The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-04-16
THIs BEATS THE WORLD.
Yakima 10 Have tho Greatest System Of
Of lFFisatilg Canals Known.
An EmDIFe % Land % b Rsclaimsd.
Construction Already ABegun..
Yakima 60 b the LlVOIlesa
POlnG In the NORehVgese.

It IL not the residents Of Yakima alone
who love the beauty and fertility Il pos
Sesses 90 much that In speaking or writ
Ing Of It they sometimes lapse into words
that intimate poetry rather than accuracy
Of statement, but every casual visitor
finds the same enjoyment in the sight Of
its varied charms and give utterance to
the same exuberant praise. This attrac-
ton Of soil, climate and productions has
captured oil classes, including the capt.
talist, who, with shrewd and unerring
judgment, has foreSeen the rich returns
to be had from judicious Investment In
this section. It has taken capital tOopen
up the country, for in this central WASH
ington the most perfect conditions In agri-
culture are only attained through irTiga-
ton. Settlers and private enterprise have
done much in this direction, but there are
other and vast fields within the county
which could only be brought under this
perfect subsection by the use Of aggregate
capital.
For years the people Of Yakima have
looked forward with longing eyes
to the opening up Of the great section Of
country 10 the east Of North Yakima and
extending to the Columbia river. The
rich alluvial soil and the genial climate
has attracted the eye Of the horticulturist,
the viticulturist and the general farmer,
but the country being arid and the great
wealth required to carry water thereon
has until this late day forbid its settle
ment. Various companies have been
to reclaim this land, but the
Of the undertaking as shown
by preliminary surveys has always re-
suited in the abandonment Of the project
until q year ago, when the Northern Pa
cific, Yakima and Kittitas Irrigation com.
pany was incorporated and Immediately
arranging preliminaries for
the prosecution Of the work. Enterprises
Of great magnitude are necessarily slow
in getting down to actual construction,
and this has been no exception to the
rule. Every detail has been looked, into
in order to see that the project was FEAST
BILE. II has taken over year to get the
surveys in such shape that the company
felt justified in beginning, and this engl-
neering work has been done at an actual
outlay Of 10000. At first the surveying
was slow and proved unsatisfactory, but
with the engagement Of G. 4. lockwood,
an irrigation engineer Of great ability, as
chief engineer, and William Hammond
Hall, state irrigation engineer Of Califor-
mia, rs consulting engineer, the work
moved rapidly and in q manner gratifying
10 the company.
The plans laid out contemplate q series
Of great canals, and to Mr.. Paul SchulEe,
presidet Of the irrigation company,
b mainly due the credit Of inaugurating
and bringing to Q successful issue this
huge undertaking. He has worked intel
ligently and tirelessly to this end, and
The people Of Yakima fully appreciate his
Efforts and admire his ability. In this
work Mr.. schulEe has been ably assisted
by Mr.. Walter N. Granger, the manager
Of the company, a gentleman Of culture
and great executive force, who has had
much experience in large irrigation pro-
lects, which have been brought to 0 suc-
ressful conclusion.
The name Of the company embraces
Kittitas, for the reason that 1t Is contem-
plated eventually 10 embrace that valley
In the system. In Yakima county two
main canals are laid out, known as the
upper and lower canals, and Il is the
lower one on which all surveys have been
and on which active constFuc-
lion work was commenced on Monday
last. This canal begins at . point about
Two miles below Union gap and will
SIMPLY into the Yakima opposite the town
81 Prosser. Its dimensions are thirty feet
wide on the bottom, sixty-two on top,
and will carry SO 900 cubic feet per minute.
The length Of the canal is sixty-five miles
and 1t is the contract for the first twenty
ave miles that has Just been let. This
embraces the heaviest work and
Tor some distance will cost 5000 per
mile. As an evidence Of the difficulties
10 be overcome, there is one cut Of 600
Ieet in length from which upwards Of
q. 900 cubic yards Of earth will have to
be removed. The lands directly covered
by the canal aggregate 9O,5OO acres.
Engineer lockwood estimates that this
land, with q population no greater
than on similarly favored lands
In California, will support $1,000 people.
The intake Of the upper line or main
canal will be at the wagon road bridge
lcross the Natcheez river and near the
present head Of the Hubbard ditch. The
lands TO be covered are the upper lands
81 the Sunnyside, 5000 acres; the irTi-
gable lands on the Columbia slope Of the
mountains, 10000 acres; the
Irrigable lands Of the Yakima reserva-
ion, and those lands on the west side Of
he Yakima river In the vicinity Of Pros
Yer, altogether about SSO,55O acres. The
canal from the Natcheez 10 Union gap, q
distance Of fourteen miles, will be an i'm
nense affair, carrying Eve times the
amount Of water Of the lower canal, or
l85, 900 cubic feet q minute. At Unlcn |
pap the waters will be separated, one
branch being carried across the river BY |
pipe line at an elevation Of 200 feet,