Arizona republican., 1904-06-19
SAN DIEGO'S FUTURE
A City Destined to Become Rich and
 Great.

has proper appreciation of what it means He is very enthu- siastic over the future of San Diego and his enthusiasm is founded on a state ment of facts that is hard to get away from There is really no escape, and san Diego seems to be in for ar era of unequaled prosperity. This i3 the direct result of the assured building Of the isthmian canal with which the rail- roads will have to compete for south western commercial business and as everyone knows San Diego is the nearest coast port to the canal and the shortest haul for the railroads. Asked to relate some of the immediate evil dences of San Diego's new life, MT Bigelow said that was easy to do as the city is now in a better business con dition than any city on the coast. The big steel plant, of which so much has been heard lately is one of the most notable of enterprises and though something of mystery it is an assur- ed fact Among the directors of the corporation are Harrison Gray Otis, of the Los Angeles Times; Cashier Fish burne of the California National bank. at Los Angeles and Niles Pease of the N are trustees of S35O 900 worth of copper and iron properties in lower California and also trustees of escrow funds that are up pending the a3stracting of large body of coal lands in British Co umbia variously estimated at from GO.OOO to l3O.O00- acres. The plan of the steel company is to coke their coal in the north and deliver it at San Diego
 
 acres of dockage land, and there smell and manufacture iron. The chief mover in the enterprise is not yet known for certainty though the New York Commercial and Bradstreets an- nounce that it is C. M. Schwab and that presumably his leaving the steel trust was actuated to some extent by this enterprise Hr. Schwab has been frequently interviewed in the matter and does not deny it, refusing to com init himself.
 The navy department is putting in large coaling station at San Diego and Mir. Bigelow says he has been personal ly told by government engineers that the war department had decided 70 build model four company post or the reservation at Point Loma.
 The Spreckels Commercial Co, which about four years ago began the build ing of a complete water system to coz serve the rainfall in the hills east of San Diego by small reservoirs from which water was to be piped to the Swcetwater and Marine reservoirs and which had to drop the enterprise. has this week resumed operations. Their representatives met with the San Diego board of trade last week and an Lounced their determination to finish this enterprise, which will involve the expenditure of probably $2.000.000 When the large dams were built care full note had not been taken of the for nation above ard it was later develop ed that except in rainy seasons, the waters from the watershed, escaped mainly through Assures in the earth between the watershed and the dams. To overcome this system of smaller reservoirs will be built in the noun tain canyons and the water piped over the Assures to the large reservoirs. These dams will supply irrigation wa ter for the irrigable lanGs between them and San Diego ard will also sup ply the city of San Diego with water for Irrigation. sprinklng and other puf- poses. The city already has a water system supplying water for domestic purposes by pumping plants as there is an abundance of good water available underground.
 Another resource is the Imperial country which is sure to be developed one way or another and it is probable that some means will be found for making it a part or the national recla- nation work. The most westerly canal of the Imperial company is just 5S miles from the city limits of San Diego ard that the two will be con- nected by rail in the near future is as- sured. MT. Bigelow says the Rock Island Co. has already secured a mile of wharfage there and certainly means business. Between San Diego and I'm peTial is a rich mineral country as yet virtually sealed up by lack of trans: portation, prospects of gold and copper being numerous and rich. Wm. E. Smythe is authority for the state ment that the Colorado delta country, with the water of the Colo iado river. is capable of sustaining q population of 75O.0OO and San Diego claims it all as a back country, a coun- try that it will also pay railrods to run through. The Southern Pacific now has branch line running through Im- perial to CaleXico, on the line, and has secured concessions to extend the roa6 | through the northern part of lower Cal- ifornia, westerly and again northerly, re-entering the state of California south of San Diego and in it's course tappin, the proved rich mineral fields of Lower California.
 Speaking of San Diego itself, Mr. I3igelow says the Mission valley run ming through the city north and south, cuts it into two parts and the hills lr bluffs of the bay contiguous to Mission valley are rough and covered with | boulders and gravel. This unfertil4 soil continues from Mddletoyn to Marine, a suburb, and from Marine. continuing on around Mission bay anl | including Pacific Beach the soil is we'll suited for agriculture and at present there is a large portion of it in d high state of cultivation. Marine is built on a gentle slope back from Mission bay 2O00 feet and at this point there is