The Arizona sentinel., 1890-08-16
Yuma's Back Country.

out water for irrigation, these lands
are of no value. With it they arc
invaluable, that they can be irri-
gated, and at very small expense
per acre, is a fact established by all
| of the many engineers, who have
given the matter any attention.
Two plans for irrigating these
lands have been proposed one,
favored by engineers, Evans, Craw-
ford Swartz, Ives, Stamford and
others, begins at or near the bound
airy line takes the water out of the
river in pipes, placed deep enough
below the surface, so as to admit a
full free flow of water through the
pipes at the lowest stage of water
i'll the Colorado, and conveys it far
enough to the west, so as to con-
duct it into the great natural canal
system, at or near Cooks Wells.
Then using the already made
canal, the whole lower part Of these
lands can be irrigated The es-
timated cost of putting in the pipes
sufficient to convey water enough
for the purposes required, has been
placed at 50, 100000.
The second project is to go up
the Colorado river to where the
sides and bottom Of the river are
rock bound-put in dam with locks
and a canal for the passage of
boats, such as are used on the
Colorado, and then take the water
out, on to each side of the river in
large iron pipes, and convey it to
where it can be used for the pur-
poses Of irrigation. This plan has
been favored by a large number Of
competent engineers. They are
right when they take the ground,
that this scheme is by far the most
valuable, from the fact that all of
the lands on both sides of the
Colorado can be irrigated, including
all of the mesas and higher valleys,
which cannot be reached by the
other plan; to put this project
through, it will cost not less than
$5,OO0,OOO.
Men with the money, are ready
to take hold of this matter, all that
is required, is that they shall be
made acquainted with the facts.
In the Hrst place, that there are
100000 acres Of the garden lands
of the Pacific Coast, that can be
supplied with an abundance Of
water for $2,5OO,OOO or $1,000
per acre, and in the second case
that there are 100000 acres Of
choice land that can be we'll irri-
gated for 100000 or $3.338 pei
acre.
Again that these lands on their
northern boundary line, are within
four miles Of the Southern Pacific
railroad. If satisfaction rates of
freight cannot be made with this
road, then there is the Colorado
river running directly through
these lands for nearly 100 miles
up which coasting vessels can
come, and by which all of the pro-
ducts of this great valley can be
sent to market.
True what may be done, is hard
to conjecture, but that this great
valley, rich and fertile as it ISIS
to lie idle for any great length of
time-no one can believe.
The men, and the cash are all
ready to carry out this great plan
Of development. 1t only remains
now to be seen what obstacles, if
any may be thrown in the way.
The people of Yuma cannot re-
main idle much longer, and look
on this matter with Indifference.
All of this great valley region 10
Yuma's back country, and it must,
and it will be developed, unless like
the canine in the manger," we re-
fuse to eat, OF to allow other an
imals to eat, and reap the fat of
the land.
A Grand Project.