The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1910-02-11
PLAYING THE SAME TUNE
More Space Devoted to a Sub
ject that Should Appeal to
Every Land Owner.
IT MEANS PROSPERITY TO ALL
Let Every Resident of Town and
Valley Poll to Make the
Enterprise a Go.

AIotHtI uidSS IutttlllS VI buSlHtSS
men and property owners directly in
terested in the success of the PROPOSE
tiOn was held in Peerless hall Satur-
day to consider ways and means for as
sisting and Fastening the consumma-
tion OF the proposed irrigation project,
that has for its aim the reclamation of
several thousand acres of land in the
Okanogan valley, around and south
of Oroville, and on both sides of the
river. The reports made in open
meeting, the question propounded by
land owners and the answers, and a
growing disposition on the part of
some land holders under the propose j
ditch who were inclined to raise OBJ
iections to come in and reap the bene-
fits which the project certainly insures
were the encouraging features of the
session, and give promise to finally
complete the combination of interests
that will result in the carrying out of
the enterprise.
1t is matter, however, that should
not be permitted to drag, and every
body should lend all the influence in
their power to aid in securing sigma
lures to the contracts, SO that there
may be no delay in beginning the
work. The signing of contracts is
only the preliminary step in the ac-
complishment of the very mnch de-
sired object, and it may be said here
that if all owning land under the pro
posed ditch do not come in the enter
prise will be dropped. There is no
uncertainty as to the capital required
to carry out the work. That import
ant factor has been provided for 1t
is simply up to the land owners to CO.
operate, and by cooperation they make
land now comparatively worthless of
great value. If any man knew where
he was absolutely ce- tain of making
81, 900 on an investment of 800 he
would not hesitate moment in max
ing that investment This irrigation
project is parallel case. Land that
without water is not really worth S25
per acre, and no demand even at those
figures, would command from $3.50 to
$500 under this irrigation ditch, even
before the water was ready for use.
This is neither imaginary nor an eXag-
geration. That result has followed
whenever water has been put upon
arid land adapted to fruit growing un-
der favorable conditions, and these
favorable conditions are climata and
irrigation. No one will question the
statement that Okanogan lands, with
water, are equal in producing capacity
to any fruit lands in the United States,
hence the claim relative to increased
values, as set forth above, is rather
an under than over estimate.
This paper has so often pointed out
the benefit that would accrue to land
owners, the valley and the town by a
system of irrigation on large scale,
quoting as illustrations the great
prosperity that has come to other Sec
tions of the state where arid land has
been reclaimed, that it is hardly nee
essary in this connection to go over
the ground again. The man that can
not see the advantages that would be
derived by himself and everybody else
from the carrying out of an enterprise
of the kind proposed, and on so large a
scale, will not see, no matter what ar
gument or figures are put up to him.
He is simply an obstructionist, willing
to sacrifice competency that is within
his reach, careless and indifferent to
the interests of his neighbor, with no
desire to see the country in which he
lives progress and prosper. Every
man is free agent, every man has his
own ideas and views, yet it really
seems strange if there can be any one
in this valley unable to comprehend
the extraordinary benefits that it
would be to himself and all other resi-.
dents of this part of the county if this
irrigation project is successfully car.
ried out.
o.
REWARD OF EFFORT.