Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-06-14
FORECAST OF BIG ACTIVITY IN
NEAR FUTURE
LUMBER TO REMAIN DOWN FOR
SEVERAL MONTHS
Los Angeles EnIarges Scope as Gen.
trail PoIn. for Gigantic Enterprises.
San Joaquin Valley Attracts
Attention

new, buildings were commenced in the
downtown district during the week, and
in every residence district and sunurb
building was active. Sales OF the real
estate firms were normal and satisIac-
ton was expressed by all concerned.
Lumber dealers say there will be no
heavy rise in prices this summer,
though there has been a slight one in
the past month. Rough lumber Tor
dwellings is but a dollar or two above
the price a year ago. The hnisned
article In Oregon pine is somewhat
steeper. Local firms say there is a
steady gain in orders for materials for
residences and they look for the sum-
mer and fall to bring larger building
record than last year.
A number OF new forming regions are
being opened. Los Angeles Is charging
its scope as a central point for the pro-
motion of gigantic enterprises. An UNI
usual amount of attention is being give
to lands lying in the San Joaquin val
lev, and from all reports 1t might De
cleaned that the next twelve months
will be record breaking period for
that region.
history of California has just been
closed by which number OF men
acquire title to 5000 acres in the San
Joauuin valley involving sum of
100000. The deal is in measure an
amalgamation of various interests. OUT
OF this consolidation springs a gigantic
corporation to be known as the Iowa
Land and Water company, which Will
make its headquarters in Los Angeles
and place the land on the market.
Great ArtesIan Flow
This corporation will cause to be de-
yeloped between 1000 and 5000 inches of
water from the gigantic artesian wells
bored into an underground river, flow
ing 1000 feet beneath its own lands.
These waters from the snow-capped
mountains will be turned out into main
and lateral bitches covering the entire
tract.
These lands are said to be uniform
throughout, neither an elevation nor
depression of six inches on the entire
tract, with a pitch or slope just suffi-
cient for a good flow of water and
drainage.
The soil is an alluvial deposit eighty
feet deep, entirely free from rocks, pep,
bles. sand and alkali. Some decomposed
shells are scattered over the surface,
and at various depths below. There
are no sagebrush to grub, holes or
swa1es to fill nor mounds to level The
soil is said to be rich in every par
ticular.
Water turned loose along the lines of
bitches will cover every acre OF the
tract IL left to the action of gravity.
When these lands are subdivided and
IN the hands of actual settlers 1t VIII
materially add to the agricultural re-
sources of Los Angeles and make homes
and profitable employment for popu-
lation of 10000 people. Already nego-
tiations are under way for the location
of about fifty families upon the lands,
and others will follow rapidly. Pure
artesian water with the flow of natural
gas. can be had for domestic purposes
at moderate cost.
The beet sugar factory at Corcoran,
with a freight rate from these lands of
30 cents a ton, makes the beet industry
an accomplished fact. The beet crop
last year aggregated 22.8 per cent Sac
charine matter, the highest ever SHOWN
in the United States. The land Will
grow successfully all crops adapted to
California climate, except citrus. fruits.
The lands in this locality susceptible
of cultivation and irrigation have
doubled in value within the past few
months, and there Is every indication
that with improvements now assured
and the marked tide of investment now
running in that direction they VIII
more than double again within few
months.
The trend of investments for some
time past has been toward agricultural
lands, as shown by the uplift In the
Imperial valley, where values have re-
Gently multiplied fourfold. Vast wealth
and population have converted thaS
vast desert into one of the beauty spots
of the west. What has SO recently
been done there will, 1t is declared, be
more than duplicated in the upper San
Doaquin valley.
Old settlers in the Imperial valley are
to have their rights in. and acquire fun
possession of, the lands upon whlch
they settled under the old Imperial sur
vey, found to be incorrect by the United
States government.
The ruling in this case Is probably
the most vital ever made in disputed
land boundary. 1t will result In stop
ping promoters and spectators from
influencing ignorant persons from set
fling on lands in the Imperial valley,
which they might be led to believe were
open to entry on account Of the diff
ference in acreage occasfoned by the
two surveys.
While every detail has not yet been
worked out with regard to the new
ruling, it possesses sufficient assurance
that the old settler will receive full
Justice at the hands of congress and
the government generally.
The ruling of Commissioner bennett,
which was received by Register Pres
colt, is in full as follows:
att becomes apparent that the resur-
vey of the Imperial valley townships
now nearing completion will result in
narrow strips between entered lands.
Although these strips may have been
claimed by entrymen as parts of the
regular subdivisions established by the
erroneous and unauthorized survey,
they will be public lands of the United
States subject to entry as soon as the
plats of the survey have been filed.
"These lands have doubtless. in many
Instances, been valuably improved and
in some cases surveyed into town lots
and sold by persons claiming them as
parts of entered legal subdivisions. and
the persons now in possession have
such equities in the lands as calls for
relief at the hands Of the government.
These strips will, in all probability, be
too narrow and too long to be invit-
ing to bona fide homeseekers and will
more than likely in some cases be ap-
propriated by persons whose principal
object would be to speculate by SELL
ing them to the persons now claiming
them.
"There is no law under which the
persons now claiming these strips, in
connection with abutting lands, can be
given a preferred right to acquire
title, but congress will be asked to en-
act a law which viii give them such
right, and In aid Of this proposed
law, and for the purpose Of defeating
speculative entries. the lands embraced
in the strips referred to will be with
drawn from all forms Of appropriation
car entry until congress has had an OBJ
partunity to grant the relief mentioned
ann this withdrawal will be made as
SOON as these strips can be identified
from the plats of the survey.