East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-10-23
A TRIP TO APPLEBURG


to afford perfect drainage. The tract
may require some leveling to make it
entirely suitable for irrigation. vet
such work should be done at COM
partively little expense. Upon the
tract there is no sand or sagebrush
to conquer.
The altitude of Appleburg is about
100 feet. The land should be well
adapted to raising such fruits as ap-
pies and prunes. 1t is seemingly ideal
alfalfa land and may also be used
for raising potatoes and other vege-
tables. In other words the tract is
well suited for highly diversified
farming.
The Ditch.
The McManus ditch through which
water is brought upon the Appleburg
tract is small ditch three feet wide
and three miles long. The intake is
just below the Henderson home on
East Birch creek three miles or more
above Pilot Rock. Water is diverted
t. the ditch by means of a concrete
apron dam which is we'll made and
should be sufficient to meet all re-
quirements The intake for the Nc
Manus ditch is located upon the site
of the old Cortell intake and for
considerable distance the ditch fol-
lows the course of the old Cortell ditch
which was used in early days to de-
velop power for running a sheep
shearing outfit at the Cortell ranch.
Before reaching the Appleburg tract
the ditch leads for a considerable dis
tance along a rocky hillside. The
ditch virtually leads through solid
rock and to construct the ditch at that
section required considerable expense.
The ditch is singularly free from leaks.
The ditch crosses Spring Hollow over
well built flume 20 or 80 feet in
length. At no other point does the
ditch lead through flume. The ditch
strikes the Appleburg tract at the
southwest corner and leads directly
north along the west side of the tract.
The fall is very gradual and to keep
the ditch in repair should require but
little effort.
/ Inc water.
The water from the ditch is taken
from the east fork of Birch creek and
the intake is virtually in the foothills
Of the Blue Mountains. The creek
is fed by living springs and there is
one valuable spring upon the McMan-
US tract. Although the past two sea-
sons have been extremely dry and but
little rain has fallen in that section
this fall there is now sufficient water
in the east fork to furnish more than
an ample supply for the Appleburg
tract. The company points to this fact
as good evidence that they have all
the water needed.
According to ]. P. McManus, presl-
dent Of the irrigation company. their
water right is absolutely secured for
the reason that they have the riparian
right to the water through owning the
land upon both sides of the stream and
they have also filed upon the water
under the irrigation code.
Profitable Land.
That the land under the Appleburg |
ditch may be farmed with profit is
plain to any one at all familiar with |
irrigation farming.
"Why don't you keep this land and |
farm it yourself" was one Of the first |
questions asked of Mr.. McManus after |
the project had been inspected. you
can make a small fortune farming |
this tract and after you have farmed |
it for few years you can sell your
land for five times what it may be
sold for nOw?"
In reply Mr.. McManus declared he
would be glad to hold the land If fl
nancially able to do so.