The San Francisco call., 1909-05-27
BIG LAND DEAL
IN VALLEY OF
SACRAMENTO
Enterprise Calls for Expenditure
of About S7,OOO,OOO in
Developing Tract
Pittsburg Capitalists Interested
in Great Project for Irriga-
ton and Colonization

FINAL papers were signed yesterday
afternoon in the vast land deal in the
Sacramento valley by which W. S. and
j. s. Kuhn. Pittsburg capitalists. come
into possession Of a great acreage
which is to be placed under irrigation
and then sold in small holdings TO
colonists. The enterprise calls for an
expenditure of s7,oOO0OO
The negotiations were brought to a
successful completion by C NJ woos-
ter. the local real estate dealer, who
has been at work on the project for
six years. He had brought matters to
a head at the time of the fire. but his
plans were disarranged by the disas-
ter He then took up the matter with
the Pittsburg bankers and negotiations
have been conducted continuously up to
I .-a present time.
100000 ACRES INVOLVED
Within the contemplated canal zone
VIII be SOC. 600 acres lying for most
part in Glenn and Colusa counties. The
land is exceedingly fertile. but has
been devoted in the main to wheat
crops. After it has been watered it
VIII be made to produce a diversity
Of products.
Wooster regards the opening up of
this section as one Of the most sig
nifcant events in the forward march
Of northern California
That land" said Wooster. is ca
IA n n
This viii mean tremendous develop
ment for the Sacramento valley. Its
benefits viii be felt not only in the
section Immediately affected, but in
Sacramento and san Francisco as
we'll"
In taking over the enterprise it be-
came necessary for the Pittsburg cap
italists to purchase the stock of the
Sacramento valley land company and
the Central canal and irrigation COM
pany
BACKED BY LARGE CAPITAL
The Kuhns who viii undertake the
development OF the vast tract have
carried TO fruition similar enterprises
in other states. They are interested
in the Twin Falls project in Idaho
They are backed by the American
water works and guarantee company
which controls the water systems of
Identified with the First national bank
Of Pittsburg and the Pittsburg bank
for savings, concerns with combined
assets OF more than s4o,OoO.OOo.
The deal clears up the debt that has
0ng hung over the old Central canal
district. The bonds. amounting to
sl,150 600, which have been a lien on
the land, have passed into the hands
Of the Pittsburg people. The Central
irrigation district was organized 20
Years ago. Bonds were issued, but the
p payments We're not met The system
was tied up in litigation and continued
in this involved state until six years
ago, when Wooster took UP the mat
ter The canals were leased from the
district and a new canal built from
the Sacramento river to Princeton at
2 cost Of $500, 600 This placed an ad-
ditional $4,000 acres under irrigation
CLEARED UP TITLES
To clear up the titles it became ex-
pedient to buy the bonds and the land.
A proposition was made to the farmers
10 sell so per cent Of their land, COM
prising I17 600 acres, at a price double
the assessment for the year 1907. It
was further proposed that they release
the other 20 per cent on mutually
accomplished An option has been
taken on the land and the bonds.
The Kuhns have purchased the stock
Of the Sacramento valley land com
pany and the Central canal and irri-
cation company. Wooster has assigned
10 them the options on both the land
and the bonds.
The water rights are secured by spe-
ciaI congressional enactment. Three
years ago congress granted to the
company 500 cubic second feet from
the Sacramento river at low water
stages. This will irrigate 25O.00O or
100000 acres.
The land TO be opened for COLOMBIA
tion possesses the essentials necessary
for intensive farming. 1t is capable Of
producing deciduous and citrus fruits,
corn, alfalfa, vines, raisins and vege-
tables. At the outset Wooster met
with opposition, but as his plans pro-
gressed he has met with encourage
nent from people in the Sacra mento
valley. In a few weeks the develop
ment Of the district will be begun on
q big scale. The canals. it is stated
win be Of superior type, and viii feed
Ase big section of land through a sys-
TEN OF laterals The details Of ad-
ministration are still to be worked
out.
The Kuhns were represented in the
negotiations by Frentriss Hill and J.
H. Purdy. Wooster was assisted in
the transaction by B. n. Burton and
Tenant Harrington Of the Colusa
county bank, ]. B. de Jarnett, Brown
& Zumwalt OF Colusa, II. d. Lovelace
Of Maxwell. Freeman & Donahue, Gut
man & Barceloux OF Willows, and
Percy Stovall