The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-08-07
Big Scheme to Reclaim
100000 Acres of
Desert.
Water of Tulare Lake to Be
Utilized for Irrigation
Purposes.
Would Render Productive Vast
Tracts in Kings, Fresno and
MERGED Counties.

FRESNO, CAL, Aug. &C. d. Davis,
civil engineer and formerly County Sur
veyor is the promoter of big scheme to
use the water of Tulare Lake for Irritating
bout 100000 acres OF land in Kings,
Fresno and MERGED counties. He pro-
poses to pump the water to the top OF a
hill Immediately at the western point OF
the lake. Thence it can be run over the
vast area of land it is desired to transform
from desert into productive fields. The
power for the pumping, according 10
Davis plans, is 10 be supplied by an cleo
trio plant deriving water power from
Kings River al point above Canterville.
From this place the current is to be trans
mitted to the lake by means of wires.
Davis is said to have the backing of
shrewd capitalists, who believe they see a
feasible plan to reclaim the West Side
country and render the lands which are
now worth very little very valuable. The
engineer has been working on the scheme
for years.
Davis has filed petition with the Sec
rotary of the Interior and at the Visalia
Land Office for permission "to locate, use
and acquire for q reservoir site and for
the water therein" The petition explains
that the lake is supplied with water from
Kern, Kaweah and Kings rivers, the last
named at times flowing northwesterly and
discharging a considerab bic portion of its
surplus waters into the San Joaquin River.
1t is then stated that the object of the Pc
titioner is to use the lake for permanent
reservoir for the collection, accumulation
and impounding OF water for purposes OF
irrigation, domestic power or other valu-
able and beneficial uses, and for the bene-
fl of the petitioner and the public gener-
ally, the purpose being "to irrigate large
areas of dry, arid and desert lands, unirri-
gated, unirrlgable and unproductive.
The lands are situated principally north
erly and westerly from Tulare Lake, and
lie in the western parts of the counties of
Kings, Fresno and MERGED.
As a considerable factor in his gigantic
scheme Davis to-day filed with the County
Recorder a claim on waters of the San
Joaquin TO the extent of $1,000 cubic feet.
The point of diversion is near Herndon,
northwest of this city.
In his petition to the Federal Govern
meDt the engineer reclteS that the lake IS
not natural source of water supply, be-
cause it is situated on lower ground than
any of the lands adjacent thereto; that,
as above stated, The lake is unnaviga bic
the ARRANGEMENTS and constructions here
provided for the lake will be rendered
useful and capable of navigation; that by
the use OF pumps and other lifting appli-
ances it is designed and intended 10 with
draw the waters from the lake, which are
TO be carried TO an elevation above the
lake varying from 90 to 200 feet, in order
that it might be placeI upon the lands
for irrigation.
Besides that OF irrigation, it Is an OBJ
iect of the project to dredge Lower Kings
River and the lake and render them navi-
gable.
While Engineer Davis scheme is stu
pendous one, those who are acquainted
with the situation say that 1t is not at all
impractcable. It Will require a big in
vestment of money, but il water can be
placed upon the West Side lands the re-
turns will be manifold. The area sought
to be irrigated is EN- braced in the big Sun
set District organization, which does not
at present bid fair to accomplish much
because of warning factions.