by a trolley line. The Northern Pacific, Union Pacific, Oregon
Railroad & Navigation and North Bank railroads all compete for its
traffic. It is the central distributing point of the county, and
is the United States military headquarters for Washington, Oregon
and Alaska. It is well represented in business establishments,
including barrel factory, fruit cannery, ship yard, iron foundry,
shoe factory, and others.

LA CENTER, ETNA, NACOLT, AMBOY and BRUSH PRAIRIE are smaller towns,
all holding out an inviting hand to the newcomer, and offering
desirable opportunities for new business in both merchandising and
agriculture, as well as in lumbering and its kindred industries.
Clarke county is one well worth investigating by intending settlers,
both on account of its latent possibilities and because of its
peculiarly desirable climatic conditions, and its abundant competing
transportation facilities, both by rail and water.


COLUMBIA COUNTY

Columbia county is one of the four counties in southeastern Washington,
lying on the Oregon state line and south of the Snake river. A forest
reserve in the Blue mountains covers much of the southern portion of
the county, which is heavily timbered. The Northern part of the
county is made up of rolling prairie lands, of great fertility on
account of the large proportion of clay added to the volcanic ash,
which composes most of the soils of eastern Washington. Irrigation
is here unnecessary, and abundant crops reward the agriculturist.
The climate is mild, healthful and vigorous, inclining to much
outdoor life the year around.