The herald., 1893-11-26
RECLAlMING THE DESERT
THE EFFECTS OF IRRIGATION ON
M0JAyE WASTES.
Eastern Capital Engaged in Big
Eaterprise-Work of tho Santa
Fe COMPANY in Develop
Ing Water.

Yesterday morning, by invitation OF
the Southern California Improvement
company. party of about 100 gentle
men and half dozen ladies boarded a
special train at La Grande station bound
for the scene OF the company's extensive
operations 10 miles east of Daggett, on
the Santa Fe route in San Bernardino'
county.
The party was composed OF real estate
men, irrigation experts, members of the
city council and goodly sprinkling OF
newspaper men. The train left La
Grande atstion at 7 :35 a. M. and arrived
at Daggstt shortly after the noon hour,
whore they were met by Mr.. G. L.
Crowley, the grading contractor,
and his brotherr Capt. E. H.
Crowley. These y gentlemen had
prepared substantial lunch, after par
taking OF which the party was showH
over the improvements which are being
rapidly carried forward. 1t is the plan
OF the company to take water from the
underflow Of the Mojeve river at point
about four miles west of Daggett. The
underhow is tapped by box fume
1900 feet in length and 10 feet square ex-
tending diagonally across the bed of the
river IA feet below the surface, with
eheet pile dam across the stream below
the hume extending to stratum of clay
go as to entirely stop the underfow OF
the stream. This fume will be COM
pleted within two weeks after the arrival
of the lumber, SO carloads of which are
now on the way. The canal, whi;h 10
already cut for over mile, is 81 feet
deep and when entirely completed
will be about 20 miles long.
Its carrying capacity will be
25,0 600 inches, and the engineers in
charge OF the work estimate that there
will be sufficient to fill the canal when
the developments are complete. That
amount of water would irrigate 125,000
acres of land, but water rights for only
40, 900 acres are to be sold until the de-
velopments will warrant further sales.
The land which will be reclaimed by
this enormous system OF irrigation has
heretofore been considered absolutely
worthless on account of the absence of
water, but there are at least 70, 600
acres which will be as choice land as
there 10 to be found in thu state and is
nearly all government land. This
area will be largely increased
as the system is developed.
There are about 100 teams and $50
men now at work on the canal, besides
steam dredger and about 5000 cubic
yards of earth are removed daily. Mr..
.Crawley, the contractor, agrees to have
the water delivered on the lands by the
first of March, 1894. A townsite has
been laid out and has been named Min
nicola in honor OF Mrs. Minnie Dieterle,
the wife OF one of the prime movers in
the enterarise. The surrounding noun
tains are rich in minerals, and it is pro-
posed to build at once branch railroad
to tho iron mines near the townsite,
and which are said to be exceedingly
valuable, assaying 20 per cent pure iron.
The company is spending large sumo
of money, which is eastern capital.
The cost of the first 10 miles OF the
Canal will exceed $125, 900. The enter
prize illustrates in fcrcible manner
the feasibility OF reclaiming vast areas
of land by irrigation which must other
wise remain desert. 6fh Sa
After seeing the sights the party
boarded the train to return to Los Ange-
les. To express their appreciation of
the trip the. guests unanimously passed
the following resolution:
Resolved, That we hereby tender our
thanks to the Southern California I'm.
provement company and the Santa
Fe Railroad company for a view
of what promises to become
under their intelligent use of
labor and, money, one Of the rich and
populous settlements of Southern Cali
fornia.
Resolved, That we heartily thank
these companies for the many courte-
sizes extended to US today and assure
them of our sincere Wishes and encour-
aging words for the success of this enter
prise in developing this arid country
and sffording the landless an oppor-
tunity to own homes where they may
have comfort, plenty and beauty COM
bined. -
The special arrived in Los Angeles at
IL 80, having travelled distance of
about 3502miles.