The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1892-08-13
A County Of Wonders.

Kern county, California. 1t com
prises over 500 square miles ofland
and this is part of what nature has
done for tit has more cubic feet
of mountains than all of Switzerland
with less perpendicular sameness
1t has more fertile valley land than
all of New England, with New York
State thrown in and better clima
to the square inch than that entire
eastern combination. 1t has sec
ond the largest river in the world
which heads amid eternal SHOWS to
end in vast delta without exit to
the sea. 1t embraces part of des-
ert whose gentlest zephyrs would as
tonish the wisest Saharan camel. II
has one mountain valley 5000 to g.
500 feet above the sea, $4,000 OF
whose fruitful acres produce an
nually from % to 80 bushels oil
wheat to the acre. 1t has i'm
mense supplies of oil, asphalt,
gypsum and sulphur. 1t has
mines of gold, silver, lead and anti
mony in its mountains, the sides and
tops of which are covered with q
growth of sturdy pines and it has a
climate varying from that of New
England away down east under six
feet of snow, to the balminess of the
Garden of Eden with $50 days oil
sunshine during a solar year.
Men have possessed this wonderful
country and an epitome of their eff
forts is as follows: A lady owns
$4,000 acres, two men possess 400,
900 acres, one estate has 100000
acres, and six foot gentleman has
never seen all of his 10000 acres
The remainder of 100000 acres OF
arabic land is owned in lesser quaint
ties by more people, but all alike
happy, prospectus and contented.
Irrigation is a necessity, therefore
1S44 miles of canals, from 90 to 40C
feet in width have been constructed
and |, 100 miles of distributing ditch
es are fed from these, passing from
1000 to 10000 cubic feet of water
per second out over the soil or into
reservoirs. There are two main weirs
one 400 and one 800 feet wide with
countless lesser weirs, headgates,
drops and other mechanisms for dis
tributing or restraining water.
The most efficient canal, due to its
steep grade, is 100 feet wide and &c
miles long with a carrying capacity
of 5000 cubic feet Of water per sec
ond. No horse can ford it and many
men have lost their lives trying to
cross it. Its principal weir is TIC
feet wide between wings and rises 2t
feet above the apron.
The largest canal is 400 feet wide
and six miles long with a capacity
Of 10000 cubic feet per second.
The most useful canal is eighty
feet wide, 80 miles long, built as fiat
as water can flow, but yet has ca
pacity Of 700 cnbic feet per second
irrigates $4,000 acres of land and
cost 100000 Tenderfeet generally
suffer baptism in trying to cross it
wiser ones 60 around
The largest reser, Dir covers $4,000
acres of land, holds lbs, 100000,
600 gallons Of water, cost $780, DOC
and has q railroad along its ievee BY
which earth and rock are brought
from gravel banks to repair wave
washings. If itcould be dropped all
at once upon Rhode Island muct
would be said about kingdom come
This water is diverted for a pur.
pose, to wit: There are 100000 acres
of alfalfa in Kern county, and 10000
acres in one single field; 30, 900 acres
of wheat and barley; $4,000 acres o.
Indian corn, and 5000 acres of Egyp
tian corn, with 5000 acres of orchard
and vine.
Nearly 10000 head of cattle wer.
shipped from Kern in 1891, and there
are about 100000 head left
There are probably 10000 head Of
horses and mules in the county 400,
600 sheep and 5000 hogs.
The largest and most complete
ranch in the world devoted to rails
ing draft horses and roadsters is 10
Gated in Kern and there is one stocl
farm devoted entirely to thorough