Imperial Valley press and the Imperial press., 1907-03-16


 two years have followed with much in- terest the published stories about the great and fertile valley that was men aced by runaway river and the strenu- ous efforts of transcontinental railway to curb the floods and save it's own tracks from inundation. The various phases of these events have furnished much material from which thrilling stories have been made and in the telling of 1t all Imperial Valley has become as wide ly known, perhaps, as It would have been had there been no break in the Colorado river and consequently no Salt on sea. The general tenor of these sto- ries, however, told of destruction and disaster and the result has been to create a belief in the minds of many that our valley was being depopulated and inn provement interrupted while these stir ring events were taking place. That the contrary is true can be easily proven bv anyone who will take the trouble to investigate. The Colorado river got be- yond control and began diverting it's en- tire volume through this valley into Salton sea in October, 1905. All efforts to curb it or return it to it's proper chan mel were fertile. Yet just at that time the Fl Centro Town company began op- erations on the most ambitious scale that has ever been undertaken by town company in this valley. The men com posing this company were all thorough Ny familiar with Imperial valley ;condi- tions. They knew it's wonderfully fer tile soil. it's vast extent and limitless possibilities. And they firmly sbelieved it to be merely question ofa short time when the river would be controlled and the water situation made absolutely safe. Firm ;n this faith the men of the town company and the other capitalists inter- ested have gone ahead as though there was no break at the river and no flood menacing their investments. Now, with the break securely closed and a safe and strong system of restraining levees, holding the Colorado in it's prop CT channel there is no longer reason for anyone to fear. The water supply for this valley is taker out of the Colorado river through a concrete headgate found- ed on solid rock and so situated it can never be damaged. Every feature and structure is as solid as engineering ex- perience can make it.
 Recently (March 7th) the river rose to 27 feet, which is nearly high water mark. There was no damage to any of the levees or anything else, all passing through the strain uninjured. With the passing away of the so-called water troubles Imperial valley takes front rank among the communities, offering exceptional inducements to the home seeker and investor. With an all the year round growing season for many crops and the ability to produce all kinds ofvaluable products out of season and put them into market without competi- tion it is evident the lands in this valley are the cheapest in the world consider ing their productive power. At present most of the lands are sown to barley or planted to alfalfa, but enough has been done experimentally in growing table grapes, asparagus, onions, winter vege- tables, cantaloupes and other special crops to demonstrate the great profits obtainable by intensive culture. With proper cultivation there are a number of products especially adapted to these lands and climate in which ten acres would be competency and forty acres a fortune But as that stage of devel- opment has not yet been reached we will mention what has been and is be- ing done.
 The following brief summary covers most of the points of interest to the homeseeker: Imperial valley is located in San Diego, in southeastern California. It is reached via the Southern Pacific to Imperial Junction on the main line, l83 miles east of Los Angeles. There change is made to the Imperial valley branch, which runs due south 42 miles to Calex-