Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-04


sfbiy be needed, hut has formed the topog-
raphy so to make its use simple and
convenient. The main canal. which will
distribute the water throughout the west
part of the klamath basin, will be forty
miles long, with fifty miles of laterals and
waste canals. 1t will have slope of one
foot to the mile. In order to reach par
ailel valleys tunnels are being bored
through intervening ridges. The east side
of klamath valley will be supplied with
water from Clear lake, which will be made
a reservoir large enough to receive and
store the drainage of a large area. A third
| reservoir will be built in what is known as
Horsefy valley. to supply land that is
slightly higher than Clear lake.
Mr. Iippincott and Mr.. Humphreys, the
engineers in charge, tell me that they have
found no difficult engineering problems.
Nature has done almost everything for
them. The water supply is abundant. the
reservoirs are already created, and 1t is
only necessary to build dams to enlarge
them and canals to distribute the water as
needed
Objections of Land Owners.
The work has already commenced. Some
years ago private corporation undertook
to utilize the natural advantages and re-
claimed large area in the valley. bat was
compelled to suspend operations for want
of capital. The government has purchased
their lands and machinery and has indem-
nitied them for the work already done.
About $4,000 acres of the land to be re-
deemed belongs to private owners, and
some OF IT Is In large tracts. Under the
law, private lands must be subdivided and
sold in farms not exceeding 160 acres,
which is the limit OF ownership that the
government Will recognize. Several of the
land proprietors In the valley have refused
to submit to this condition. iney prefer to
hold their lands for speculative purposes
and deny the authority of the government
to compel them to sell or to limit the price.
ySoNy oil H1
somewhat, and their lands will not be irri-
gated. The government will not irrigate
more than leo acres for any one man The
public lands, which comprise about los COO
acres, VIII be subdiyided into tracts of
eighty acres each and sold at an average
cost of S1S per acre, the lowest price of any
project whose construction the government
has yet undertaken There will be no OPP
portunlty TO secure government land for
several years, however for 1t is practi-
cally confined to the water-coyered lakes
and swamps, which must first be thorough
ly drained and made ready for cultivation.
A considerable part of the private lands
are now offered for sale at prices ranging
from $40 to 500 an acre, according to loca-
ton and the quality of the soil. Informa-
ton on this subject can be obtained from
the secretary of the Water Users Associa-
ton, klamath Falls, Ore.
Richness Of the Valley.
klamath valley is surrounded by mag
nifcent forests of cine and red fir. The
timber resources of the immediate reg on
have been estimated by experts as high as
fifteen billion feet, which is now being
slowly cut by half-a-dozen saw mills The
surrounding mountains and foothills which
are beyond the reach of irrigation. afford
excellent pasturage, and even row an aver
age of 25.000 head of beef cattle are driven
to market annually, and a proportional tie
number Of sheep and horses. Most of the
horses raised here sold tn ha
States army
The reclaimed land is very rich 1t grows
all kinds of grain and vegetables and es-
pecially celery asparagus potatoes and
forage plants for dairy cattle The china to
Is similar to that of central New York
state. The lakes and rivers are filled with
fish, and the swamps are swarming with
duck, geese and other birds. Crater lake,
OF which l wrote you yesterday is one of
the most remarkable natural curiosities in
the world. and as soon as transportation
facilities are afforded will attract large
parties of tourists during the summer sea-
son.
The 100000 acres of land that are about
to be irrigated will no doubt be extended
whenever the demand requires it, for at
best 500, 600 acres may easily be reached by
irrigation. At present the entire popula
ton of the valley is not more than 5000 or
6,0G0-the local authorities claim 10000
and they are scattered in dozen villages.
klamath Falls is the largest town and the
commercial center. 1t claims 15oO popu-
lation, and probably has little more than
LOCO. 1t will increase rapidly in numbers
from this time on, however. Not less than
LOO or 1,500 laborers will be required by
the government, and they must be fed
clothed and taken care of. Many of them
will doubtless bring their families and set
tie In the neighborhood. Already the town
is crowded that no houses can be had
and there is not a vacant room. New
corners compelled to live in tents until
they can provide something better There
is fringe of white canvas all around the
outskirts of the town.
Character of Klamath Falls.
klamath Falls is pretty place and has
an enterprising people. There are banks
and stores of all kinds, which seem to be
doing a large business and an excellent
hotel-one of the most comfortable we have
found in the west. There is a fine school
house and various other features of modern
viiZation, and there will be a railroad in
here very soon. The Southern Pacific engi-
neers have located several routes. and will
probably decide to come up the klamath
river bottom and continue the line up the
valley to a short distance from Crater lake
where hotel will be provided for the &C.
commodation of tourists. I have never
visited any town where railroad is SO
badly needed where so much traffic is
promised. Hauling the material for the
(
keep one railroad busy for the next four
years. and cars will probably be running
into Klamath Falls before the end of the
next season.
Among the solid, modest citizens of Kla-
math Falls is Charles Armstrong. He
came here from Texas about ten years ago
with his son, boy of eleven or twelve
years, and a partner named Bord. They
bought sheep ranch and settled down as
quiet respected. prosperous citiZen-ranch-
men. They minded their own business
made money and put 1t in the bank. After
awhile Armstrong and Bord had differ
ences and dissolved partnership, but both
remain in the neghborhood and Armstrong
and his boy have been living in COM
Portable but not ostentatious way in
ranch house few miles from town. Two
or three years ago story got about in
some mysterious manner that Armstrong
was the younger brother of a prominent
English peer. The rumor seems to have
originated in the post Office, for .letters
bearing coronets are frequently received
by Armstrong and he writes to members
Of "a noble family in England. The neigh
bors have asked him good many ques-
lions, but he has never gratified their curl
osity.