The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-12

san Francisco. Aug 1.-THE Examiner
says, a number Of Eastern capitalists ara
in this city hard at work on "A scheme
which IL carried out, means the revoiu-
ton OF the fruit industry over the coun-
Try. and perhaps a business boom such ss
the state has never seen. The scheme is
nothing less than the reclamation of the
Colorado desert hy turning the waters OF
the Colorado river over il. Rut that Ia
only a part of the scheme. The company
has grant of l.5Aa0Ga acres in Mexico
Blythe'S famous principality lies on its
western edge. and II IS proposed to take
part of the waters OF the Colorado river In
that imme nse territory too. As outlined.
the plan comnrehendS the development ot
the greatest irrigatins system on the two
Americas, and in the end cheap fruit. The
promoters evidently mean business. for
they have Just handed the Southern Pa
cific company check for 81. assoeta in re-
turn for its title TO the alternate sections
of land in the Salton basin. The land
turned over footed up something like Geo.
GOO acres. This purchase was decided on
as the best method of forever settling any
question that might arise over titles.
Principally Eastern capitnai is behind
the scheme. John c. Beatty. who han
handled more land In the Southwest than
any two men on the continent. Is the gen.
eral manager of the scheme. lie got tha
idea some twelve years ago by watching
the efforts of Millionaire Blythe TO colo
nize his big Mexican grants. Interested
with Mr.. Beatty In the enterprise are sucn
men as James Linton and Henry A. Pierce.
of Providence. X. r.. and Il. Y Mclean. Of
New York. The scheme was started somo
ten years ago. and constant hard work
during all that time has simply brought
IL To the point stated. Preliminary work
of turning the soil for the canal is only
just begun. over $4,000 was spent in SUR
veys before the promoters were assured
they could carry out the irrigation system
contemplated. Then n hard battle had tn
be fought in congress to capture certain
government lands that were absolutely es-
sential 10 the success of the plan Agree
menis had To be made with the Mexican
government and interpretations that held
rights on tho American side.
All these obstacles have heen cleared
away at last. and now laborers are at
work on the first section of the canal ne
all goes well, the water will he running
on il before the end of next wear. The
company has figured that within a few
years IL viii have at least 10000 farmers
on its lands. This will mean the handling
of an immense volume of business for
that portion of the state. The company
Is on the eve OF sending agents through
all the Eastern states With view TO get
ting colonists. Colonizing the irrigable
land in ten-acre patches or more does not
end the scheme by any means. systent
ley, and goods will be sold to the colonists
at a figure barely above cost rates. Tho
products OF the soil Will be handled by a
company OF which each settler may be-
come a member and reap tho benefits. 1t
is cooperative in principle. by this means
il is stated that special rates can be OBJ
tained from the railroad company.
OF course the throwing of this 10000
acres OF irrlgable land on the market
means good deal TO the farmers of tho
United States, and especially TO this state.
Those who are behind the scheme ht lieve
that almost anything can he raised with
water, and stand ready To furnish tho
water. The supply of tho Colorado river
IN almost inexhaustihle. In the months
Of April, May, June and July the big ir-
rigation months, the river carries from
90 200 10 100 600 cubic feet every second
That means about a million gallons every
fwenty-f four hours. "a cubic foot per Sec
ond for every 80 acres. The notice pub
lighed the other dav that the Yuma In
dian reservation was being surveyed for
allotment among the Indians ~ part OF
this big scheme. though very lew People
had any notice of ". The original plan
OF the capitalists was 20 take t1e waters
OF the Colorado river into Mexico end usn
them 20 irrigate their big Mexican grant.
In examining the hanks of the river for
a suitable point to tap the stream the en-
gineers hit upon place on the Yuma res
erva;ion. II was the first good rock
foundation found in the ascent cf tha
river II fitted their purpose so natural
w that no reservoir WAS needed, az ~
the case OF the Sweetwater and Bear VAL
ley dams over 81 600 09 was spent IN tho
construction OF each Of those dams. Bv
getting the reservation the company
saved this expenditure and obtained q
safe place 10 tap the river.