The San Francisco call., 1910-05-14
Subdivision of nearly twenty thousand
acres in the richest section of San Joaquin
Valley that never before changed ownership
since Abraham Lincoln signed the patent
right to John d. Patterson of California

Acre by acre and mile by mile, just
as the eager paIeface Of two genera
tions ago encroached upon the wild do
main Of the Indian, the thrifty home
seeker of today is pressing into Cali
fornia and splitting up the princely pri-
vate ranchos into thousands of fertile
smaller farms.
The most recent evidence of this is
in the subdivision of the famous Rancho
del Puerto. nearly 10000 acres level as
a floor, and lying a hundred miles
southeast Of san Francisco in the valley
Of the san Joaquin.
The Patterson ranch, as it is gener-
ally known. is conceded the largest
body Of good land in one piece in the
whole san Joaquin valley. Long be-
fore the days of irrigation it was con-
sidered the best producing land in the
entire state. In the chemical formation
Of the soil no faults have ever been
discovered. It has no alkai and no
adobe. No drill has ever yet sunk deep
enough 70 find the hardpan. One hun
dred thousand bushels Of grain has
been raised on half of il while the
balance lay in summer fallow. Twelve
time, affording an inspiring glimpse of
agricultural success without an equal in
america.
1t has been in the Patterson family
for SO years and more. Abraham Lin
coin, as president, signed the patent
granting the vast rancho TO John d.
Patterson. Year in and year out it has
borne its golden crops of grain. bring
ing fame and fortune to the Patterson
family.
Now. in common with other old
ranches OF vast extent. with the devel-
opment Of irrigation facilities and ac-
ceding TO the insistent demands of the
thousands seeking California homes, the
Rancho del Puerto, succumbing to the
inevitable, viii make farms for a thou
sand families instead of one.
The scheme Of subdivision is on q
magnificent scale in keeping with the
size and character Of the property.
It has completed now the largest ir-
rigatfon pumping plant in the United
States. It cost s250,000 to install IL.
Every foot Of the great ranch may be
irrigated, rendering possible every
character Of intensive and diversified
farming known TO the temperate and
trOpic zones.
The water is obtained from the San
Joaquin river, flowing 20 miles an hour
past the ranch, fed by the SHOWS of
the Sierra Nevada mountains. The
stream is inexhaustible, millions of
gallons going 10 waste every minute
Of the Gay.
The main canal, built of concrete. is
p feet wide AZ the top, sloping to six
feet at the bottom. This stretches
away straight ss an arrow from the
bow for miles through the heart of
the ranch. So perfect is the fall and
the mechanical construction OF the
plant that with water flowing FIVE feet
deep the foodgates may be closed and
drop within an hour.
There IS no surface water, as in so
many irrigated sections. The most
thoroughly modern facilities are pro-
vided- Every inch Of water is held and
conserved IN a slushway constructed at
the side. returning TO the reservoir TO
be used
The machinery is Of the most modern
type The pumps were made by the
American well works company of Au-
Sora- III, and are of 7s per cent eff
cheney. They lift out Of the San Joa-
qutn river $1,000 gallons a minute.
This. IN brief. is the history of the
Rancho del Puerto. The story of the
city OF Patterson. on the Southern Pa
cihc railway, 100 miles from San Fran
cisco. plated in the midst of this won
derfully productive ranch and destined
70 throb and thrill with the energy
generated by 900 farms and dairies, is
q story that only remains for time to
felI, for nothing can stop the march Of
progress IN g land so superlatively
blessed with soil. water, climate and
transportation.
Alfalfa is e perennial, growing year
sfter year for an indefinite period. 1t
does not tmpoverish the soil. but en-
riches the ground by drawing nitrogen
from the air and storing it in it's
roots, thereby replenishing the soil