The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-11-07

the most remarkable lines OF develop.
ment in the history Of the world is In
progress in Southern California, and
the progress being achieved would
amaze any person who is not keeping
close watch of events
This is the wiping out pf the Color
ado desert, and the present indica.
tioDs are that the next five years will
witness the thorough cultivation Of
900, 900 acres Of land which has been
the most dcsolatc looking body Of land
on earth.
For terrific heat, for barrenness,
for entire absence Of water, for SAND
storms, for it's tales Of death from
thirst, for all that goes to make up a
record of horrors, the Colorado desert
is not surpassed by any other one Of
the earth's death spots, not even by
Sahara, which has stood for centuries
as the type of forbidding nature.
But all Of that is to be thing of
the past, the change to be wrought by
the sinking of artcsian wells and the
diversion Of the water of the Colorado
River, which is estimated to be suffi-
cient for the irrigation Of 5000. 600
acres of land.
Attention has been called several
times of late to the work of the Inter.
national Land Company, which is dig
ging canal for the irrigation of land
lying on both sides Of the line between
the United States and Mexico. With.
in few months this company expects
to have water on the ground for the
irrigation of 100. 900 acres in the Unit
cd States, and soon after it will begin
the task Of irrigating 10000 acres
which it owns on the Mexican side of
the line. 1t is proposed to furnish
water in the near future for 500, 900
acres on this side alone.
But aside from the work of this
company and probably of fully as much
Importance, is the recent discovery of
an artesian belt under great stretch
OF country in the vicinity of Indio,
where number Of wells have been
sunk. Artesian water being secured,
while many more wells are now being
dug and hundreds of men have fled
claims there, taking up tens of thous.
ands Of acres.
But even this is not all. There has
been in Los Angeles during the past
few days two farmers who live on the
banks Of the Colorado River, one hun
dred miles above Yuma and fifty miles
from the nearest other settlement.
Their property is near the famous
Blythe ranch Of 10000 acres.
They are trying to induce settle
ment in their vicinity, where the best
of land is reported to be still open to
settlement at Government prices.
They report that a colonization pro-
ject is being prepared for the Blythe
ranch and that the settlers are anxious
to see enough people come in to divert
water from the river for irrigation.
Through most of the length of the
river from Needles to Yuma it is said
that there is strip If excellent land
on either side Of the river. averaging
about five miles width, which can be
irrigated with little trouble, while it
is entirely feasible with capital to
place the water on hundreds Of thous.
ands of acres Of desert lying further
back.
Aside from the growing Of early
fruits, the desert is exceedingly we'll
adapted to alfalfa aud stock raising,
and there is probably no other portion
of the world where greater crops could
be raised to the acre.
On the Arizona side Of the river
there are number If projected irriga.
tion enterprises depending on the
water Of the Colorado, and it now
looks as though very fcw years xould
see complete transformation Of the
desert.
For many years there has been talk
of the redemption Of the Sahara Des
ert, and it may await the action oi
Californians to demonstrate to Europe
the feasibility Of such an enterprise. -
Nc,o York Commercial.