Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-06-30
TRAVER, 7ULARE co.
The 76 Country Canal and
Lands Described,
OPPORTUNITIES FOR H8MES.
4 Brief Resiaw of the Location
cation Facilities-PrOduets Ship
ments and Development.

pository Of the resources OF various locall-
ties in Central California, we desire to di-
rect attention - the agricultural sec
ton surrounding Traver, widely known
as The rs Country" for no sec
ton that hes come 70nder obserya-
ton gives evidence of a more wonder
ful and rapid development. For many
yeers this Fast territory remained in the
undisputed possession of the stockmen,
who, during the spring and early summer,
pastured on its grassy plains countless
herds Of cattle and bends of sheep When
the dry season cane on, the stock was
driven tc foothill ard mountain pastures,
and the plains we're left to the'exclusive
possession of the Ettle owl and big Jack
rabbit
4GRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT.
But the dawn.of 4 new era was at hand.
The first people who undertook to test the
worth of the soil of this section for agri-
cultural purposes were ridiculed on all
sides, harassed by the stockmen in every
designated Sand-lappers." They were,
however, pe-severing class and met with
more or less success with crops, according
to the seasons rainfall, but demonstrated
beyond question that, with sufficient
water supply, this section was second to
none in fertility, and, as a reward for their
perseverance, the appellation applied in
derision deserves to be perpetuated as one
Of honorable commendation.
DERIVATION OF "76.'
This term has no significance regarding
local settlement, as is often inferred. in
early days it was the custom to brand all
stock for the purpose of Identification, and
various combinations of letters and figures
were adopted as suited the fancy of the
proprietor. Thomas Fowler, one of the
pioneer cattle kings, through patriotic mo-
tiyes selected as his brand 49," and il
soon became familiar in every stock mar
ket and among stock dealers throughout
California.
As Fowler's herds ranged over this ter
ritory during the grassy season it eradu-
ally became known as the "76" country,
and naturally enough the name attaches to
the canal and other industries and enter
prises local to the section.
BRINGING IN WATER
1t being shown that water was the one
and only thing needfui to make this sec
ton one of the richest in the world, syn
dictate of capitalists engaged in gigantic
scheme to irrigate an area of $4,000 acres
of this land, and in June, 1882, incorpor-
ated under the title of
THE "76" LAND AND WATER COMPANY
They began work on their ditch at once
and pushed it with such vigor that it was
completed to Traver early in the season OF
1884. This great canal takes its supply of
water from Kings river, in the foothills Of
the SierraS, about twenty-five miles north
east of the city of Fresno, and from the
point of diversion to Button-willow creek,
distance of fifteen miles, the canal is 10C
feet wide on the bottom with banks to
carry stream of water four feet deep.
The side slopes of the canal are two feet
horizontal to one foot vertical measure
ment, giving surface width of water,
when running at its full capacity, of l16
feet; or, Il cross-section would show vol
ume of four feet by los feet From But
ton-willow creek to the town Of Traver an
arm of the canal known as the railroad
branch, is constructed, which has width
of sixty feet feet on the bottom, with side
slopes of two feet on one. OF lateral canals
the most important are the Seventy-sx
Bottom (where Kings river energies irons
the hills, the Wahtoke Peninsula, the
Smiths Ferry and the Stokes Valley; all
in turn, tapped by numerous distributing
bitches, finished and in the course of con-
struction. 1t is not easy to estimate the
mileage of main laterals and smaller
bitches rs they are being extended con-
stantly, and what would be an approximate
mileage at present would be wide of the
mark a few months hence. When entirely
completed, considering the capacity of the
main canal and the extensive supply OF
water afforded by Kings river, the whole
system, with the many leaders, Will not
fall much short of an aggregate of 500
miles.
The source of the rs canal is higher up
on Kings river than any other, and the
supply is almost unlimited. The railroad
branch carries to the town of Traver ], 800
cubic feet a second, and supply OF that
magnitude will irrigate 2oS,000 acres of
land per annum, making lo,400 tracts of
twenty acres each, demonstrated in the
Fresno colonies to be capable Of yielding
comfortable living for family of FIVE
persons on each tract, or homes for an ag-
gregate population of $1,000 souls, aside
from those occupied by the professions and
trades, necessarily a part Of such 4 COM
munity.
VARIETY OF SOILS.
The soils in the vicinity are represented
Nv IL,
The white alkali, white ash red hogwal-
low and red plain 1t is unfortunate that
the first named should all be concentrated,
and lie in close proximity to the railroad
track and about the townsite, for rs it is
in its natural state practically worthless. it
gives the casual observer a very erroneous
impression about the land generally in the
locality. 1t poses in its conspicuousness as
representative of the section, but in
reality - constitutes such small
percentage of the euliiYable area as not to
be worthy of mention bat for the position
it occupies.
The white ash is identical with that of
the now celebrated Fresno colonies that
has proven SO admirably adapted for 5rri-
Cation and ti,e production of raisins and
fruit. 1t represents 4 considerable portion
of the land to.the southeast, east and north
east OF the town for a distance of several
miles, but all within the irrigable distria,
of the IS canal
The remaining lands ase about equally
divided between the two last classes. the
exceeding fertility and friability of whic.l
have beer 50 oftea described in these col
amns as te make repetition herealnneces-
sary.
THE WHEAT SHIPMENTS.
The sandlapper devoted his attention
mainly TO wheat-gvowing, which still
continues te be the staple product,
although sooner O. later it must
inevitably give way to that superior
industrg, the cultivation of horticultural
products in 1856, the surplus wheat
shipped by rail from TraEer, as shswn By
the railroad books, amounted to 37.sI4,5T
pounds, and for the seasoR following, 81
407, 100 pounds, or ever 2,o27, goo bsshels
for the past Two years. THIS, in addition