The Prescott daily news., 1908-10-21

The Klamath basin in California and Oregon, even to citizens of those states. until recently was terra fncog- nito Historically connected with the Modoc warfare and massacre, this strangely interesting region of burnt out fires has remained almost an un- discovered country until a few years ago.
 Remote from railroads and centers or population, surrounded by noun tains clad in primeval forests of pine and fir, the beautiful valleys of this broad basin remained almost un- touched by blow. The stockman. whose fiocks and herds fattened on the rich grasses which covered the slopes and grew rank along the shores or 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 faintly traced in blue in a broad landscape of dusty sagebrush were few tiny lines of irrigation ditches that encircled small stretches of vivid green-the alfalfa fields-little islands of emerald resting in a sea of brown that threatened to submerge them Such was my impression when I first looked over the Klamath plateau, the work of man seemed to have been so Inc s,, h@ 1, 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 most unusual and unique irrigation work were ap- proved May IF, 1905, and work begun in the spring of 1906
 From the inception of actual work of construction the Klamath basin be- gan to be talked about. Settlers com menced to flock in and the upbuilding of the commonwealth has progressed with a rapidity almost unbelievable except to those who have actually witnessed it. The millions which the government has been expending in stu pendous canals and tunnels have brought in an army of laborers and thousands of horses, the feeding of which has furnished market for all the products of the farms such as was | bAf ly, Tho hnn lot | 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 potentia | 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 ol new square of green and the reced l ing of the sea of brown.
 The Klamath project stands unique among the 26 irrigation works of the reclamation service. It involves fea lures of irrigation, drainage and sto rage in unusual combination. Deser' 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 1S7,000 acres are in cluded in this system. Some of the topographic features are singularly from a study of the map. Elevated 5( 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 a deep cut and tunnel the waters of this lake are drawn into a large canal and carried southward into the valley Lost river, which rises in Clear lake winds its tortuous way for 60 miles finally emptying into Tule lake, oi which it is the only source of supply Tule lake is only six miles from the source of Lost river. It is proposed to create a reservoir in Clear lake by means of a dam and to utilize the stored water as we'll as the entire flow of Lost river to irrigate several very fertile and attractive valleys in its course. Tule lake, robbed of its sup.