The herald., 1893-10-24
IRRIGATION IDEAS IN lND|O,
A Place Where the Desert Is
Being Transformed.
Delegates to the International Con-
gress Take an Enjoyable Trip.
The Southern Pacific Railway Gives
tho Visitors Journey to Indio.
The Wells and What
They Have Done.

~--NI
Yesterday morning at s o'clock the
last of the irrigation congress delegates
remaining here, together with COM
mittee Of 20 from the chamber OF COM
merce, accepted the courteaies and
hospitality Of the Southern Pacific rail-
road for an excursion to Indio. The
train was handsome one, just out of
shops, officered with trusty engineer
and conductor, with Captain Henry
Steere as cnaperon. The dust had
been laid and the atmosphere purified
by the rains of the night previous. and
the elements and all entered into joint
conspiracy to make this parting excur-
sion the pleasantest Of all.
The object OF this trip was to see the
desert in all its intensity and .what
water would do even on the lands below
sea level.
The trip through the San Gabriel,
Pomona and San Bernsrdino valleys
was enjoyed by the visitors and not less
by the Los Angeles men, who seemed
astonished at the improvements in this
section since they had taken an outing
in this direction. OF course the visitors
were ready for any surprises, as they
had been surfeited with them during
their trips throughout Southern Cali
fornia the past week.
As the train passed near the foothills
at Cucamongs the mountain tops were
covered with snow, while the excursion
lists preferred the shady side of the car
to the warm sunshine and it seemed
quite hard for them to understand that
it could not be colder in the valley with
the snow almost overhead and that no
snow, ice and freezing weather would
be experienced here as the winter
months came on.
The atmosphere OF the San Gorgonio
paes was crisp and delicious as cham
paigne and enjoyed by everybody. The
transition was startling from orange
groves and orchards of delicious fruits
whose leaves have just begun to turn,
up to the summit, 25S0 feet above the
sea level, and then to plunge down the
desolate side OF mountains into the
run OF the tTain-for it wac running
wild with orders to go-until the train
stopped at Indio station, so feet below
sea level
Awhiff of the desert air as the passen-
gers stood under the wide-spreading
palms was inspiration itself; ''pure, dry
tempered climate, made to order," to
quote the words of one OF this city's
solid men, who is not given to gushing.
So it was voted, without compromise or
a night session. How old are these
palms," was the question that was
asked by excursionists of every one, not
satisfied with the response OF the tank
man, who said he planted them IL years
ago the 10Th of last month, And such
palma But this is the native home OF
the California palm.
Here the railroad company has sunk
we'll 900 feet deep to secure flowing
stream that would measure about Is
miners inches. This we'll is utilized
for furnishing water for engines and
tank cars that run across the desert, for
the trains at various points, for domestic
use OF the colony, and to irrigRte the
various trees the company has set out,
including coffee trees imported from
Guatamala, which are all f1ourishing.
Verify Indio is an oasis in the desert.
Private individuals noting what a
little water can do have sunk other
wells and have planted fruit trees and
grape vines, all of which have come in
to bearing within the past year or two.
The results have shown this region will
produce the whole range of decidious
fruits including figs, grapes, apricots
and nectarines, at least six weeks earlier
than any other section in the state. The
fruits shipped from here to San Fran
cisco and Los Angeles brought big
prices last season and the demand was
for more.
Besides the artesian wells, these came
parties have put down a we'll 96 feet deep
which is provided with 3.horse power
gasoline engine that is pumping q TO-
inch head of water for irrigation. The
soil is very deep fertile sediment, once
the bottom Of lake, filled with shslls
and strong with phosphates and With
water and muscle will yield prodigious
returns.
The excursion returned late in the
evening much pleased with the trip and
what they saw and ready in the future
to testify that with irrigation the desert
as it is, can be made to blossom as the
| rose.
Among the delegates and members
from the chamber of commerce were
noticed Mrs. Anderson, Mr.. and Mrs.
Matnoru, moubgomery OIhuuhii, LII. anu
Mira. q. A. Miller. G. E. Welby, w. @.
Patterson. J. @. Ksys. ]. B. Lanker-
shin, Mr.. Formsn, Mr.. Chanslor, Geo.
Rice, Mr.. Braley, H. Jevns, Mr.. Pirtle,
Mr.. and Mrs. Ray and Captain Seaman.
The following resolutions, presented
by w. @. Patterson, were adopted by
the excursion at the supper station at
Ontario on the return trip:
Resolved, That the thanks OF this
party is hereby extended to the Southern
Pacific railroad ite debonalr representa-
tives, Captain Henry Steere and Mr..
Requa, who by their several contribu-
| tions, consisting of transportation, land
ecapes, artssian water. and substantial
edibles, have made the day interesting,
instructive and memorable.
Resolved, That what we saw has been
O revelation of possibilities heretofore
unsupported by uH as to the results
which may ba obtained in the vicinity
of Indio by the union of water with the
fertile soil and beautiful sunshine.
CEYLON TEAS. Msia sTEfHMks; MarSs;