The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-02
THE FRASER RIVER MARSHES.
All tho Low Prairies Can BE Reclaimed
by tho Construction OF Dykes.
Vancouver World

All the Low PrAfries Can BE Reclaimed
by tho Construction of Dykes.
Vancouver World.
All the prairie lands in the Fraser river valley
can be reclaimed with perfect ease The Mats
qui praires, extending to over 10000 acres of the
very best OF lands. may now be said to be salts
factoriiy dyked This year the water rose eigh-
teen inches higher than at any previous period,
excepting 1876 and 1882, when in the latter year
1t was fully four feet higher than 1t was this
year, and . couple of feet In 1870 Outside tho
dyke the river was Ave to six feet higher than
the land inside. The only water ON the prsirie
was in the sloughs, and this came from the
mountains inside the dyke. With such a water
on the Pitt meadows. tho MatsQui prairie could
ba perfectly dry. wheel We understand will
be erected this summer, and the work will then
be complete. 1t 10 estimated that inside OF Ave
years there will be at least hundred settlers on
this prairie. As already reported, 1900 acres
have been reclaimed on the banks of the Lii
looet river, Pitt meadows. Those who visited
the locality few days since say the land is dry,
and the dyke is tight as bottle. The area of
the Pitt meadows is estimated at 5000 acres.
When fully reclaimed the land is to be sold in
blocks OF forty acres each, no settler being al.
lowed to purchase more than that quantity. In
the course OF q few years, if all goes well, the
farming population of this section will be mum.
bered by thousands The work of dyking will
be pushed on vigorously by the contractor, Mr..
Pike, until completed.
As to the Sumas prairie, work upon its reclaim
alton would have been on the way ere this but
for sickness. 1t 10 but q matter now of q few
weeks when steps will be taken to prosecute the
work with all the energy skill and capital can
command. The area of this prairie 10 placed at
$1,000 acres. The soil cannot be surpassed for
fertility. steps being taken to make an
early start with the work of retaining the
Hattie prairie, which covers an area Of several
thousand acres of the choicest land.
The dyking scheme Lulu island is being
carried on with commendable vigor by the
Messrs. Mclean Bros. All who have examined
their work pronounce 1t succsss aud credit
to the skill and ability OF the contractors. Here
also thousands of acres are to be placed on the
market at prices which will secure q speedy
sale, as these lands in consequence of their
proximity to Vancouver, New Westminster and
the shipping facilities to Victoria aud Nanaimo
will always be valuable In Delta extensive
reclamation works are talked about Already
considerable dyking has been DONE If the
schemes now talked about completed MANY
thousand acres will be reclaimed aud become
valuable: for few sections are prolific in the
capabilities of the soil as 10 the Delta.
In Surrey dyking has been carried on for
some time. Considerable has yet to be done:
but when completed q large area will be added
to the arabic and pasture land of that 6ne
municipality Langley is discussing the pro-
priety OF dyking her prairie and other lands
subject TO overflow.
Competent judges assert that fully 100000
acres OF the very best soil, the capabilities of
which for all purposes of farming and fruit cul.
within few years and made to blossom Is the
rose.