The San Francisco call., 1905-06-01
BATTLE GROUND
To BE GARDEN
Scene of Mod0c Outbreak in
the North to Be Made a
Rich Region by Irrigation
GOVERNMENT AT WORK
Thousands of Acres to Be Re-
claimed in California and
Oregon in Klamath Project
By JAMES $. TYLER.

BY JAMES 3. TYLER
CALL BUREAU, POST BUILDING.
WASHINGTON, May 1-Into the un-
canny regions of the lava beds and out
upon the stretches OF silent deserts that
are near the beautiful Crater Lake dis
trict of Oregon, and where with south
ward trend the country merges INTO the
somber forests and shadowed canyons OF
Northern California, the reclamation COM
missioners of the United States ara slowly
but surely edging their way NOT SO
many years ago. where soon the mhinons
of the United States Government are 10
be used TO develop the untenanted lands
the hercest OF all Western Indian wars
was fought and the sly, cruel Modocs
kept the soldiers constantly on the de-
fensive and offensive
1t seems strange that 50 short time
could have brought so great cnanse-
Little by little. according 70 the reports
of the United States Geological Survey,
the settler has cultivated the rims OF this
comparatively unknown empire until now
he has reached the limit OF his narrow
resources and the Government must DO
the rest
And the Government Is doing IT. Cali
fornia and Oregon VIII soon fully realize
the magnitude OF the reclamation projects
and the tremendous Importance or them
in adding 10 the agricultural resources OF
the country. It was only few weeks
ago that the San Francisco Chamber OF
Commerce, netting that the northern
neighbor. Oregon. was somewhat SLOW
in grasping the opportunities presented IN
the reclamation district known as The
klamath District put on foot a move
ment TO encourage this latent section 10
become tributary to San francisco The
settlers of the district have declared that
they win favor the Pacific Coast metro
polls and San Francisco has awakened
and is asking many questions as TO what
sort Of country the Klamath district Is
and how much work the Government in
tends doing there.
EXTENT OF THE PROJECT.
The Klamath district includes part Of
Klamath County, and Siskiyou and Mod0c
counties, Cal. The reclamation service
intends, ON IT'S present project. to irrigate
about $4,000 acres of land and when this
project is well under way IL would be
possible to double the acreage at some
future time
Water for this immense area Il In
plenty. although some parts of the land
are far removed from the source or
supply. But the grades are OF such
nature that only simple engineering
work is necessary Three lakes are TO
be the reservoirs for the district. and
all OF them are situated at elevations
that insure ample pressure and fall
These lakes are Upper klamath. 4143
feet elevation: Lower klamath, 4eSs
feet, and Tu1e, 4o56 feet Clear Lake. a
smaller body OF water situated at an
elevation of 4533 feet, feeds Lost River,
which stream helps to feed Tule Lake.
Lost River meanders through a rich
valley country that is to be irrigated
from branch system. Clear Lake viii
also furnish water for the California
project $4,000 acres Of which system
will also have an auxiliary at what Is
known as Horsefiy reservoir. now be-
ing built near the boundary line OF Ore
gon. None of the acres Of this Sec
ton will be opened to homestead entry
until they shall have been thoroughly
drained and cleared by the Govern
ment.
In the Klamath system, proper. are
1s0, 600 acres. This vast region, and
part of the Clear Lake district. are TO
be drained before they are made ready
for irrigation This is no doubt 3 sur
prising statement to those who are not
familiar with the situation. The fact
is that nearly half OF the land TO be
reclaimed is constantly under water. In
the summer season the depth OF the
water is only about two feet. but in
the winter and spring il Is frequently
fifteen feet deep Drainage Of this ter
ritory will require. three years Of time
Lower klamath Lake will be entirely
emptied and only part OF it's supply
utilized by diverting 1t to storage
reservoirs Tule Lake viii be partly
drained to expose some OF the rich
lands that it frequently overfiows.
TRADE FOR SAN FRANCISCO.
Upper klamath Lake win not be tam
pered with except to be made to fur
nish water for the larger part Of the
irrigation project on the klamath side
The dry lands" in the reclamation dis
triet are mostly held by private owners
and are part OF private system OF ir-
rigation known as the klamath Water
Users, Association. Incorporated for
s3.000,o0 with headquarters at Kla-
math Falls, Oregon
At present the irrigated section of
klamath is isolated and the crops are
principally hay. grain and alfalfa
Stock raising IS extensively carried on.
but the output of products is necessar-
lily restrained ed on account OF the lack OF
transportation facilities. The southern
Pacific Company has given its tacit
math Falls and way stations and this
line will connect with the Portland-San
Francisco route at point In Northern
California Work on the road will
commence very shortly.
Settlers in the dry district" give
glowing accounts Of the richness OF the
country and declare that with irrixa-
tion they can raise almost any sort OF
crop. The district. when opened to SET
tlement, they say. will send to San
Francisco = large business and will be
a heavy buyer In the middle California
markets.