Lindblad's book begins with 'Go West' poem

The acknowledgment page of Frank Lindblad's book, "A Pioneer's Ballad," is full of names which have appeared in this column before. Do you recognize some of them?

Acknowledgments

In assembling and constructing these verses I am appreciative for the help received at night classes from my teacher Gary Frey. His assistance and advice were most valuable.

Many thanks to Gale Matthews, George and Clarence Rosenberg, Hilma Dahlgren, Cris and Clara Mordhorst, Ralph Osborne, Chris Larson, Gladys Fairburn, Olive Crabtree, Effie Dick, Ella Breiler, Amy Allen, Charles, Mabel and Alfhild Lindblad, Ethel Hamer, Robin Saunders, Hildebrand Studio, E.R. Kalmbach and others for pictures, typing or other assistance. - Frank W. Lindblad

Today we offer the first part of the first poem in the book:

Go West

In nineteen one, the urge to roam,

Brought wanderlust into our home

On broad midwestern prairie.

Homeseekers' guides that pictured thrills

On virgin land beyond the bills

Implored us not to tarry.

In Washington is new Big Bend,

A tract of land by river hemmed

With railroad running through it.

This vast frontier is going fast

At selling price that cannot last;

Delay and you will rue it.

Its coldest spell will quickly pass.

All livestock winters out on grass,

Which always keeps them stronger.

The working stock is set to go

When fields have lost their winter snow

And daylight hours grow longer.

In winter you can cut the brush

From land to save the springtime rush

Preparing it for farming.

A plow, a harrow, disk, and drill

Your tillage needs will amply fill.

This land is really charming.

So Dad set out with fervent hopes,

By rail soon crossing Rockies' slopes

And reaching Inland Empire.

A hundred miles beyond Spokane

With team and hack the drive began

To land of his desire.

Continued next week.

E-mail from Cheryl

Facts from the past gleaned from the Moses Lake Herald, Columbia Basin Herald and The Neppel Record by Cheryl (Driggs) Elkins:

From the Columbia Basin Herald on Sept. 28, 1950:

Bureau engineer at Quincy retires

Leslie R. Annett, 70, who started working for the government in 1902 as a surveyor with what was then called the reclamation service, retires tomorrow after spending 19 and a half years as a federal employee, according to H.A. Parker, supervising of the Columbia Basin's Irrigation Division.

Annett is stationed at Quincy, and ends his government career as an engineering aid with the Bureau of Reclamation. In the interim he has been with several other government agencies, has spent many years in private industry, and served as a captain of engineers during World War I.

State capitol contested

When the capitol of Washington was chosen, North Yakima, Vancouver and Ellensburg were strong contenders against Olympia.

Statehood on Feb. 22

The enabling act to give Washington statehood was signed on Washington's birthday in 1889.