Drought in the 'Crystal Springs'
Citizens of Walla Walla were sold a dream of mountain water, but a local investigation reveals little more than mud and dried-up holes.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Walla Walla recently voted to pay $160,000 for a 56-acre tract of land containing springs meant to supply the city with water. However, a representative of the Union visited the site to investigate the 'snowy mountains' and 'percolating waters' promised by promoters. Instead, he found a patch of dry ground, a hole covered with green scum, and withered stems reaching in vain for moisture. The investigation highlights a profound gap between the boosterism of the land sale and the reality of the parched landscape.
“The withered stems, with roots penetrating to a depth of twelve feet, reach for moisture from the surface in vain, as did Dives in hell.”
This is a classic tale of the 'growth machine' in the Pacific Northwest—where townsite promoters often sold land based on imaginary natural resources. It echoes modern concerns about water rights and the environmental sustainability of urban expansion in Washington's arid interior.
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