The San Francisco call., 1904-04-26
MODESTO AND TURLOcK.

1~ HE successful completion and inauguration OF the
two great adjoining irrigation districts at Modesto
and Turock events of the greatest interest
the Friday Saturday visitors
gathered Modesto join the jubilee with which the
system installed.
1t is worth remembering that this irrigation has been
secured under the Wright law and that the title the
is joined to the title to the land The cost of put
ting the system little less than $40 per against
$40 per of Federal irrigation Nevada. At
this very low of 100000 put under
The land suited to all the purposes served by
land at Fresno and already large orchards of Smyrna
hgs planted on it. and the settlers planting
grange and lemon groves around their houses
The city of Fresno has become important business
center off the product of 10000 of irrigated land
and what has been done there may be done
scale the larger irrigated at Modesto and Tur
lock The settlers crowding into the districts
and buying land in tracts of from twenty to eighty
acres, which promises ideal condition and dense
rural population. With nearly 1000 families settled
where twenty years ago there 400 the dis
tcts will have rural population of 10000 people and
their products will employ in the towns many more.
All this has been wrought under the Wright law.
This revelation the State for many supposed that
law had been either obsoeted by the courts had be-
dead letter. Now it is shown to have been eff
ective in the acquisition diversion and distribution of
water to than quarter of million of most
fertile land and that has provided title the
worthy of study other parts of the State California
depend upon irrigation settle the of
land in its great valley There is than enough
ter to ALL but progress has been blocked by sup
posed need of a adequate to the needs of the
situation.
The Wright law attacked by the irrgators who r-
rigate with breath and imagination. 1t mpeached
by the who have infused into the Federal r-
rgation scheme glitterng vagarieS and scntillatng
hopes that be realized. They attacked the
Wright law vigorously that the people who would
have been helped by persuaded distrust it and
to refuse to proceed under it. The battle finally
fought in Modesto and Turock districts and though
few sacrificed all they had in vindicatng the law
stands justified of the largest, finest and most
economical rrigating plants in the world Yet the work
long advocated by minority OF the people against
majority inhamed by fear induced by the irresponsible
of the atmospheric rrigators The minority
however composed of practical and their per-
sistence finally changed the minority to majority.
1t remains for the Sacramento Valley people to
get together and again try what the Wright law do
for them We that its application their needs
may be economical than in Stansaus County,
since the of the Sacramento may be diverted with
using the costly head works that necessary in
the Tuolumne. The Sacramento Valley is ripe both
sides for irrigation in that respect differing from the
San Joaquin Valley where on the west side it is difficult
to get the water The of the Sacramento Feather
and Bear rivers may be diverted either side where
there is land it may
San Francisco has vital interest in further expert
with the Wright law, for every of land brought
into action makes the progress and pros
perity of States This city WILL
through its press and other agencies of publicity do its
full share in making known to intending settlers the
merits of the irrigated land of the valleys fast the
reope will make OF their legal and natural
One may judge of what irrigation will do when it is
known that Riverside 10000 of irrigated land
support population of $1,000 people. That proportion
can be considerably scaled yet the proof will
irrigation make of California the densely
populated and the richest country in the world