The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-04-09
COOPERATIVE IRRIGATION COM.
PANY AT ADRIAN HAS PASSED
INTO HISTORY-CHOOSE LANDS
SATURDAY.

adjoining Adrian and Soap Lake and
extending near to Ephrata.
About the same time the company
secured water rights on a chain of
the larger of which Crab creek flows
at that point. A dam was construct
ed at the lower end Of these lakes,
increasing the already bounteous sup
ply of water. From this point the
water is conveyed some ten miles by
open ditch, fumes and pipe line to
about the center of the company's
lands, where it is then distributed
by branch canals and laterals to the
different sections of land.
Very much of the companys land
is of the highest quality of volcanic
ash soil with enough sand to work
nicely and water well; and under
meath the soil is a gravel formation
giving perfect drainage. The land is
exceptionally smooth and even, and
slopes enough to run water and ir-
rigate easily.
The Great Northern traverses the
Adrian ccmpany's lands for several
miles and the railway company have
already constructed sidetracks on the
land, where trains now stop, and pre-
parations are in progress to soon
erect a substantial station depot.
This station is between Adrian and
Ephrata, opposite and but short
way from Soap Lake; and as soon as
the depot is established all travel to
the lake will be via this station.
| The company is a stock company
and Originally incorporated for $780,
900, par value 500 per share. al,
treasury stock When little more
than half the stock had been sold
1t was withdrawn from the market
and none has been sold since. Very
much of the stock was sold at $125
per share-25 per cent premium.
The company was originally organ
lied as a farming company to irri-
gate it's own lands, two thousand
acres or more of which it was pur-
posed to develop to commercial or
chards to be operated by the COM
pany. The first year was spent in
establishing headquarters and con-
structing the irrigation system
Last year about one thousand acres
was brought under cultivation, with
nearly two hundred acres planted to
Winesap, Spitzenburg, Jonathan and
White Winter Pearmain apples, with
some peach and pear filters, and
crops of wheat, oats, corn and pota.
toes grown on most Of the balance
of land, and all irrigated. The trees
made a vigorous growth and some
are now in bloom and all looking
fine.
At the annual meeting the first OF
this year the stockholders elected tc
reorganize, and incorporate a new
company, doubling the capital stock
and making the new company pub
lie service corporation with rights oil
eminent domain and to supply water
to the public at established uniform
rates. In this reorganization 1t was
| elected to allot to the stockholders
in severalty an acre Of land for each
share of stock outstanding, there be
ing some 1900 shares out. The lan6
not all being uniform in present de
velopment and location, making diff
ferentials in the land values, it wa:
arranged to give the stock uniform
value in exchange for land, and have
the land appraised by 1isinterestet
parties, and persons taking land could
select any priced land to the tota
/ amount of the purchasing value o
their stock holdings. The value es
tablished on the stock was 5000 Pc
share.
A crew of surveyors were put Il
work plating the land, and there /:
now 1900 acres of the best land, in
Guiding that planted to orchard, plat
ted to five-acre and less tracts. The
appraised valuation of this 1900 acres
was made to average 5000 per acre
to equal the valuation placed on the
stock. The 1900 acres have all beer
appraised by three of the most com
petent disinterested men to be found
|, and the prices range from 500 pei
acre for rougher and farther-out 10
cations to $500 per acre for grow
ing orchard, which is also closely 10
Gated to the new railroad station and
company townsite. This townsit'
comprises about forty acres surround
ing the station, which will soon b.
plated and filed.
i Thus it is shown that the develop
ment of the land is to be done BY
the individuals, and the company viii
not engage in farming any more, bu
confine it's operations to developing
more water and extending the irrl
CATION system, and besides supplying
water for this 1900 acres allotted II
the stockholders, will sell other o
itc land with water RIGHTS and col