Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-05-14
THEY ARE MAKING MOST HEAD
WAY AT FRUITDALE
WORK ON THE SOUTH SIDE
Overhauling Big Pump and Placing
Pipes to Throw Water i'm
bitches.

amount of work has been done on |
the irrigation canals. The high line |
which is to serve Fruitdale leads in |
progress at this time, as nearly or
quite three miles have been COM
pleted with the exception of the
flume work, which will be construct
ed as soon as certain carloads of
lumber arrive. One of these cars
was contracted to be here on Monday
last, but there has been delay. 1t is
hoped this lumber will be here with
in day or two,
The exact point at which work is
going on in Fruitdale is on the hill
side above the Scarborough residence.
Rapid progress is being made and it
will not be many days before the
ditch will be completed to the far
thest point of present construction.
The farmers whose lands come under
this ditch begin to realize that they
must get ready for the water. The
steel pipe ordered to convey water
from the pump to the upper end of
the ditch is expected within a few
days and it will Immediately be put
in place.
A strong force is at work on the
200-foot contour ditch and every
thing possible is being done to rush
the work along and for this purpose
gangs are being employed at inter-
walls at a number of points. There
has been some difficulties encounter
ed on this line but they are being
successfully overcome and the ditch
will be ready for water to the far
thest point in the near future. There
, will be some fluming to be done but
this will be looked after as soon as
the lumber arrives.
The work on the gravity ditch is
being pushed by only a small force
at the present time, and these men
are confining their attention to some
bad rock work which has been en-
, countered AS soon as the machines
employed on the other bitches can
, be spared, they will be taken to the
gravity ditch and then plenty of mer
} and teams will rush the work.
/ The Aments have been oyerhaul
e ing the big pump and getting II
S readiness for prompt operations anC
S the pipe which is to carry the waite
to the 200-foot ditch Is being PLACED
S in position and nothing Of import
- ance remains to be done to lift tn,
It water into the ditch named The,
are anxiously awaiting the pip
h which Is to come from California 70
o conveying the water as before men
Is toned to the head OF Fruitdale ditch
The Courier has mentioned here
- tofore the necessity of getting Ian
"A ready for irrigation We hear niue
about the dry weather which has 81
IT, early and the good that lrrigatio
would do II the water was in tn
II ditches. This would pc true II all tn
farmers were ready for II. II Is sal
to say that not one farmer In ten ht
\ his ground in shape for the water
Il were turned on now, and this
\ going to be one OF the great difficu
ties in raising crops by irrigatic
u this year Land must be graded an
plan made for lateral constructic
so that the water may reach Il
ground whereon 1t is to be apple
All this will require thought al
careful examination and It will
we'll to attend to this most lmpol
ant matter with as little delay
possible.
The bringing Of irrigation into Il
valley will create a revolution In go
eral farming, for many crops mn
be grown which are strange TO o
soil. OF first Importance are the {,
age crops and TO get best results
must procure the seed and have
ready for July planting. Sow Germ
mlllet as Il makes the very best ki
Of forage, and viii produce from &
TO four tons to the acre az sin
7 Ncattug. This crop VIII lcat. SD