The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-04-12
WONDERS OF IRRIGATION.
A Marvellous Example OF It's BENEFITS
In Colorado.

n
In Colorado.
Mr.. Richard b. Edmonds. editor OF the
Manufacturers Record, who Is travelling
through the South and Southwest with Mr..
John E. Searles, the noted New YORK IMAM
cier, In the latter's private car writes from
He! sis ssns of some
their experiences. The letter isa follows:
"From Colorado Springs we went down TO
Holly, Prowers county, COL, TO lnVesllgate
the greatest irrigation enterprise IN a,t6a TINS
side OF governmental Irrigation work in
Egypt and India. In that part Of Colorado
GENERALLY known as the arid region agrlcul'
ture without irrigation Is practieally lmpossl-
SONS like the rose and property worth dol.
lar or two an acre before the introduction OF
Irrigation advances to S25 and $50 ana Sloo an
acre when once good and permanent system
of Irrigation has been developed. To tell you
Of the yields of fruits and vegetables and
grain on irrigated land around Holly, even II
Supported by affidavits, mi ight test my reputa'
ton for veracty. Presuming that my reputa'
tion In that direction Is moderately ialr, 40
Even though Mark Twain declares BE good
and you will be lonely" prefer to hold on TO
the claim for truthfulness.
IRRIGATION.
"But coming back to Holly and Its irriga-
tion interests. Several years ago Mr.. Searies
and New York friends undertook the
reorgan ization OF q small irrigation enterprise
which had failed before It's WORK was wen un'
der way. They bought 1t out and then con-
cluded to enlarge It's scope on scale com
mensurate with the advantages OF this coun-
try. What they have done deserves 70 rank
as one of the greatest enterprises OF tne Gay.
They purchased about 10000 acres OF land IN
what is known as the Arkansas Valiey OF
Colorado, and though 1t Ia really the valley OF
the Arkansas river, 1t has an average eleva,
tion of about g. 900 feet above the sea level an q q
stretches out for miles In an almost unoIoken
plain nearly as fiat as the prairies OF Texas;
Realizing that the safety OF irrigation ae,
pends upon an unfalling supply OF wafer, a1u u
that sometimes the river might oe 100 low "
furnish enough tn meet the needs OF farmers,
they determined TO introduce the storage
reservoir system. While this is very costly II
insures regular water supply, ana !aus aGus ~ y
largely to the value OF the land. Alter iull
Investigation they found some natural basins
above their property and, securing this land.
undertook to develop what Is probably tne
most extensive reservoir system ever ouiiI
for any private enterprise In this country 0I or
abroad. Their reservoirs now cover lO,oVo
acres Of ground, and In some places there is
an extreme depth Of 80 feet OF water, IN tns
winter time the overflow from the river ana
the melted snow from the distant mountains
are turned into the reservoirs, mus ar ~
the river should be low. These reservoirs
will carry a reserve supply sufficient 10 cover
with water 10000 acres of land one 1901 deep
You can figure this out In gallons IL your
fancy runs that way. ,-o ,u,,
ON the property the company has 55O miles
of canals splendidly built and head gates ana
dams constructed as though intended 10 last
until Gabriel blows his horn. There are a,so
l76O miles Of telephone line. Inese nguLes
give you some idea of the magnitude OF thls
property, which is owned absolutely oy Mr.:
Searles and three associates, and upon all OF
this gigantic undertaking there are no i1 o0nds -
and no debts. The local manager at Holly Is
Mr.. NJ. Wiley, we'll known 10 many baltlmo,
reans, as he lived in Baltimore 1or some
years, and numbers among his friends many
Of the leading people of the city.