The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-03-19
BIG PR0JEcI. At
QUINCY
CONTINUED from Page one.)
Wenatchee River and Wenatchee
Lake Scheme.

Wenatchee River and Wenatchee
Lake Scheme.
This scheme contemplates the ir-
rigation of 100000 acres Of land by
storage in Lake Wenatchee OF the
run-off of Wenatchee river and Chi
wahwah creek. The main canal will
divert practically at the storage
reservoir and its length, to north
west corner of irrigable lands at
Quincy. will be about 76 miles. It
will embrace in this distance all va
rieties of conduit, !. e.. lined and un-
lined canal, tunnels, fumes and 81
phons and one formidable structure,
namely, the crossing of the Co.
lumbia river. The crossing of the
Columbia river would be by siphon
through tunnel 100 feet below the
bed of the river.
This part of the work is estimated
to cost $3,681,000. And total cost
of $2S,672,783 or $98.7S per acre.
Conclusion. This scheme like the
Pend d. Oreille also proves to re-
quire a large aggregate expenditure
but it's per acre cost is such as to
recommend it above all others. On
account of the great aggregate ex-
penditure involved as we'll as the
great initial expenditure required to
commence irrigating, roughly con-
sidered the possibilities of a smaller
project, as for instance one of 1907
900 acres. 1t appears for such q
project, that while the aggregate
cost might be cut in two the pei
acre cost may increase so per cent
and I, therefore, do not regard it as
at all comparable in merit with the
larger scheme.
Along the proposed canal line, be-
tween the reservoir and the Column
bia river, there are some good lands
which lie above all existing irriga-
ton in the Wenatchee Valley. These
lands could, and in order to quash
any possible protest, from the Wen
atchee district against carrying
water past their lands, probably
should be included in the project
The area is small, probably not ex-
ceeding 10000 acres but whatever
the area it's tendency would be to
ward decreasing final cost of canal.
Furthermore these lands being
above present irrigation could be
purchased cheaply and be made a
valuable asset to the project.
The water and power rights al
ready on the Wenatchee have been
cared for and Mr.. Jos. Jacobs re-
port is for the surplus water.
Land Values.
The probable range of land values
that will obtain on this project are
best indicated by the actual land val
ues which now obtain in the Yakima
/ and Wenatchee districts. The sale
of developed orchards in these dis
tricts at prices as high as $4,000 per
acre is so frequent as no longer to
excite comment, and I would hest
tate to place the average price at
which such orchards could be bought
at less than $1,000 per acre. BY
developed orchards I mean one hav-
ing healthy trees, ten years old or
more and with an ample water right.
For improved lands under ditch but
without a water right it is difficult
to find a desirable tract as low as
5000 per acre and with water right
for less than $500 per acre. The
above should be a fair measure of
what the Quincy Valley lands will
bring. With the assured water sup
ply and considering the exceptional
ly favorable features of the project,
in it's climate, depth and richness of
soil, beautiful lay of land and ex-
|cellent transportation facilities, I
believe it entirely conservative to as
sumo that these lands unimproved
but with a water right will be worth
$500 per acre. AS a final evidence
that the lands will easily bear the
estimated cost of irrigation, desire
to again refer to the private pump
ing plant which has been installed
at Quincy, and lifts water ESQ feet
from a cased well. AS previously
shown, this plant, capitalizing oper-
ating cost 10 per cent, represents
an outlay for irrigation alone and
Independent of the cost of the land
of not less than $500 per acre, and
not only is the owner highly pleased
with the outlook for his property
but it is practically certain that it
will yield profitable return on the