Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-10-08
GETTING READY TO SURVEY
AND BUILD THE DITCHES
TO COMPLETE FIVE DITCHES
II Is Up to the Farmers Now TO Sub
scribe for the Water, Build
I,aterals and Grade.

The directors Of the Josephine
County Irrigation e Power Co, held
several important business meetings
during the past week to arrange so
that the construction work on the
canals could be commenced at an
early day, There have been many
things to look after and much detail
to be worked out. The question of
how far the extension of each Of the
bitches can go this season is an Inn
portant one to many individuals as
well as to the irrigation company,
and this has been threshed out most
carefully during the week,
The committee selected at the
meeting last week for the purpose
of employing an engineer to COM
plete the surveys of the system has
been active in looking for man OF
experience In irrigation work and It
Is presumed that they have one, but
so far have not made a report to the
board Of directors as to their choice.
The purpose Is to commence the
survey, If possible, on Monday next,
and push the work to completion at
an early date so that construction
can go on, AS soon as the survey Is
completed on the first ditch the
work of digging will follow and there
will be no let up until that particu-
lar canal Is ready for the water.
1t is the plan to use large force
OF men and teams so as to take up
work on other bitches without delay,
The 350-foot ditch on the north side,
the 200-foot and the gravity bitches
on the same side and the two bitches
on the south side Is the work
marked out for the coming season.
Experts claim that this irrigation
system will he one Of the most com
plete to he found anywhere Not
only will It be equal to the best but
II will cover thousands of acres
which will produce the finest crops
that can be grown I'm any country.
Farm products are the one import
ant thing needed in Josephine coun-
ty and Grants Pass. During the last
10 months one dealer In this city
shipped in no less than 1000 tons
.of hay, and others, II Is estimated
brought in 1000 more, thus making
1000 tons OF forage which cost, on
an average, more than SIC a ton
amounting TO the snug sum OF S4S,-
900 for the year. This money Is
sent out OF the county, and much OF
Il, we regret to say, belongs TO the
farmer. This Is not all-$25 ,000
more Is paid for grain which is like
wise shipped In by the railroad. All
this should be grown in Josephine
county and will be as soon as oul
land is put under irrigation There
are many kinds OF fruit and garden
vegetables not grown here in suffi
Client quantities to supply the home
market. All this must be changed
by our irrigation system II indl
Wduals here and there who owr
land fail TO make good for them
selves and the county other men are
ready 10 take their places and dc
their whole duty toward the county
The opportunity has arrived tt
make the land that surrounds Grants
Pass the garden spot OF the North
west. Much, however, remains 10 b.
done by the water users TO insure
good results on their farms the com
Ing season There are laterals L
construct grading TO bo done, or
chards and vineyards 10 plant ant
small grain 10 be put In n the
fail 10 DO these things they will b,
unworthy of the soil they cucumber
Those who have tho responslblllt
Of being land owners cannot afforD
10 llo down and wait for others 4
help them. There comes n time 4
every mans experience when he ha
nm opportunity 70 help himself I
fortune Tho only trouble IA. h
lacks The foresight sometimes 20 80
The opportunity Remember, II
always there and with proper an