson, James Miller, J. S. Moore, Homer Als bury, Ed Mahony, Sara Potter, Dick Simons, Charles Taylor, Pat Gallagher, Charles Mitschke, Harry Warner, Tom Pipkin, and Bob Campfield. KID BAND BANQUETTED George Hoxsey Winner of Gold Watch— Prof. McDaniel Remembered It was generally understood the win ner of the gold watch, chain and $10 would be announced at the meeting last Friday night, and a large turnout not only of band members but also of citizens who are interested in the boys, was the result. The handsome gold watch and the $10 gold piece, which has been on display in Jeweler Carl quist's window for the past month, was given to George Hoatsey for the best deportment at band ■practice, the best attendance record and for having shown he made the greatest progress. After the presentation speech was made by Prof. McDaniel, and all the boys had shaken hands with George, just to show they were satisfied with the decision, Henry Johnson presented a handsome gold watch to their teacher in the fol lowing neat little speech: "Professor James McDaniel, for more than fifteen months past we, as mem bers of the band, have profitted by your teaching, and within that time you have greatly endeared yourself to us by your amiable character, your earn est devotion to duty, and the hearty interest you have ever manifested in us as a band. With a deep sense of your many benefactions, those assem bled here have requested me in their name to present this watch as a token of their increasing admiration and es teem for yourself, and of their gratitude for your labors in their behalf." At the conclusion of this ceremony and some more expressions of good feeling, the band marched to the Rai nier cafe, where twenty-four of the boys sat down to an elaborate spread to which the boys, as boys are most apt to do, did ample justice. Mayor Gutherless was called upon by F. A- Losekamp. who has always been one of the most enthusiastic and substantial supporters of the band, and he responded with a few felicitous re marks. He was followed by S. C. Woldenberg and others, all of whom praised the boys for their excellent be havior, not forgetting to remark upon the progress and improvement the boys have made. Firemen's Ball The thirteenth annual Christmas ball of the firemen, given in their hall last i Monday night, December 26, was the best they have ever had. There were about 100 couples present. Prof. McDaniel's five-piece orchestra furnished the excellent music, and the dancing continued until nearly 3 a. m. Lunch was served by the Degree of Honor in the lodge rooms on the upper floor. John B. Meeker Dies John B. Meeker, a brother of Ezra Meeker and past grand master of the Odd Fellows of Washington, died De cember 24 at the Odd Fellows' home in Watia Wakia. Leavenworth, Wash., Friday, Dec. 30, 1910. GLANCE AT PAST-FUTURE OUTLOOK Year 1911 Promises to Be Most Memorable in the History of Leavcnworth THIS SECTION ON EVEJMiREAT DEVELOPMENT Two Great Irrigation and Power Canals Already Under Way—Building of Steel Plant Begun—Probability of $30,000,000 Irrigation Plant—Great Marble Industry all but Assured One more day, and for all practical purposes the activities for 1910 will cease. Fiom the viewpoint of one who has the future welfare of the com munity in which he resides in mind, the assertion is here made that never since the first move was made to build a town at the head of Wenatchee val ley has the outlook for Leavenworth appeared brighter than right now, standing on the threshhold of the year Nineteen Hundred and Eleven. Recounting the development made during the good year of 1910, not so much can be said for the growth of the town itself, though even in the town there has been noticeable im provement; but in the country imme diately surrounding the town the im provement and development has been simply marvelous. Hundreds of acres have been cleared of forest trees and stumps, plowed and set out in fruit trees. Other hundreds of acres have been cleared the past fall and will be put in cultivation next year, while the work of clearing additional land will go on all winter. Substantial homes have been built by many of those who have cleared land and set out orchards. Fruit raising will here be the chief occupation of the country population in the future, as it has been in the lower valley of the Wenatchee for a number of years, where experience has shown that it is the most profitable because the land is best adapted to that use. To the town has been added the past year two substantial brick business houses and a hundred or more frame residences. Many of them may be called more than substantial, costing from 81500 to $3000. Under the di rection of the town council vast im provement has been made in the streets, the sidewalks have been ex tended into the residence districts until one can reach almost any part of tewn on sidewalks. At an expense of almost 82000 the strip of land on Front street has been cleared of rock, plowed and fenced, with the intention of making a parking strip. Our merchants and busi ness houses have enjoyed unexampled prosperity; this perhaps being due to the fact that no line is overdone. Right here let us mention the experience of ! one business man. who came here five I years ago last September and invested $5000 in one of our largest and most substantial mercantile establishments and who. on account of ill health, was quite recently compelled to | close out his interest, receiving ! $14,500 for it, having previously I taken $9000 out of the business in profits. Approximately the same percentage of profits can be shown by ■ other business men. While not able to make so good a showing (what country newspaper can?). The Echo can claim its full share of the general prosperity which has come to every man who has engaged in business here. However, it is not so much of the past that we intended to write as of ■the outlook for the future. Barring i one contingency which, according to the present outlook, now seems highly improbable, the year 1911 will show improvement in the country surround ing Leavenworth, and in the town it ; self, that will dwarf into insignificance I any year in its past history. If only i one-half of the different enterprises : planned for this immediate vicinity fo the year 1911 develop into a reality the business of the town will treble, quad ruple; yes, may even go beyond that which means doubling and trebling the population. To the skeptical Thomas who may give vent to his doubts we will mention some of the ventures above hinted at. A Steel Smelting Plant. The pro moters have already bought ground and erected a substantial residence for the manager; have the plans drawn for the entire plant, and will assemble material and machinery this winter, so that work on the office and main buildings can begin early in the spring. The man ager of the Washington Steel and Iron Company, Mr. Rothert, who recently moved his family here, assures us that his company has ample funds to carry out its plans. It has enough crude magnetic iron ore in sight to keep it busy for more than a hundred years. Bear in mind the purpose of this com pany is to manufacture only the highest gTade of tool steel, under a process dis covered by the manager, whereby crude magnetic ore is converted at one treat ment into the highest form of tool steel, for which it has a standing offer of 35 cents per pound for every pound it can turn out similar to a sample submitted. The Alaska Marble Mountain Com pany. Head offices in the Central building, Seattle. Last fall this com pany secured title to a mountain of marble, hundreds of acres in extent, which has been pronounced the best gTade of marble yet discovered in the United States. Without expressing an opinion on the quality of the stone, of which samples can be seen at this office and in the offices of the company at Seattle, both rough and polished, the writer can say from positive knowl edge that it exists in unlimited quan tity, some twenty-eight miles from Leavenworth and fourteen miles from the line of the Wenatchee Valley and Northern railway. The marble com pany is now negotiating with the offi cers of the railroad company about ex tending its line to the quarry, which is entirely feasible for the reason that no obstacle of any consequence lies in the way. the country being practically level with no streams to cross. The editor of The Echo is assured on good authori ty that it is not improbable a half million dollars will be expended the coming summer in establishing a plant to sup ply marble and manufacture lime and cement, as the marble has been pro nounced almost pure lime. Other ma terial, necessary in making cement, is to be had in proximity. An Irrigating Canal involving the expenditure of between $150,000 and 8200,000, twenty odd miles long, was commenced last summer and consider ble work done, taking water from the i Icicle river, five miles south of this place, and running within a half-mile of the town, continuing on down the Wenatchee valley to Monitor, some six I miles this side of the town of Wenat chee. This will water and make profit -1 able the planting of fruit on some thou- I sands of acres of Wenatchee valley lands' which means that every acre so watered will be worth from $500 to I $1000. Not only worth it, but will sell to men who are anxious to take every acre so made productive. The demand for Wenatchee valley land has always exceeded the supply. In October a company, composed of local men associated with Seattle and Everett capitalists, bought a large trict ,of iand south of Leavenwonh, and will in the early spring begin work on a ditch some 800 feet higher than the one above mentioned. This company has in contemplation, not only supply ing water for irrigation, but also supply ing the towns of Leavenworth, Cash mere and Wenatchee with water for domestic purposes and fire protection, necessities which all the towns men tioned stand in sore need of, and have spent considerable money in an effort to solve a difficult problem. Difficult because, heretofore, acting independ ently, it has always seemed too expen sive a proposition for one town to attempt; but acting together, through a holding company, the proposition seems quite feasible. In bringing the water down from a higher to a lower elevation there are possibilities for de veloping power in almost unlimited quantity, which the company will not overlook. Then there is the proposition to water 300,000 acres of what has been called the Quincy flats with water from Lake Wenatchee. This scheme con templates the building of a dam four teen miles from Leavenworth, on the line of the Wenatchee Valley & North ern railway, at an expense of a million and a half of dollars and a total outlay of thirty million dollars. Behind this scheme is the Spokane Chamber of Commerce and the Quincy Valley Water Users Association. Ten thou sand dollars has already been spent in preliminary surveying, measuring the water flow of streams for several years to determine the sufficiency, and mak ing maps, plans and estimates. Parties who are in close touch with this gigantic irrigation scheme assure us that, while it is not yet fully matured, it is only a question of time when work will actu ally begin. Out of four different meth ods of watering the lands named this has been proved to be the cheapest and most practicable. The Lamb-Davis Lumber Company, contemplating an increased demand for fruit boxes the coming year, has en larged its box-making plant to twice iv former capacity. A large addition to the plant was constructed last fall and winter. During the shutdown a new battery of boilers, double the capacity of the former, has been set up and the engine doubled by the addition of an other unit. The box-making machinery, which has also been increased, will be operated next year entirely by electric ity. This means that employment will be given to more men and, conse quently, more money will be put into circulation among our business men. The editor of this paper is not a dreamer of dreams, or a visionary indi vidual. On the other hand, he has always been considered too conserva tive, and would not now give time or space by calling attention to the differ ent enterprises already under way and others in process of development if the men connected with each and every one of them was not considered hardheaded, safe business men who have already invested real money in their promotion. They are not to be classed with the cheap stock-selling schemes of grafters who have unknown millions of shares to sell at five and ten cents each to finance their projects before any work can be done. They may not all, for sundry good reasons, develop into working projects during 1911, or, indeed, ever, and yet be perfectly sound in their contemplation, but some of them will- grow into reality during the coming summer, and the growth of this town and the sur ! rounding country will follow as sure as I night follows day. Socialist Vote 560,000 W. J. Ghent, statistician for the So cialist party, announces the vote for Socialist candidates throughout the country this year totals over 560,000. His figures include California, 49.995; Oregon, 9,059; Washington, 15,947. The largest vote, 60,637, was in Ohio. There are three candidates for the office of postmaster at Cashmere — Thomas Bollman, present incumbent. Dr. C. H. Burbank and Judge James H. Chase. Mr. Bollman will likely get the appointment, if President Taft does not restore patronage to Insurgent Congressman Poindexter. In the event Mr. Poindexter is returned to favor, I Dr. Burbank or Judge Chase will be , named. A LL HOME A NEWS $1.50 Per Year NORTHWESTERN GOAT RAISERS First Annual Meeting to Be Held in Port land Mazamas to Mount Glacier Peak Stork Very Busy The Northwestern Angora Goat As sociation will meet for its first annual convention in Portland on January 6, and a large number of breeders are ex pected to attend. The goat indust:y is a big one in the Northwest. It is said there are more than 10.000 breed ers on the Pacific slope, who own 150 --000 Angora goats. Oregon has over 3000 breeders. There will be a program of addresses of special interest to members of the association and it will be well worth while for all engaged in the industry to attend the sessions of the goatmen. The business of the association will be transacted at the night session and members will participate in the con vention of the woolgrowers, which be gins Jan. 4 and continues until the evening of the 7th. So fertile is the soil of southwest Washington that setting potato sprouts in the ground results in quite a crop. John Snitzler, a gardener of Kelso. planted two sprouts last summer with the result that the other day he dug thirteen large and small potatoes from the hill, each having an average weight of 8! c ounces. The Mazamas, the mountain-climb ing club of Portland, will probably make the ascent of Glacier Peak, in the Chelan lake region, next summer. The club has about fixed upon this peak as the objective point of the next climb, it being the custom to scale a different peak each year. Glacier Peak lies in the midst of magnificent scenery and is about 10,000 feet high. The stork has had a busy year in Portland. The bird had delivered 3256 babies here between January 1 and October 31, according to statistics of the city health office. It is esti mated that by New Year the total num ber of births reported for 1910 will be 3806. This will establish a new high record birth rate for the Pacific Coast cities, it is believed. Based on a pop ulation of 207,000, the official census figure for Portland, the birth rate will be 18.3 per 1000. Last year it was 11.40 and the previous year 11.04. It will take Oregon another ten years to pass the million mark accord ing to an estimate of R. B. Miller, traffic director of the allied Harximan lines in the Pacific Northwest. Wash ington attained that figure long ago and ten years hence will probably see somewhere around 2,000,000 for the Evergreen state. This great growth in population north of the Columbia river is generally attributed to the remarka ble railroad development of Washing ton, while Oregon has been neglected in this respect for years. But at last the Beaver state is receiving attention from the railroads and the coming ten years will give Oregon a remarkable development that is expected to attract a very large immigration. Pretty Home Wedding On Christmas day at the home of the bride's mother, Mrs. Ida Craig, occurred the wedding of David H. Moore and Maude E. Craig. The ceremony took place at high noon, and was a quiet altho pretty home wedding. The cere mony was preformed in the parlor under a canopy of green and white, the Rev. Mr. Robinson officiating. Mrs. Hal Stark played the wedding march, P. L. Gallagher of Leavenworth was best man and Miss Ethel Chapman of Peshast.n bridesmaid. Little Miss Virginia Stoles was flower girl. A sumptuous wedding feast was ser ved. The dining room was beautifully decorated in red and green. After the feast the happy couple left for Spokane amid a shower of rice and old shoes. The guests present were; Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Stark and little daughter, I Virginia Stoles, Rev. and Mrs. Robin i son, Henry West, Charles Taylor, Miss i Ethel Chapman and P. L. Gallagher.