The herald., 1898-05-08

Outcome of the enterprise. One man who
owned an S0-acre tract of land adjoining
the city Of Riverside-in fact, within the
city limits, near the Santa Fe depot-re-
fused to pay 800 an acre for water right,
Notwithstanding the fact that he could
have sold his entire tract for $1,000 an acre
If he had had water right at the proper
time.
Extending the System
Having completed the canal to the Tur-
quesquita arroyo, Mr.. Gage set to work in
1887 to extend his system to the farther
end of the Gage tract. A large and ex-
penslve fiume was the first obstacle in the
way of construction, but this was nothing
as compared to the right-of-way obstacles
placed in his road. If it had been a rail-
road it could have been easily diverted to a
new line, but a canal had a certain line to
pursue and it had to be built practically
on that line or not at all.
Obstacles Placed in the Road
One man purchased 4O-acre tract of rail-
road land in the bottom of the arroyo
where that fiume must be built, obviously
to raise big crop of right of way. The
crop promised to yield $1,000. but when Mr..
Gage had arranged for large and eX.
pensive pipe line around the tract the own
er of the forty came to time and took
water. "
Just south of the arroyo another party
purchased a quarter-section of land for
s2 so an acre. most of which lay below the
canal. The upper corner of the tract ran
lup into the hills. 1t was necessary for
this canal to cross the tract near the cor
lner for a distance of about 500 feet; the
lowner refused right of way; he wanted
Mr.. Gage to condemn the right to cross
his land, hoping in this way to be able to
demand water from the system on such
terms as the board of supervisors might
fix. Mr.. Gage did not propose to be caught
lin any such trap, so he paid $3.50 for right
of way around the corner of this tract, and
let a contract to construct tunnel
through the hill, and after work was well
under way the owner came to terms and
sold the right of way for $300O-about Sc a
foot, linear measurement-for the 500 feet
of canal across the land. This was about
what the tunnel would cost.
A little farther along the owner of an
eighty acre tract of land agreed verbally
with Mr.. Gage to charge nothing for the
right of way and to buy a water right for
500 an acre. When the workmen reached
this land they saw a notice stuck up pro-
hibiting anyone from trespassing on the
land. The contractor went to the owner to
see what 1t meant. when he was informed
that he wanted pay for the right of way
before work was commenced. Mr.. Gage
then went to see him and told him he sup
posed the matter was settled, but he was
informed that the verbal agreement Was
now off and that he wanted $3.50 for the
right of way. This Mr.. Gage agreed to pay
and the work proceeded. Afterwards the
owner wanted to close up the deal on the
right of way and the water right also at
800 an acre, but he was informed that the
800 an acre verbal agreement was off also,
and that now he must pay $3.50 an acre for
water right. which he finally agreed to-
thus making $3.50 on right of way and losing
s12. 900 on water rights.
In the early history of the enterprise
company composed of wealthy men own
ing 1900 acres of land in East Riverside.
wanted water. They had purchased their
land at $40 an acre. They took advantage
of the fact that Mr.. Cages canal must
cross their land. While they contracted
with him for water for their tract at 800
an acre they charged him sS7,500 for the
right of way, and he paid it.
They afterwards sold this land at from
$500 to 5000 an acre.
The entire right of way for the canal
cost Mr.. Gage over 100000.
Purchases a Large Tract
Prior to the right of way conflict south
of the arroyo, Mr.. Gage had purchased a
large tract of land-55OO acres-above the
Riverside canals, now known as the Gage
tract or Arlington Heights. 1t was to IT,
rigate this tract that the canal was ex-
tended. The canal when completed to the
farther end of this Gage tract was twenty
two miles in length. 1t was completed to
that point in 1885, at cost for land, water
rights, developments, construction and
rights of way for the entire system of over
81, SOC, 900.
Sole Owner
Mr.. Gage up to this time was the sole
owner of the enterprise. and he alone
raised the vast sum of money required 10
do the work, and when it was completed
he was in debt about s1,OOO,OO0, while his
property was estimated to be worth fully
three times that amount.
A Model Orchard
This Gage tract-Arlington Heights
contains one orchard that may be con-
sidered as a model. Mr.. Gage purchased q
large stock of very fine nursery trees from
Mr.. Morey of Redlands, for which he paid
S22 900. The trees We're very fine Washing
ton navels In 1892 he took the very best
trees out of the lot and planted them on a
sixty-five acre tract of land. The trees
were moved and planted with the utmost
care, and as soon as an occasional tree
wait for 1t to die, but Immediately re-
placed it with vigorous tree. In the au-
tumn of 1S93-eighteen months later-he
sold the property for $4,000. This year the
orchard harvested a crop of some 5,090
boxes of oranges which, with an ordinary
market, should have netted the owner
S1.50 box on the tree, or upwards of $40. 900
only six years from planting. AS the
market has been. the fruit has netted only
about s120 per box on the tree, or total
of some $1S,00O-almost $500 an acre, six
years after planting.
Sales of Land and Water Rights
The water rights sold north of the arroyo
cover some 1000 acres, at prices ranging
about $500,O00.
| South of the arroyo there has been solo
| 1900 acres of unimproved land, at from
$500 to 5000 an acre, and 800 acres of i'm
proved land, ranging from 800 to $1,000 ar
acre, aggregating a total of about $sO0,OO
There was also 200 inches of water solo
south of the arroyo for $1,000 an inch, max
ing total of $2OO, 200.