The herald., 1897-04-25

tom, and wasted more water than the
people used They usually took dur
ing the summer season all the water that
there was in the river at the point of
diversion. although there was an older
ditch-the Yorba-a little farther up the
river. and this had the first right The
people of Anaheim generally had enough
water except in dry seasons, when the
wastage was so great In the river boz
tom that there was at times a scant sup
ply for the German colony.
Originally the German colonists de-
voted their lands almost exclusively to
the growing Of the wine grape. Wineries
were numerous. but small The Ger
mans were thrifty, and generally we'll
to-do.
Anaheim was an oasis in desert, for
the whole country round about the coi-
ony was devoted to sheep and cattle. and
early settlers in Southern California will
well remember that in looking over the
bare plains off in the distance they
could see cluster of poplar trees-the
only obstacle. except the surroundins;
hills. to break the monotony Of the land.
scape. Those poplar trees were planted
along the streets of Anaheim.
In 1875 the people residing on thu
plains to the northeast of Anaheinl
formed a company to build what wac
then known as the Cajon ditch, takina
water out of the Santa Ana river at bed
rock canyon. William NJ. McFadden
and II. Fl. Gilman were leading spirits
in this enterprise. The new ditch was
built on higher and more solid ground,
so that the loss by seepage was compare
lively small. At a later date the Cajor
Ditch company and the Anaheim Canal
company were consolidated in the Ana
helm Union Water company, and the
Cajon ditch was enlarged and improv-
ed. so as to supply water to this entire
section of country. and the old Anaheim
canal up through the river bed was
abandoned.
In 1883 the Anaheim Irrigation district
was formed under the Wright law, and
it was proposed to transfer the property
Of the Anaheim Union Water company
to the district, but on account Of uncer-
tainties of the law which was pending
so long before the United States supreme
court. this program was abandoned,
and the District was disorganized. This
Union Water company now has bond
ed Indebtedness of about $1500C0, and
supplies water to some 1000 acres Of
land. Stock in the company, carrying
with 1t a good water right, can yet be
purchased to a limited extent at from
$12 to SIS per acre. and 1t Is a strange
fact that all of 1t that can be haS At
that price Is not rapidly taken up.
Anaheim today supports the oldesv
paper south of Tehachepi Pass-with
one exception. The San Diego Union II
the oldest paper. and the Anaheim Ga
zette comes next. 1t was established
in 1870, and for many years 1t was edited
by that popular newspaper man. Richard
Melrose. who made enough money at the
newspaper business 80 he could afford
to practice law. He still lives In Ana
helm. The Gazette Is now published by
Henry and Charles Kuchel. Another
paper. the Independent. is also published
in Anaheim by b. L. Boreland.
ORANGE
In 1872 a company was formed by the
old and popular law firm Of Glassell 4
Chapman-Andrew Glassell and A. Fl.
Chapman-to construct an irrigating
canal on the southeast side Of the Santa
Ana river and the Orange settlement
sprang into existence. The land was
subdivided into ten and forty-acre tracts
ana was sou 10 SettleT6 Win WdtCt
right in the new canal. Settlers began
to come in, an arid waste was converted
into a prosperous settlement. and the
foundation for the present city or
Orange was laid.
Orange is now incorporated as city
of the sixth class, and is thriving busi-
ness center, with railroad facilities af-
forded by both the Santa Fe and South
ern Pacific companies. as we'll as mo-
tor line, which makes frequent trips to
Santa Ana, the county seat
A large brick hotel was built at
Orange during boom days at cost Of
about $4,000, and it is now proposed to
convert this fine edifice into college.
The Post is weekly paper published
at Orange by Mrs. Alice l.. Armor. and
the News is another weekly, published
by James Fullerton.
THE COUNTY SEAT
To the southwest of Orange. about
three miles. is situated the largest city
in the county-the county seat-Santa
Ana. At the time that Orange was be-
ing founded Santa Ana had mere ex-
istence--a good place to build citQ
At that date, 1873, Santa Ana had post