The herald., 1893-12-16
THIS DESERT WILL BLOSSOM.
The Southern Pacific's Recent
Large Land Sale.
Over Five Millions of Dollars in the
Great Enterprise.
A Half Million Acres Disposed Of-An
Immense Irrigating Canal to
Be Constructed by the
Purchasers.

San Francisco Call: One OF the larg-
est land deals ever effected in the history
of California was practically closed up
yesterday. 1t involves the sale of
100000 acres of land in the lower part
of the state by the Southern Pacific
railway company to the Colorado River
Irrigation company. All that now re-
mains to be done prior to the formal
transfer OF the property to the new pur-
chaser is the signature of President @.
2. Huntington to the papers, which are
now on their way to New York.
The price secured for the land was
So 800. 900, and this amount, taken in
connection with that which will be ex-
pended in the construction OF the pro-
posed system OF irrigation, will bring
the sum up to over $1,000, ,000
Attorney.General Hart, who has rep
resented the purchaser in the transac-
ton, said last night that the irrigation
system was by far the greatest thing of
the kind in America.
when completed" said he, "the
canal will be within 10 feet as wide as
the largest similar piece of construction
III tnO WOflu, b1ic dhlRCS Cuudl III lnQld,
which is the widest, deepest and carries
the most water. The one in contempa-
tion will be just as deep, and by making
it 10 feet wider, it would be capable OF
irrigsting 100000 acres additional to
that which it is designed to supply.
Under the present plans its capacity
will be equal to supplying 1,200,00
acres OF land with with water, or 7U0,-
mn tpnl,1IpA ir,t he Ia
just closed"
'The cost of this immense undertak-
ing is estimated at $2,750,000, and
glance at the names of the gentlemen
who are identified with the undertaking
will be sufficient to safety the most
skeptical as to the legitimacy of the un.
dertaking and the certainty of its COM
pletion. @. Il. Dow, the president oil
the compang, is president OF the Com
mercial National bank o. Denver; +. p.
Ernest and Crank Church, two of the
directors, are respectively president and
Weep sdent OF the American National
bAnk Of Denyer, and ali the OIL her officers
are gentlemen OF wealth and standing
The Colorado river, from which the
necessary supply OF water is expected
to be obtained. is the drainage channel
OF an immense area lying IN several
states. 1t is navigable during high Wa
tee for nearly $50 miles from the gulf of
California. At point known as Pot
holes, nine miles above Yuma, the river
leaves the last canon and emerges into
the plain.
1t is at this point that it is expected
to start the canal, to run thsnce ON the
west side OF the river in generally
northwesterly direction for Is miles to
E Rio, which ia a point near the river
and il west of Yuma. The city OF Yuma
is on the east side of the river and is in
Arizona. 1t is an important point on
the Southern Pacific railroad, and it is
here that the railroad crosses the Colo
RADIO river. The canal enterprise is on
the west side OF the river in California.
From Ell Rio the main canal will run
west by south about 40 miles. A survey
has been made on plan OF carrying the
canal from the last-mentioned point in
O direction at right angles with the main
canal, running northerly to Flowing
Wells, about So miles from the place oil
beginning, aud thence on to Indio,
which is a station on the Southern Pa
citic road. lndio is situated on the
northwesterly extremity of the Colorado
desert, and would be about l46 miles by
the canals route from it's head at Pot
holes.
Such o canal course would bring under
it's level a great tract OF land in the Col
orado desert on the east side within that
basin within which lies the Salton sink,
now well known as the drainage recep-
tacle of that region. 1t is also within
the surveyed plans to carry the canal in
another branch from a point W here
right angle turn is made, running south-
erly and westerly, and gradually defect
ing northeTly around the west side oil
this natural basin, which has it's lowest
level in the Sslton sink. This branch
will bring under water q large area of
the desert which lies on the west side of
the middle OF this basin.
The lands of the Colorado desert that
will be earliest reclaimed are situated in
the state OF California, San Diego county,
and amonnt to SOC, 1000 acres.
A part OF the land irrigable from the
system lien in Lower California, Mexico.
The canal will pass into Mexico at Pilot
Knob, and continue on in Mexico until
it enters California again by the north
erly bend on the west side of tie basin
spoken of.
The part of the canal which will be
the largest in its carrying capacity will
be that which extends from Potholes to
Ell Rio; the main canal will alec extend
from Ell Rio to whore the canal branches
at right angles.
Tho canal from it's head down to Ell
Rio Will be about $50 feet wide on TOP
and ll6 feet wide on the bottom, with a
depth of water of 10 feet, and will carry
WORLDS FAIR ME.