The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-01-24
A CALIFORNIA COLONY.
SAN JosE. al. jar. 3. is

Gan jOSf., AGl-, D ill 1917
California, of all the states, has suffer
ed most from land monopoly Perhaps
these very sufferings are developing here
"A higher knowledge of the laws of social
economy and order, than America has
reached elsewhere. l have just returned
from a locality in which 1 saw "a bright
promise Of good things to come.
The scene was the vast, dusty plain Of
the San Joa quin valley. On the east,
right in view, rises the immense noun
tain mass of the American Switzerland
Five peaks exceed 1000 feet in heighth
Mt. Whitney is 1904 feet. The snow
of centuries is piled upon these mount
aims, and they form truly sublime fea-
ture of the landscape.
The King river comes down into the
plain, and, when the July sun melts the
SHOWS, it pours a great volume of water
into the Tuiare lake. By means of dams
ard canals this water is diverted from its
channel, and led all over the neighbor-
ing plain. The soil is an ashy sediment
some twenty feet deep.
Some three or four colonies have been
organized here. The land is divided in
to twenty-acre lots, with a canal complete
ly extending around each The soil is a
gray, ashy loan, fifteen feet or more in
depth.
One of these lots, with a row of trees
planted around it, and a number of or
ange and lemon trees growing, can be
purchased for $1,000. Without these
accessories, it may be purchased for 5000.
This includes a perpetual water-right.
Upon this irrigated land, every fruit
and vegetable of the United States NAV
be successfully grown. Apples are sweet,
insipid, and predisposed to decay, but all
other fruits are equal to the best l found
the people putting up figs of a quality
superior TO any imported. They were
also making wonderful sort of sweet
wine, which sells at the vineyard for So
gallon. 1t is mostly exported to Ger
many. Fine raisins and oranges are be-
ginning to be produced, and alfalfa yields
four crops a year. The people claim
that an acre of irrigated alfalfa, moved
for cows, win keep four or five in the
best manner, and that one of these TWEEN
ty-acre farms will afford good living to
family. They all seemed healthy
c CHEEKY and hopeful.
There is an unpleasant side to the case
The summer heat is intense. 1t would
be impossible to produce such wine and
peaches in climate more temperate
The thermometer rises to 10 degrees in
the shade for weeks together. The Kansas
comet week" of 1874 continues fol-
months at a time-dusty winds and ter
rible heat. But nothing withers, for now
the bitches are full to the brim from the
melting of the SHOWS, and all crops grow
with wonderful rapidly.
We must expect some ague and mus
quitoes, as this system of irrigation ex
tends. Good wood costs so cord, as
it is hauled twenty-five miles or more
from the mountains. The railroad is
within sight of all the colonies. The eu
calyptus tree makes wonderful growth
and will speedily supply the want OF
fuel.
Spite of all drawbacks, l have great
faith in this system. 1t Is alleged that
enough water comes down from the Sier
"a to irrigate the entire east half of the
valley. A canal is being extended from
Tulare lake to tide-water, which will fer
tiliZe 100000 acres of the west side of the
great valley. 1t now looks as though
this basin of recently-drained sea, long
counted the most arid and hopeless re
gion of the state, would soon be trans
formed into blooming paradise, throng
ed with wealthy and cultured popula
ton.
Sugar beets, southern cane, silk, cot
ton, the orange, fig, grape, prune, apricot
peach, pear, and yam, all attain the high
est perfection here. The dreaded grape
root louise, or phylloxera, never harms
the vine on irrigated lands.
All in all, it is scheme full of prom
Use for the homeless millions
H. b. NORTON.