The record-union., 1893-02-15
Interesting Meeting Of the State
Board of Trade.
IRRIGATION PROBLEMS DISCUSSED
AT LENGTH
A Carpenter at San Francisco Suicides
by Shooting Himself Through the
Head-TroubIe Breaks Out Between
Union and Non-UnIon Sailors at
Eureka, Cal.-An Oregon Minister
Frozen to Death.
Special to the REcoRp-ux1ox.

the State Board of Trade was held this
afternoon at the rooms in the basement of
the Croker building, President Gregory
occupying the chair.
The proceedings began with the read
ing of a paper upon the benefits of irri-
cation in Fresno county by Mayor S. II.
Cole of the city of the same name. In
the paper the author stated that there
were 10000 acres of land irrigated in
Fresno County. Before the system was
inaugurated, the land in question was
worth about ten cents an acre for pastur-
age only. AS things are now, however,
the value of the productions of the land
irrigated is estimated at between $50 and
$500 per acre. AS secondary result, the
population of the county has increased
from 1000 to $1,000.
Continuing, Mr.. Cole stated that nearly
one-half of the land irrigated now needs
no surface irrigation, being sub-irrigated
by percolation, producing as good results
as surface irrigation. Mr.. Cole gave a
quantity of valuable statistics in relation
to irrigation generally in Fresno County,
stating, for example, that in what is
known as the California Bank tract, COM
prising $4,000 acres of land, the water
level has been raised from sixty feet be-
low the surface to within twenty feet.
w. II. Mills of the Southern Pacific
Land Department followed Mr.. Cole with
some extempore remarks upon the same
subject. lie acknowledged the truth of
what had been said in regard to the bene-
fits of irrigation, but urged that some
H.
enough merely to accomplish good re-
suits by irrigation, but something should
be done to place a proper statement of
such results before the world. In the
same connection he quoted an article
written by William Roberts and pub
lished- in the well-known English jour-
nal, the Fortnightly ReUietC. In this
article rather discouraging account of
California's producing capabilities was
given, at all events the readers of the
article were warned not to expect too
much.
In the article in question there were
certain things, Mr.. Mills held, which had
some foundation in truth, and there was
the more need, therefore, that some
effective means should be adopted to cor
rectly inform the public as to the actual
condition of affairs. In other words,
California and her capabilities still needed
advancing.
Referring generally to the subject of
irrigation, Mr.. Mills stated that as yet
it did not seem to lie understood. There
were many features to which as yet suffi-
cient weight was not attached. For one,
Mr.. Mills quoted the statement made in
Mr.. Coles essay to the effect that the ir-
rigation in Fresno County had brought
the water table" materially nearer to
the surface than it had formerly been.
THE inevitable result of this, Mr.. Mills
commended, would be that in time the land
would be so saturated with water that
practically nothing would grow upon it.
Manifestly, therefore, system of drain
age must accompany every system of ir-
rigation if ultimate disaster were to be
avoided.
There was need, Mr.. Mills contended,
for more study of the irrigation PROPOSE
ton. There was too little attention paid
for instance to the character of the soil
or rock amid which the water used for
irrigation had its sources. 1t must not
fertilze, but merely serves to make it
possible for the fertilizing properties of
the soil to become of use as plant food
Mr.. Mills did not believe that as yet any,
thing like enough had been done to place
California fruit before the people of the
United States.
He recited the fact that the Fruit Union
had only shipped l ,233,005 packages of
California fruit, whereas 81, coo, 900 pack
ages. or one for every person of the
country's population ought to be the
order of things. and would be under
proper conditions.
Mr.. Mills urged the importance of the
State Board of Trade making an ADEQUATE
reply to the article in the FIort1ughtly
ReuielC. Mr.. Hutchinson described the
great irrigation work going on in Lassen
County.
Mr.. McAfee of Bakersfield was inclined
to think the F'orteightiy Reuiep warning
was timely one in many respects.
Mr.. Mills, commenting on the over
production arguments, predicted that this
would adjust itself. He argued that
history showed that special products.
such as fruit, will finally be produced
chiefly in these districts, where they can
be produced best and cheapest. He said
too. that freight rates and the trans
portation problem would be solved salts
factorily as the fruit product increased in
quantity.
Mr.. Mills was appointed committee
of one to answer the F'ort1Ggat{y Reuieac
article.
Messrs. Mills, McAfee and Maslin were
named as a special committee on irriga-
ton topics.
The March meeting will be the annual
meeting, when officers will be nominated
and elected.