Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-07-01
Movement in Colony Work.

The following letter from DR.. Latham
appears IN the Alta concerning colony work
now being entered upon in central and
northern California:
The earliest portion of the tertiary geo.
logical epoch was called the Eocene-the
beSinnine of the dawn 1t was then that
the first of the fora and fauna that now
beautifv and enrich the earth, made their
appearance. No@ the eocene OF the colony
epoch has commenced in northern ana
middle California. For years we have seen
the colony work going on IN other coun-
tries, notably Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado
and southern California, dividing the great
balftilled or entirely untitled land hold
ings bringing the waters of the mountain
streams to the parched soil, covering it with
industrious people of the East, each with
their twenty and forty-acre tract, and do
ing their own work, making the waste
places blossom like garden, and adding
vastly to the wealth and production OF those
sections. 1t has long been clear to many
here that if this section was ever to develop
its vast possibilities, add to its wealth and
population, it must be by the colony sys-
TEN. Now it can be safely said that the
beginning of the dawn" has come. In
several counties the great landholders
have divided their holdings into ten, twenty
and forty-acre tracts, put running water
upon every tract, and are selling them to
actual settlers, largely on time, at low rates
of interest. These colony tracts are near
transportion by river and rail. The soil is
as good as there is in the worlo. Timber Is
abundant for fuel, and the great sugar-pine
belt of forests is near by in the Sierra Ne
yadas. The irrigating bitches are from
streams that have their rise in the SHOWS of
the higher mountain ranges-the natural
and most lasting ofreseryoirs. Placer county
has several such tracts divided for settlers.
The Hickey tract takes its name from its
enterprising owner, who is selling these
tracts at low prices. This tract OF land is
near Newcastle and Auburn. In Saera-
mento county large body of land known
as the Anderson tract, near Brighton sta
ton. has been subdivided and is for sale in
quantities to suit purchasers. The FISHER
ranch, near Mayhem Staten, on the Placer
vile Railroad, is another Ct these new sub
divisions for settlers. In Iuba county
Hon. w. H. Parks is selling large land
holding in small tracts. Hon. n. u: COMBS
in that county, also has several hundred
acres that he is colonizing. In San joaquin
county. two miles from Lodi, Hon. b. F..
Langford has divided 1900 acres of the
richest land in the State. This soil is
deep, fine but sandy loan. 1t will grow
the best of grapes. but will probably prove
more profitable for the raisin grape. This
land, with its inexhaustible fertility and
nearness to transportation, is selling for
one-fourth the price asked for land in
southern California. At Valley Springs, in
Calaveras county, is the Spring Valley col
ony, the property of Hon. II, A. Messen--
ger, where there is the best of valley and
foothill lands under irrigation bitches,
cleared of brush, two miles from the rail
road, churches and schools, is for sale in
twenty and torty-acre tracts for SIS an acre.
In Tehama county 9000-acre tract of
land, adjoining the great Vina vineyard, is
being subdivided, and will soon be ready
for sale in small lots.
So you see the beginning of the dawn
has come, and soon the MONDAY sun OF a
new prosperity will shine on middle and
northern California.