The San Francisco call., 1905-06-15
|RR|CAT|ON|STS
CONTINUE TRIP
Visit Fresno, Ceres, Modesto
and Stockton and End the
Days Travel at Capital
PLEASED WITH JOURNEY
Great Diversity of Condi-
tiOns in California Aston
ishes Eastern Visitors

SACRAMENTO, June 1.-THE Congress
sional Irrigation Committee and the ac-
companying California delegations have
travelled about 1000 miles In California,
and during their entire itinerary they
have not seen a more remarkable demon
stration of the values of irrigation and
of irrigation in different stages of devel-
opment than during to-day's journey.
The party reached Fresno from San
Francisco at $50 this morning, and after
an early breakfast were driven in auto
mobiles through the raisin country as
guests of the Fresno Chamber of Com
merce, first visiting the Chamber Of Com
merce exhibit A remarkable concourse
OF about thirty automobiles first pro-
ceeded for a trip of about twenty miles
through the country east of Fresno. This
is one of the principal raisin-growing sec
tions Of Fresno County, which has. 1t is
estimated, no less than $4,000 acres COW
cred extensively with vineyards and or
chards. The remarkable development of
irrigation methods impressed the visitors.
They were surprised at the cheapness of
water, costing only 81 cents an acre, be-
ing diverted from the Kings River.
Congressman Cooper of Pennsylvania
stated that in his opinion California had
arrived at most complete methods OF irrt-
CATION; what had already been done indi-
Gated what could be done. He did not
practical manner of irrigation, but he saw
rather the opportunity for extension of
irrigated areas. Returning, the visitors
went west of Fresno through the country
devoted to dairying. an industry which
is placing Fresno County among the
dairy counties of the State.
TAKE JAUNT IN AUTOS.
A trip was made out Kearney boulevard
for distance of nine miles and the dis
It'll ffy1cy
return to the train. some of the autos
making the nine miles in eighteen min
utes. Events succeeded each other so
fast said Hon. w. A. Reeder of Kansas,
that he could not trust his memory 10
retain all the wonderful things he saw,
but jotted them down in his notebook
At half past ten the special left for
Ceres arriving at 1890 There the Wis
ftors were met by Secretary George T.
McCabe T. c. Hooking and other MEM
bers of the Modesto Board of Trade and
driven in automobiles through the irri-
gated country to Modesto. The party
again boarded the train at 2:45 for Stock
ton The visit to the Modesto-Turlock
country was a perfect revelation to the
Congressional delegation.
There they saw an area which. gatner-
ing a thrifty and industrious population
through the influence OF irrigation, mas
formed eight new school districts In the
irrigation districts In the last two years
and has increased the teaching and nous
ing capacity in many of the schools. At
the present time there are estimated TO
be 40 900 acres actually under irrigation
in the Modesto-Turlock district and there
are no less than 25s,000 acres under ditch,
10000 acres being in the Turlock system
and $1,000 IN the Modesto system. Mo-
desto got its irrigation system last year
and commenced to irrigate last fall- Inc
TurlOck system has been going ABOUT
two years
VISITORS ARE PLEASED.
The visitors were pleased to see new
houses popping up all along the lne-one
man had started to cultivate his land, his
dwelling now being a tent; ne Is puiioihs
a home in this "ay-mdue pee"oe"
whiles.
Ar $3.50 the party arrived in Stockton.
where the steamer Champion was board
ed for the Riverside Dairy Farm and the
reclaimed delta lands of the San Joaquin
River In the vicinity of Stockton. collie
Brown. secretary of the Stockton Cnam-
ber of Commerce, and other members OF
the organization were hosts on TINS oc-
casion. At the Riverside Farm the party
paid homage to her Majesty. Juliana de
Kol. the worlds prize COW, celebrated for
her eyentful Journey to the st. Louis fair
under the auspices of the California Fro
motion Committee Juliana gives about
her weight in milk every two weeks her
butter record is ninety-two pounds ana
seven and a half ounces in thirty days
The great diversity of conditions In Cal
ifornia was emphasized by the fact that
in the San Joaquin Valley there was land
of great fertility, some of which had been
reclaimed from the sea and some which
produced abundantly through the applica-
ton of water.
Senator Perkins, Congressman Know
land and Needham and Charles 5. Fee,
general passenger agent of the Southern
Pacific, have Joined the party.
Tomorrow and FRIDAY the great Sac
ramento Valley will be visited. This will
afford an Inspection of the largest and
most comprehensive irrigation project in
the United States.