Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-04
YUMA PROJECT
ATTRACTS MANY
LAND SEEKERS BESIEGE Of
FICE OF AGENT
One Farmer Pays All Expenses and
Clears $24oo Off Forty Acres
in Twelve M onths-The
Project

Everett P. Teasdale, 401 Central
building, Los Angeles, who has been
doing a land Office business the past
several days in furnishing maps, prices
and location of the lands of the Yuma
irrigation project, which has just been
completed by the government, parted
with some valuable information yester-
day for the guidance of those entering
the new irrigated section. The ques-
tons asked are numerous and popular,
and a brief review of the situation will
doubtless direct many in the right
channels.
The WEIR popularity known as the
Laguna dam, which forms the main en-
cheering feature of the Yuma project,
extends across the Colorado river from
the granite hills in Arizona to those in
California, at point about fourteen
miles above Yuma. 1t is similar III
construction to dams built in India by
the English government some fifty
years ago, still in good condition. hav-
ing Withstood all floods; also those
built later across the Nile to irrigate
the delta lands in Egypt.
The Laguna dam is over 1890 feet, or
nearly mile in length. 1t is composed
of rock, filled between parallel walls
of concrete extending entirely across
the stream from rock abutments on the
one side to those on the other side OF
the river. These walls extend from
below the river bed to the top of the
rock fill, and the entire top surface of
the dam on it's downstream side is
covered with concrete pavement IS
inches thick. On the downstream side
of the lower wall is an ample apron or
derrick stone so placed as to protect
the structure from any tendency of the
river to back-cut. The dam has a width
of $50 feet and height of 10 feet.
Some thirty miles of levees have been
constructed to protect the valley land
against overflow in high water season;
these embankments are of safe dimen-
sions, and their construction and foun-
dations have been explored and rein
forced. These levees are similar to
. those constructed along the lower Miss
issippi river, and experience gained has
furnished valuable information applied
in this project.
The Yuma project proper comprises
about 140, 900 acres of the richest land to
be found on the face of the earth.
Yuma is situated nearly in the center
of the tract.
Prices vary from $35 to $50 an acre,
according to improvements, distance
from town. etc.
The best drinking water is obtainable
all over the Yuma valley at from fiji
teen TO thirty feet No better water
any place in the country.
There is a right of way for a new
railroad. surveyed and paid for, start
ing at Yuma and extending down the
middle of the valley. 1t is learned from
a. reliable source that this railroad will
be finished in the next eighteen months.
There are rural free deliveries and tel
ephone throughout the valley, and good
schools and churches. Yuma, the coun-
ty seat of Yuma county. is situated on
the main line of the Southern Pacific,
$50 miles east of Los Angeles and 120
miles from San Diego.
For one to appreciate fully the adj
NantageS and conditions of this valley,
it is necessary that one should make
trip there and drive over the valley and
see for ones self The prices quoted
on the land might seem high to anyone
who is not familiar with conditions
there, but when one sees the returns
from these lands they are very cheap.
Improved lands bring from $40 to $50
an acre, cash rent and often, when
rented on shares, net the owner from
$40 to $40 an acre. The rross returns
on one acre of land this year, seeded to
such staple crops as alfalfa, would be
SIPS to 5000 an acre: Egyptian cotton,
$21O an acre. The Egyptian cotton or
the United States experimental farm
showed a gross return of $210 an acre
the last season. and these lands yield
greater returns when planted to vege-
tables or fruits. Dairying, hog and
chicken raising are very profitable in
dustries here on account Of favorable
climate. the great amount of pasture
the land will afford, and the high mar
ket price received for these products
on the western coast
"While driving through the valley re-
Gently with a land seeker" says a
Yuma correspondent, "he conceived the
idea that he would like to interview
farmer. so we stopped, and this is the
farmers story: I came here late in
the fall of 1906. with very limited
means, barely enough to purchase
team and pay living expenses, until 7
got started. I rented forty acres Of
land. for which agreed to nay $500 out
of the first years CROP. After farming
this one season I paid my rent, living
expenses and all other expenses. and
had a credit in the bank for $4,000. RI
have now bought a piece of land of
my own
While the majority of this land is in
primitive state. parties looking over
the valley will ret even more favorable
reports than this.