The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-08-08
TO WATER 10000 ACRES
;REAr SYSTEM OF DousLE CANALS
IN FORT BEND COUNTY.
fifteen Mics Win Be Finished This Year,
and the Work Is Now on the Third
Mls--Gi1antic Scheme.

Milton Harness OF Lexington, Ill. and
II. D. Montgomery Of Bloonington, ILL,
IRE stopping at the Latham hotel These
gentlemen nre respectively the president
and general superintendent OF the Texas
Land and Irrigation company and are en-
gagged IN one of the biggest rice enterprises
In Texas.
The company OF which ther arc meu.
bcrs Is composed OF Illinois and Texas men
nnd Is preparing TO put Into operation one
Of the greatest canal systems ia the State.
The plant IS located In Fort Bend county
aud win include double canal system on
the west side Of the BRACES river, from
which the water supply win be obtaincd,
furnishing Irrigation FOR about 10000 acres
Of rite land. The main canal will be twen.
ty'fout niles long. extending from the
Brazos river near Wallis To Damnu Mound.
Another canal eighteen miles long VIII
be constructed north OF the main canal
aud viii act not only as an irrigator Of The
country north OF Wallis, but as a fecler
Messrs. Harness and Montgomery say
they have already secured the right OF
Nay for the canals aud are now at WORT
on the main cahnL the work proceeding nt
z rapid and satisfactory rate The under
taking IS n mnmnoth one. requiring mn
immense outlay Of capital before . dollar
IS realized upon the investment, but the
promoters believe the wonderful resources
OF the Trxns rice industry will guarantee
ample returns.
PLANS OF THE COMPANY.
Mr. Harness said that the plan OF the
company Is TO build the canals, put them
IN operation and lease the water privileges
to the rice farmers. His plan Of punlpi0s
IS a little different from most of the big
rice canal systems for he believes In having
a number OF medium power pumps instead
OF having Gust n few al large capacity
"our hoist ut san Felipe will loo siStS
feet said Mr. Harness. "and NJ that
place the water win be pumped by threJ
thirty sig inch centrifugal pumps. WITH al
average capacity of 1860 gallons pei
minute Smaller pumps viii he used al
other huistlug sthtinus hud these can ht
added ~ az amy time "a increase the capuc
ity as necessity demands
"The work on this canal was begin IN
June two aud q haf miles east n Willis
We are now working ON tho thitd mile OF
the main cnnal, with two Western stcaT
graders worked by two engines OF twenty
two horse power each.
at would surprise you TO see tho amount
II dirt hnndcd hy those graders IN on
day. Why YOU may not believe II. hu
those two machines are doing work In on
dav that would bc required ~ 800 ordiunr'
teams ana hfr1UNfH. ~ MAKING INV CAM
We are throwing up two parallel cmhnnk
Iucnts 900 feet apart which viii cons'itut
the channel for the winter These cmbanR
ments hre twenty-four feet through at H.
base md about seven feet high. They vii
settle to about I'VE and half feet, whic
viii he the standard depth II the canal
FIFTEEN MILES THIS WINTER.
I'VE expect to complete 0tteeh miles O
the canal this winter AMI have II ready 20
operation for next years rice crop. on
right OF way will run across two railwa
tracks. the snnta Fc and the Arkansas Pass
and this will nercsSitntc a heavy on''o
for masonry IN cutting through the raj
way cmbankments, but that obstacle vi
soou he surmnuntcd. Every three or fou
miles a lock win he pnt In and n lock vi
be placed wherever n bridge CROSSES I'll
canal"
Mr. Harness Is n practical farmer, ho'
ing been engaged IN stock raising md farm
Ing IN Illinois for years, where no acquire
Competence An the other stocbholdri
III tho company are farmers except NJ
Montgomery, who ~ a retlrcl clothing m"
chant but one with great pcnctlnt n
outdoor NE and love FOR practical fnru
hug Mcssrs, Harness and MONTGOMERY ~
wei pleased with Texas lnd HOp7,ou, m
ike the weather and crops Of South TeNt
exceedingly.