Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-01-02

other productions, and on the Isleton ranch
there were set out this season 100000
strawberry plants.
A wagon road follows the river the
whole front of the island and ferry at
J Walnut Grove affords transfer to the main
/ land
| ISLETON
/ Is the only town on Andrus Island and is
about 10 miles from Sacramento by public
road and 90 by steamer. The town was
established in 1874 by Josiah Pool, and
gave promise Of great prosperity. In 1875,
a fine wharf was built In the latter part
| of 1876 beet sugar factory was built by
! the California Manufacturing Company,
and made a successful run during the sea-
son of 1877. The plant at the factory was
put in at the cost Of about $4,000 The
machinery was operated day and night
and gave direct employment to about
eighty people and indirect to as many
more. At this time Isleton boosted of
three large hotels, two general merchan-
disc stores butcher and blacksmith shops
water works, and livery stable, etc
The flood Of February, 1873, however.
inundated the island, the failure to pro-
duce a beet crop closed the factory, and
through dilatoriness in repairing the
levees, retaining the land, and a general
lack OF capital and energy the town suf-
fered a relapse from which it is now about
to recover. Many became disheartened
and left the island, not having sufficient
courage to try again to reclaim, but others
with more stamina remained, and to their
personal pluck is due the result which
cenfronts us to-day. In the merchandise
line, P II. Gardner still holds the fort and
also has charge of the post and express
offices. That he has faith in the future
prosperity of the island is evidenced by
the fact that he has recently purchased
10 acres of land in the immediate vicinity
of the town.
Claus Spreckels visited the island some
days ago with view of reviying the sugar
industry in the spring. Should these ar
engagements be completed all the available
land will be devoted to the raising of the
sugar beet. The beet best adapted for
sugar purposes are those of II pounds
weight, and these are produced at an av-
erage of from twenty-five to twenty-eisht
tons to the acre Before it was discovered
that the largest beetS were not best for
sugar purposes thirty-five to forty tons to
the acre was not considered an uncommon
yield. The only trouble in producing the
beets was that they grew too we'll Mr..
Spreckels hopes to obviate this difficulty
by planting so thickly that they will not
have room to grow large.
BRANNAN ISLAND,
Adjoining Andrus on the west, was not in
cluded in the same reclamation district
with lsleton after the flood of 1878, and
so its once fertile fields are now given over
to ducks and tules A few exceptions may
be made to the general rule, notably the
property of Hart F. Smith, at the upper
end of the island and about half mile be-
low Isleton. This place, with a narrow
frontage of the Terschuran and Hodapp
ranches are equally as fertile as any men
toned on Andrus or Grand Islands. Oh
posite Rio Vista some vegetables are raised,
but the resources will never be known I'M
til the reclamation is as perfect as that of
the island above. The same may be said
OF Sherman and Twitchell Islands, which
to-day are nothing more nor less than a
vast inland sea. This land can be re-
claimed and eventually will be, and he
who does reclaim will have land seco.:d in
fertility IN nOna