The herald., 1893-10-10

take the chances OF being right or
wrong.
southern California has but just
begun to develop. The horizon of de-
velopment is broader today than it was
10 years ago. Then we thought the
limit was almost reached now we know
it is not.
''The future development of wealth in
Southern California lies in storage reser-
voirH. This has been amply illustrated.
In the first place the man who puts
money into storage reservoirs makes
money at rate that is more than eatis-
factory, and the man who owns the land
to be irrigated makes more money than
the man who furnishes the water. For
instance, the Bear Valley reservoir was
built in 1884. The original stockholders
put in $150,000. They then drew out in
water dividends $4,000. Three years
ago they reorganized the company and
put in 5000, 600 more, and then the face
value of their stock amounted to 81 AGO.
600. Two years ago 10 per cent divi-
dend OH that stock was paid amounting
to $3.50, 900. One year ago another simi-
lar dividend was paid, and this last May
another dividend of 15 per cent was
paid, amounting to $3.50, ,000-s total of
81, 100000 in dividends on an invest
ment of s350000."
'But what about the land irrigated?"
asked the reporter.
"Why, the Alessandro tract was
bought three years ago for an average of
$18 an acre, and today it sells for 500
an acre and upward, and during the
three seasons 5000 acres have been
placed under irrigation, while 1900 acres
more have met the same fate in the
Perris district, irrigated from the same
Source.
''Col. E. L. Mayberry and his asaoci-
ates are doing a similar work at the
Hemet reservoir for the celebrated
Hemet tract near San Jacinto.
''The Sweetwater reservoir is making
paradise along the bay front below
National City, where few years ago
the land was practically worthless for
want of water. And there is solid
wealth in that paradise, too.
'Then there is the Linda Vista irriga-
tion district, which is contracting for a
supply of water to irrigate another large
tract of land this side OF San Diego.
1.-THE Jamacha district in San Diego
county has also contracted with the Mt.
Tecarto Water company to build another
reservoir that will add millions OF wealth
to the back country of the City on the
Bay.
''ln San Bernardino county the Arrow
head company are at work on q system
of reservoirs that will furnish 1900 inches
of water to irrigate 10000 of land, more
land than there is under actual irriga-
ton today in either San Bernardino or
Riverside counties.
"Then there is the Victor reservoir
company, which is larger than any other
south OF Tehachepi. 1t will irrigate over
200, 900 acres of land with dam $50 feet
high, or $780, 900 acres with dam 75
feet high. The 150 foot dam will supply
the water to irrigate more land than
there is irrigated today south of the
Tehachepi pass.
'These are startling figures; our peo-
pie will fail to grasp them at first, but
they are true, and these irrigation works
are being built, whether we coin our
silver into legal tender dollars or melt it
up and cast it into cooking stoves.
''Then there ia the Colorado River Ir-
rigation company, which will soon
commence work to divert q portion OF
the Colorado river out upon the Colo
RADIO desert, through q canal 1l8 feet
wide on the bottom and IA feet deep,
carrying $500 cubic feet of water per
second, or It's, 900 ilches of water
enough water to irrigate 1,750, 900 acres
of land on q basis OF ona inch to 10
acres, or less land if more water is used
to the acre.
Southern California is considered the
tail of the California dog, but if our
present development and grow th keeps
up at the present rate, it wfll be but
few years before the tail will wag the
dog in very vigorous manner.
'Since 1880 Southern California has
increased in population at a wonderful
rate. Then it had ga 37S inhabitants,
but now, 13 years later, it las popula-
ton of 242, 2,6lS. During this same period
OF 13 years, 80 of the 46 counties north
of the Tehachepi have gained in popula-
tion only 6S, while the estimated de-
crease in ths population Of San Francisco
in the past three years has been over
Is 000.
"Central and Southern California are
| beiag eaveQ from decay end dry rot by
! irrigation in soma localities, for the San
! joaquin vallay ia actually making vlg-
orous growth under tho stimulating ef-
iects OF water for irrigation only"
/
| sTATE DIVISION THE ONLY REMEDY.
No Favors from Nor.bora California in
Irrlgstion.
The HERALD called attention to the
crude condition OF the water laws OF
California. The fact is, the matter has
never been fully considered in all OF itH
different aspects. No better opportunity
. has ever been afforded to thoroughly dis
cuss the question than at the irrigation
congress.
The first legislature which met at San
Jose in December, 1849, unfortunately
for Southern California, adopted the
common law. Far better would it have
been for us if the civil law had been
! adopted as the rule of action in this
state, as long as Southern California was
forcibly incorporated into, and in the
same manner kept under Northern Cali
fornia rule.
The principal reason which led to the
adoption o. the common law was that all
the argonautc lawyers were already
familiar with it's principles, and that II
the civil law were adopted thev would
have to unlearn their practice and begin
again with unfam formH.
There were many good, strong and
clear reasons why preference should