The herald., 1897-03-21
water could be had from wells by means

water could be had from wells by means
OF windmills.
Discussing this subject. the late Gen.
Stoneman (afterward governor) said at
a fruit growers convention in 1880: He
that hath but little water hath too
much" That is, a man who could get
but little water tried to make himself
and the public at large believe that he
didn't need any. This fallacy, so far as
Southern California is concerned, has
been most effectuaIly exploded, and in
no section has it been more effectually
exploded than in San Diego county.
INCREASE IN POPULATION.
In 1870 San Diego county had a popu-
lation of but 4951.
In 1880 the population of that county
had increased to $685. an increase in ten
years of IA per cent
In 1890 the population had increased
very rapidly and had reached 34,O74, the
percentage of increase having been 295
per cent during that decade.
In 1895 the new county of Riverside
was formed the territory for which
county was taken from San Bernardino
and San Diego county. Just how much
of San Diegos population was taken and
put into this new county is not known,
but 1t is known that in June 1895, San
Diego county had a larger population
than 1t had in 1890 by 97S people not
withstanding the fact that this county
had furnished about half the people to
form Riverside county. which in 1896
had a population of 1889.
The population of these counties in
1896 was ascertained by taking the
school census of that year and multi
plying 1t by 4.3. This is known to be the
correct ratio for ascertaining the actual
population.
Thus we find that from the federal
census of June. 1870, to the school cen
sus Of 1S96-twenty-six years-the pop
ulation of San Diego county had in
creased from 4951 in 1870 to 1896 in 1885,
an increase of 626 per cent in twenty-six
years. Notwithstanding the fact that
Sam Diego county had lost territory
during that period, containing in 1896
about 5000 people, nearly double the pop
ulation of the entire county in 1870.
THE BOOM PERIOD
The first great increase in the wealth
and population was made from 1880
to 1890. During that period the Santa
Fe railroad system was extended into
Southern California. with its terminus
nominally at National City. practically
at San Diego. During this decade the
first attempt was made to develop the
water systems of the county. The
Sweetwater reservoir and distributing
system was built The reservoir had a
capacity to hold $4,000 acre-feet Of
water, which capacity was afterwards
increased so that the reservoir would
hold %, 500 acre feet of water. Under
this system there are today several
thousand acres of the finest lemon or
chards In the world, as well as quite an
acreage Of oranges and other fruits.
| During this decade the San Diego
| fume was also constructed This f1ume
is about forty miles long and takes water
from the Cuyamaca reservoir reser-
voir having a holding capacity of about
| IL, 500 acre feet of water. This system
| furnishes water to the city Of San Diego,
| and irrigates a large tract of country de-
voted mostly to citrus and deciduous
fruits In the Cajon valley and on the
mesa between that valley and San Diego
city.
During this decade E. S. Babcock was
| the prime mover in the purchase of the
peninsula now known as Coronado and
| the building of that great modern hotel,
which has worldwide reputation, the
| Hotel del Coronado.
| The extending of the Santa Fe rail-
road system into Southern California
| by the building of the California South
| ern railroad, the building of the two ir-
rigation systems mentioned and the
building of the Coronado hotel were the
leading causes which led up to the great
real estate boom of 1867, at least so far
as work in San Diego county was con-
| cerred.
| In the year 1870 the entire population
| Of Southern California was less by sew
| eral Thousand than the population of
San Diego county at the present time.
| In fact, the population Of San Diego
| city today Is $4,000. as against q pop
ulation Of only 32,032 for the whole of
| Southern California In 1870-twenty-six
years ago.
TFIW REACTION
It was naturally to be expected that t
| the close fthe real estate excitement Of
1861. there should be relapses heavy