Imperial press and farmer., 1902-02-15
4 Great Gro~th.

MIs VI ht ffNtAn NtfrtAfhA VI AAf HffF' National Rank oi Imperial. was inter. viewed by Sun represcniau,e with Che following result.
 w F. Holt the banker and one of iho leading citizens of the Imperial country. came in from that region last evening on "a nylng business trip and returned north this afteihoon. NJ. Holt will 90 only as far as Rediands where his family reside. but VIII re- turn to Imperial sometime next week. Hc was seen at the opera house by a Sun representative between acts last evening to whom he talked very en- iortainlngly Of the progress being made in the Imperial country Mir. Holt was one of the original executive committee of the San Diego Eastern Railroad. but resigned hts position be- cause he found that it would be i'm possible for him Co meet frequently with the San Diego members. and also because of the fact that the former cordial relations between Manager Ferguson and the officers and direct ors of the Imperial Company were badly stained, and as Mir Holt is act lively identified with the Imperial pro- 3ect. he did not think it advisable to eo be drawn further into any contro- rerSy or fight which might develop between the interests mentioned later on.
 All this time. however. MT Holt has entertained only the kindlicsi feelings for Col Ferguson and also the heart fest wishes for complete success Go
 E- H mitiee. Now that Col. Ferguson has resigned from the management of the railroad committee and has also closed cut his interests with the Imperial Company. that element 0! contention Is removed entirely. and it ever the Imperial people entertained any luke warmness towards the San Diego rail- road enterprise. which MT. Holt says they never did. all such lukewarmness Is noE removed. and the company Is very anxious 10 see the undertaking succeed 10 the uttermOst-
 Il should think there were between 500 and 1000 people now living Tn the New River country. said Mir Holt last evening A great many more are planning 10 come In and would have come long ago had it not been for the delay in getting the water on the land. The delay was not caused by any lack of water. for there is more in the Colo rado River than will ever be used. but simply because of the inability 10 get the work done rapidly enough. Seed ing has commenced in dead earnest and a very large acreage Of grain. wheat. barley and alfalfa will be put in-I think perhaps I'd. .000 10 10000 acres. all told We had not had any rain when left imperial a week ago. but. you know. we do not care any thing about that. as we depend upon irrigation entirely.
 Yes. the price of water rights has retarded sales somewhat You know. the company opened up by selling wa ter rights al xs.25 per acre. anu the price has now been increase: from slU to SEQ. according 10 the location of the land. If person has his choice of land. he must pay the top price for water, but the facts are that the com pany is not selling much water. A great many rights were bought last summer al the bottom price and held for speculation. and now those rights are being sold al big advances and so The company Is not really realizing anything on the proposition. Then there has been a good deal of talk about alkali on some of the land Of course there is alkali land in the val ley, as there is in San Joaquin Val ley and elsewhere But the scare has