The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-23
FIFTY-TWO MILES LONG
1t Will Supply Water to a 2OO,-
OOO-ACre Tract on the
Mojave Plains.
C0L0NIsTs TO TAKE UP LAND.
An Influx of Thousands Expected as
Result of the Irrigation
Scheme.

SAN BERNARDINO, CAL, June o.
The purchasers of the Victor reservoir as
sets will commence work Monday with a
large number of teams constructing a
canal fifty-two miles long, seventy-fiv feet
wide and ten feet deep for irrigating 100000
acres on Mojave plains, on the north side
of the range of mountains, extending from
Victor to a point on the Atlantic and
Pacific road west of Barstow. Six hun
bred miles of lateral canals will be con-
structed, on which settlers will do the
work, being paid by the company, thus
supporting their families while their
ranches and fruit farms are being de-
veloped.
The lands to be watered are mostly Gov
eminent land taken up under the desert
land act. The company offers settlers the
following proposition: The settler takes
up 32e acres, making first payment of 25
cents per acre. The company will furnish
him water and pay the balance of the
price. 81 per acre, when proved up, give the
settler forty acres with water right. one
inch to five acres and take the balance of
land for the company. The settler thus
reserves a forty acre ranch with good full
water right, the whole costing him but $780,
or So per acre. The land is very rich for
farming and fruit raising, but too cold for
citrus fruits. Apples and peaches yield
remarkably fine crop and are fine favored
The Office work and engineering has been
going on for nearly year during negotia-
lions. When the deal was completed a
week ago the company was ready to COM
mence work.
This syndicate, called the Columbia
Colonization Company, is very wealthy,
and has large colony in Georgia, and one
in the Antelope Valley, this State.
1t is simply land and water syndicate
but furnishes colonists as soon as land and
water is ready for them. General o. O.
howard is one of the principal managers,
and his brother, General c., H Howard,
publisher of Field, Farm and Fireside, is
connected with him. This paper is their
organ, and has very large circulation in
the East, and assists in sending out colon
lists. The office of the company is crowded
daily with applicants for lands, and in
quiries are coming in daily by the hun
dreds through the mail. AS the company
will push the work actively, prospects are
excellent for the establishment of thou
sands of settlers in the colony within two
years, adding great wealth to this country,
and San Bernardine being the nearest
supply point, business OF all kinds will be
active here.
This immense deal was due to James f.
Mack of Bloomington and this city, who
has stood by the scheme since its first in
ception by him three years ago, though ali
deserted him during the panic. But his
faith was never shaken in the development
of the waters OF the Mojave River, and
placing them on this land, and he stood by
it and completed the deal that gives prom
Use of brilliant future to that portion of
the imperial county. The company APP
preciates his staying qualities, and will
place the affairs at this end of the line in
his charge.