The herald., 1897-11-14
NATURAL SITES FOR STORAGE RESERVOIRS
A REVIEW THE LYTLE CREEK sYsTEh-sMALI DAMS.
LARGE AREAs--HIGH-pRICED LANDS EoR ORANGES
AND Low-PR1cED LANDS TOR cANA1aRE


ing the past quarter of Il century. This
rapid development has made fortunes
for many and has raised many more
from moderate circumstances to COM
narrative wealth. This condition of af-
fairs has undoubtedly induced men to
engage in questionable enterprises,
which have resulted in loss to them
selves and to others through bad judg-
ment and worse management, while in
few cases unprincipled men have
placed on the market schemes for
swindling the general public as well as
inexperienced eastern capitalists that
were willing to take more than ordinary
chances for the sake OF reaping large
promised gains.
Every unsound enterprise placed be-
fore the public necessarily Injuries the
reputation of this country and impedes
its development by driving out and
keeping out capital that would otherwise
be invested here for the general good.
1t is therefore the duty of the people to
examine carefully every project put
forth for investors with view to as
sisting the worthy and condemning thc
unworthy attempts made to speculate
on our natural resources. The news
papers III Suouli dSslot III euiS
work to the end that all unworthy en-
terprises may be nipped in the bud and
all worthy enterprises be given a 6air
chance to succeed.
Water Is the source from which our
agricultural and horticultural wealth
must, as a rule, spring. Without water
there can be no prosperity There Is
more dry land than there is available
Aovr 20, t,.v.ts ti,,cr hn cnv
millions of money have heen spent to de-
velop the water supply to its utmost eX-
tent, for there is more profit in a sue
cessful water enterprise than there is in
trying to develop all the dry land in ex
istence without it.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF WATER
At first the natural streams were util-
ized and efforts were put forth to save
and utilize every drop of water in those
streams. Mex. came the development
of water by means of artesian wells and
securing the undcrflow, and lastly tha
storage systems of water were examined.
There are today several large stora &C
reservoir systems already built and il
process of construction, the waters Of
which are being or are to be used in re-
claiming the dry lands. First among
San Bernardino county. the waters from
which brought into existence that rich
city and settlement of Rediands, which
fifteen years ago was n barren waste
and which this season will ship one
twelfth of the orange crop of the state
Other sections were also supplied with
water from the same source. The Bear
valley enterprise might have proved an
unmixed blessing had not cupidity and
bad judgment--to put the case mildly
attempted to do too much, which re-
suited in loss of millions of money
drawn from the eastern states and from
Europe. That failure was very DAM
aging to Southern California by bring
ing discredit on all attempts ct legiti-
mate enterprise to develop our natural
resources. We cannot afford to have
that scheme duplicated.
The Sweetwater reservoir in San
Diego county was successful move,
making possible that fine settlement of
homes and lemon orchards known as
Chula Vista. The Hemet reservoir in
Riverside county was next built. 1t was
an honest and successful attempt to
save the winter floods and reclaim large
areas in the San Jacinto valley The
Escondido reservoir in San Diego coun-
ty was the next successful move of
like nature, and a wealthy settlement
is being developed as the result.
The Arrowhead reservoir system in
San Bernardino county is managed by
business men on business principles.
They are putting in their own money
and are Offering nothing for sale until
they know what they have to offer. In
the course of time. when there is a de-
mand for the water, they will have
enough to reclaim and make very valua
Bile about $4,000 acres of land.
The Mountain reservoir system in San
Diego county is doing another good
work, and in the course Of few years
large areas of choice land along the
Pacific coast around the Bay of San
Diego will be brought under cultivation
by this system. This enterprise is man
aged with business ability and is backed
by plenty Of Pacific coast capital to in
sure its success.
RESERVOIR ESSENTIALS
Good reservoir sites are scarce. Nature
must make the sites; man must improve
and utilize them. A good storage reser-
voir cannot be constructed unless nature
has first prepared the way. A large
reservoir with a small dam isl a neces-
sity. In looking over the reservoirs al
ready constructed these conditions prove
the rule There are but few good reser-
voir sites in Southern California that
have not yet been utilized.
Not only must there be good natural
reservoir site, but there must also be
good watershed with good rainfall tn
back it up. One of the finest sites not
yet utilized is to be found on the Mojave
river at Victor in San Bernardino coun-
ty. This site will require a dam 150
feet high to form a lake that will cover
about 1000 acres to an average depth
of about fifty feet. The disadvantages
of this site are that the water from the
reservoir must remain comparatively
low priced and the dam must be con-
structed at a point where the distance
down to bedrock will add materially to
the cost Of the structure.
THE LYTLE CREEK PROPOSITION
One Of the reservoir propositions re-
Gently brought to the attention of the
public is to be found in the Lytle creek
watershed in San Bernardno county.
This system shows weakness on it's face
SO plainly that 1t does not seem neces-
sary9to caution the public regarding it,
and yet the general public is not in a
position to investigate this question suf-
ficiently to form a correct Judgment of
what Is good and what is not. The opin-