The herald., 1894-03-01
ABOUT YUMA AND THE COLORADO
Irrigation Possibilities and the
Mining Situation.
The Importance of Improving the
Channel of the River.
An Immenss Body OF Rich Land watt
Ing for Water-A Region which
Gt~.s Great Promise FOR
Ihe Futsrs.
speclsl eorrssnondence % Inc HsNALn

Special eorrsseondence to the HaRALD
YUMA, Feb. 22.-In regard TO the
placer mines it may be stated in gem
eral way that they extend over the en-
tire country from the Needles to the
Gulf, excepting the valley land on and
adjacent to the river and the most abb
rupt mountains. There are hundreds
OF Americans, Mexicsns and Indians
working dry washers and making from
90 cents to $3.50 to $5 per day to each
man. From this statement estimates
may be made of the product OF such
ground by application of water; an ex-
ample of which will soon be demon
atrated by the Pichscho Mining company,
London cooperation, operating power
ful pumping and hydraulic plant 1S
miles from Yuma on the California side.
There is quite an influx of people COM
ing in from various parts of the country.
vi the mining class more come from
Colorado and include OF pros
pectors and capitalists seeking invest
ment.
In returning to the field of the poor
mans interest in the proposed San Die
go and Phoenix railroad, but specially
the valley land of the Colorado river, IL
may sound distrustful and incredulous
TO the contracted views OF many and
those ignorant of the stupendous magni-
tude OF this country and its multitudin-
GUS resources TO say that the lower 125
miles OF the valley alone warrant the
Of fxun
miles in length and 100 feet wide by 20
to 80 feet deep, taken out on opposite
sides OF the river.
To the south and west OF Yuma there
is an unbroken body of land 100 miles
square through which the San Diego
and Phoenix railrpsd is now surveyed,
and no good reasons can be assigned as
to its imprscticability, or why
one OF these great canals should not be
extended from the river even beyond
the confines of the 100 miles squares in
the direction OF the SRlton sea, and
used not only for irrigation purposes
but for the valuable additional purpose
OF navigation with light draft boats.
Having their connection with the
river and with the Atlantic and Pacific
railroad, and the Southern Pacific rail-
road the remote parts of the great valley
andsadj jacent mining districts would be
greatly accommodated.
An appreciated merit OF the navigable
Colorado has not been expressed. 1t is
one OF the pRssways, the outlet and con-
Meeting chain, not only linking this vast
territory of varied wealth with salt
water navigation, San Diego, Los An
geles, San Francisco, the redwood forest
and coal field of the north, but with all
of the outer world, and thereby one of
the cheapest transportation lines is es-
tablished to be found in the United
States.
1t is in place to present to those
not familiar with this little dominion of
varied wealth, the Importance of i'm
proving the lower river channel. And
as the river flows through the parts of
two governmental territories, viz: the
United States and Mexico, it should be
national cooperative enterprise. The
strengthening of the mean6ering chan
mel and leveeing its banks, is the prob
able work for which we should ask of
congress an appropriation.
There are millions of acres Of land
30 situated as not to require reclaim
ing or protection, but for larger terri
tory, and the improvement of the nsvi-
gable waters and to increase the guam
tity by diverting the underhow to the
surface, making the supply ample for
all purpose; the filing OF the two canals
each 30 by 100 feet, 100 miles long,
one of which may be continued to the
Salton lake, thereby forming q conven-
lent and beneficial inland sea or lake
and q water transportation line having
its connection with the river and gulf OF
California.
The beneficial effects OF such an en-
terprise connected with the whole, ia
beyond the comprehension of the most
expansive imagination of man. An in
land sea. rs to 100 miles in length, with
many steamboats, plying upon the sur
face. with it's outlet to the Pacific ocean,
the glorious effect it would produce in
modifying the heated area of that local
ity, where the earth's surface is 300 feet
below the Pacific ocean, the
probable effect of increasing
the rainfall and the opening
up and making accessible an extensive
quartz mills and smelters about its
borders. And why not a popular
winter resort?
And thatwhich is possibly OF superior
magnitude and value to larger number
is the extensive agricultural and horti-
cultural land lying to the east and south
of the proposed lake, including the ex-
pansive country through which the
canals would flow and the 100 miles
square Of land nearer the river.
In extinct ages, time of which no
man knoweth, possibly a million Of
years since, this fertile section no doubt
maintained many thousands of people.
That they were artful, practicable and
expansive in their operations is conclu-
sively proven by the systematical con-
struction of their canals and bitches,
that are of immense proportion and great
length. They vary from the size OF
small ditch to great canal, 100 to 150
feet wide, with unknown depth. and are
variously estimated to be from 200 to
400 miles long and are very perfect in
their delineation at the present time.
That this country WAS densely popu-
lated and the land teemed with iuxur-
liant products, fruits and flowers, ia q
foregone conclusion with all thinking
people cognizant of the evidence.t The
question now is, Will it continue to lie
here dormant aad nom producing, or will
it again be utilized and the earth be
burdened with the necessities to mans
progress and happiness, and the air
filed with the sweet fragrance OF the