The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1909-12-03
BIG IRRIGATION SCHEME
A Project, Which If Carried
Out, Means Much
for the Valley.
It WILL Be A H|GH.l|NE DITCH
1t Is Backed BY Chicago Capital
And Will Materalise #
It Is Encouraged.

j. w. Dutton and Arthur L. Curry,
of Chicago, were visitors in Orovllle
during the past week, and the former
gentleman is still here. Their mission
is one of great moment to Orovlle and
this part of the Okanogan valley if it
can be carried out along the plans they
have under consideration. Last year
the representative of these gentlemen
located water rights along the Simil-
kameen river from the railroad bridge
to the falls. The object as given out
at the time was to put in dam Great
ing water head for power purposes
and to conduct ditch, or fume, down
the valley to water the land that could
be brought under such ditch. Those
interested in the design have been slow
to act, and others have since covered
the stream with water right locations,
but Mr.. Dutton states that his legal
advisors have declared their right
holding and unimpared. He is here
now to interest land owners in the
scheme. No financial aid is asked, but
it is customary in irrigation projects
carried out on this scale, requiring the
expenditure of thousands of dollars,
for land holders to donate one-third, or
one-half of their land to the company
backing the project for the privilege
of water on the residue of the land.
This looks like big price, but exper-
ience has taught the land owner else
where that it is really a cheap means
of making the balance of the land eX-
tremely valuable. For instaace ranch
of 100 acres without water might be
practically of little or no value, yet
held at $50 or 800 per acre, with no
takers. If 10y giving away so acres the
owner can make the other 80 acres
worth from $500 to $1,000 an acre, with
demand for it at that advanced price,
surely he is protiting largely by the
deal. Mr.. Dutton is now feeling the
pluse of the property owners along the
river within reaching distance, and if
favorable terms can be arrived at a
nighttime ditch for this locality is as
sured.
Mr.. Dutton states that if sufficient
encouragement is given there is am
pie capital behind the scheme to carry
it out, and those who foster the move
ment at this time are not losers if the
agreement is not carried out. The
company expects to put in dam, as
hereinbefore stated, and carry water
down both sides of the Okanogan riv-
er, and at highth sufficient to give
hundreds of acres now absolutely un-
productive the advantage to be derived
from irrigation. 1t is hardly neces-
sary to point out the benefit of such a
proposition, as it is patent to and should
appeal to the most ignorant. If it is
done, and it can be with adequate en-
couragement, the now barren acres up
and down the valley will in a very few
years be mass of foliage. The con-
ditions fer fruit raising are just as ia
NOIdDlc IlcIc clSCWH HcIc Ill CuSlelll
Washington where apple culture has
become such a profitable industry, and
under the magic influence of water the
crops here will be as large and choice
as elsewhere, and the land command
the same fabulous prices. The people
have long hoped for the Inauguration
of just such an enterprise as this Chi
cago syndicate proposes to introduce.
1t is a legitimate undertaking, at least
nothing is known to the contrary, and
the representative of the company
should be given every assistance and
encouragement in order that the work
can be commenced and carried out at
the earliest date possible.