The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1908-10-02

The Klamath basin in California
and Oregon, even TO citizens of those
states, until recently was terra incog-
nito Historically connected with the
Modoc warfare and massacre this
strangely interesting region of burnt
out fires has remained almost an I'M
discovered country until few years
ago.
Remote from railroads and centers
of population, surrounded by noun
tains clad in primeval forests of pine
and fir, the beautiful valleys of this
broad basin remained almost I'M
touched by pillow. The stockman,
whose fiocks and herds fattened on
the rich grasses which covered the
slopes and grew rank along the shores
of the numerous lakes and marshes,
was an Indifferent farmer and did but
little to develop the natural resources
of the country.
True. here and there were hamlets,
struggling and scattered communities,
and family traced in blue in broad
landscape of dusty sagebrush were a
few tiny lines of irrigation bitches
that encircled small stretches of vivid
green-the alfalfa fields-little islands
of emerald resting in sea of brown
that threatened to submerge them.
Such was my impression when first
looked over the Klamath plateau, the
work of man seemed to have been so
ineffective in the subjugation of ma
ture
The federal engineers, backed by a
generous government, came to this vir-
gin field few years ago, attracted by
the almost limitless possibilities which
this region possesses and which were
so apparent. Their report was so favor
able that plans for a most unusual
and unique irrigation work were APP
proved May Il, 1905, and work begun
in the spring of 1906
From the inception of actual work
of construction the klamath basin be-
menced to flock in and the upbuilding
of the commonwealth has progressed
with a rapidity almost unbelievable
except to those who have actually
witnessed il. The millions which the
government has been expanding in stu
pendouS canals and tunnels. have
brought in an army of laborers and
thousands of horses, the feeding of
which has furnished a market for all
the products of the farms such as was
never before known. The hamlets
have become towns, the towns are
growing into cities which are assum-
ing metropolitan airs. Electric roads
are projected and building, a steam
railway is about to enter the basin.
power plants are being erected, sugar
beet factories are suggested. and
sugar beet factories are suggested,
and everywhere there is an at.
mosphere of hustle and hustle that be-
tokens an awakening to the potential
greatness of a region which has long
been dormant. Best of ALL the sage
brush is disappearing and the settlers
modest home marks the beginning of
new square of green and the reced-
ing of the sea of brown.
The klamath project stands unique
aS.ong the rs irrigation works of the
reclamation service. II involves fea-
lures of irrigation, drainage and sto,
rage in unusual combination. Desert
and swamp lie close together, one
worthless because of lack of moist.
ure, the other of equal uselessness
because OF an excess of water.
In the basin are about 100000 acres
of land of which $4,000 acres are in
cluded in this system. Some of the
topographic features are singularly
interesting and are easily understood
from a study of the map. Elevated SO
feet above the main valley is Upper
klamath lake, the outlet of which is
Link river, which flows through Lake
Ewauna at Klamath falls into Klamath
river. Upper klamath lake is the
principal source of supply to the lower
part of the project BY means of q
deep cut and tunnel the waters OF this
lake are drawn into a large canal and
carried southwark into the valley
Lost river, which rises in Clear lake
winds its tortuous way for 60 miles
finally emptying into Tule lake, oil
which II is the only source of supply
Tule lake is only six miles from the
SOuTCe vi LOsl TlNeT. ~ - pTOpOseC
TO create reservoir in Clear lake by
means of a dam and to utilize the
stored water as well as the entire flow
of Lost river to irrigate several very
fertile and attractive valleys in IT.
course. Tule lake, robbed of its sup
ply, will dry up. The lake will be ir
rigated from the main canals sup
piled from Upper Klamath lake. Low
er Klamath lake will be PARTIAL,
drained by canals and by means o
pumps electrically driven by power de
veloped In Klamath river Its ex
pose; bed will also be irrigated from
the inain system
Owing to the remoteness of tn,
basin from transportation and thu
scarcity OF laborers, the work Of con