Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-04-06
An l.npsrss~s work.

We have been somewhat sur.
priced at observing how almost en-
llrely our people seem to be ignor'
ant OF the fact that q most i'm.
Dortant State work is being carried
ont under the act Of the last Leeis.
latufo entitled, "An Act to Pro.
/" Vide = System of Irrigation, pro-
= mote rapid drainage and improve
3" the navigation of the Sacramento
q and San Joaquin rivers" which
WAS approved March goth. 1878.
This act created the Office Of a
Gtato Engineer and assistants, fix
lnf the compensation Of the chief
- ulx thousand dollars year and
empowering him to appoint five
0rfueipal assistants. 1t also uppro-
priated, for the purposes Of the aor,
The sum OF one hundred thousand
dollars.
Its general purpose was to devise
\ comprehensive scheme for the
reclamation Of lands, for the Inn
provement Of great rivers and to
elicit materials for intelligent laws
~ 10 the debris OF rivers and for
promoting Irrigation.
The Governor, In pursuance OF
this act, appointed William Ham,
mond Hail State Engineer Mr..
Hall, In May Of last year, got
His parties thoroughly organized.
Their field Of work is as follows:
The first party was detailed to
make photographic survey Of the
Sacramento aud San joaquin riv-
ers. It will be of interest to our
readers to know that this party is
under the direction Of Gan. Bos'
chke, whose services at Whining
Ion have been thoroughly appreci-
nted locally and by the government
Of the United States.
To the second party was assigned
: Typographical survey of both riv-
ers from point above where they
are affected by the tides.
To the third party Is entrusted q
typographical and gauging survey
III the rivers Of Tulare, Fresno and
Merrad couutiea.
The fourth party are engaged in
. survey Of the rivers of the north
ern portion of the State along the
foothills. This party will also give
pareful attention to the quest ion of
mining debris.
The fifth and last party Is under
the charge Of Mr.. J. D. Schuyler.
late editor Of the Stockton Inde-
pendent, whose field is the Kern
county rivers and canals and the ir-
rigatipg systems Of Los Angeles
and San Bernardino counties.
We yesterday enjoyed the pleas
ure Of very interesting conversa-
tion with Mr.. Schuyler. His pres.
ent visit to Los Angeles aud San
Bsrnardino counties is of a purely
preliminary character. Later he
will give the rivers, creeks, irrigat-
Ing canals, artesian wells, etc., Of
this section an exhaustive and SCI
entific attention.
Mr.. Schuyler informs us that he
has been agreeably disappointed in
the actual resources of Los Angeles
county. He thought our Wanted
orange groves and vineyards were,
TO great extent, visionary. While
he has not encountered in this
county the large rivers which char
ncterize some other portions Of the
Htate, he has been surprised at the
multiplicity of our facilities for ir-
rigation. The number of our small
ivers, creeks and springs exceeded
his belief. He was also highly
pleased and much astonished at the
prodiRality Of the water supply of
EAn Bernardino county.
From . cursory estimate he puts
the number of acres Of ground now
Hctually irrigated in Los Angeles
county as follows: From the Los
Angeles river, $500 acres; from the
Upper San Gabriel, 1000 acres;
from the Lower San Gabriel, 5000
korse; from different arroyos and
minor streams, 5000 acres; from
the Artssian belt, 5000, giving a
total Of $4,000. To this should be
added the very large area which Is
irrigated from the Santa Ana
amounting to at least $1,000 acres.
When Mr.. Schuyler shall have
completed his surveys we have nc
doubt but thLt ho will increase the
nctual acreage already irrigated to
between $4,000 and 10000.
The most interesting and valua-
BILE portion Of this great work will
be the light which will be thrown
BY its investigations ON the possi-
bllity Of extending our irrigable
area. The development Of our
water resources, and the economic.
ing Of them when developed, is the
great demand Of the hour.
OF course, Mr.. Schuyler has con-
cerned himself simply with lands
ncfuAlly Irrigated and with the
streams from which the water has
been derived. To the immense ex-
tent OF moist lands In Los Angeles
county which needs no irrigation
- 4. <~f nm offanfinn