The San Francisco call., 1910-05-27
Town GALY
ADORNED FOR
CELEBRATION
Officials of Neighboring Cities
Invited to Take Part in
Great Fete
Open House to Be Kept for ALI
During Three Days of Con-
tinued Merrymaking
Especial Dispatch 10 The Call

Especial Dispatch 10 The Call
COLUSA. May 2e-With an increase
in land values in Colusa county which
can be followed more accurately by
multiplication than by addition, the city
of Colusa believes that it is justified in
celebrating with a water carnival and
is entitled to Queen Martha and maids
Of honor. The majestic pageant is but
the outward and visible show Of a pros
perity which is now being best ex-
pressed in stacks of alfalfa and bar
ley and tons Of creamery butter 1t
luss-s rose TO compute the excessive
carnival spirit in prosaic terms of
green fields and running canal bitches.
Twenty acres in alfalfa bring in
better returns now than 16o acres in
wheat once did" said County Statis-
tician Rich today Land that once
sold for $50 an acre now brings from
S1OO 10 $3.50 an acre"
These comments on the condition of
affairs in COlusa county explain why
The people of this community are pre-
pairing 10 celebrate tomorrow, when tho
streets Of the town viii be alive with
the excitement Of a street fair; they ex-
plain why on Saturday the gracious
queen Martha will be crowned queen of
COlusa, inaugurating a three days
festival.
Plans for the carnival have been
completed. and now the last touches
are being given which will transform
COlusa from a dignided county seat into
z merrymaking monarchy.
The sky is clear and so is the air.
To the east, the Marysville buttes, y
miles away rise out of the plain as
distinctly as if they were just across
the river. To the west the Coast range
mountains make blue border for the
valley Overhead there is not a cloud
and il is only on the horizon that the
light masses float in benign aloofness.
ColUsa sees the comet every night and
enjoys the sun every day.
THE BLUE AND GOLD
The perfection of the weather has
brought out early decoration Today
every store in the city is being draped
in bright blue and gold, until the town
looks like Berkeley celebrating a foot
ball victory. The dwelling houses are
being similarly frightened. and under
the shade trees is seen the auttering
bunting of carnival time. The county
courthouse has been decorated today.
The building behind its mulberry trees
is frightened with carnival colors. The
courthouse tower is crowned with cleo
tric lights. which viii add TO the
brightness of the streets on the nights
OF the carnival
The entrants in the boat race for Mon
day are energetically preparing for the
contest The river is kept clear of
spsgs by the government, and is open
for navigation 10 the Chico landing,
many miles above Colusa- The river at
that point has not been contaminated
by the silt from the hydraulic mines
and the bed OF the Sacramento has not
filed up along the Colusa county banks
as IL has lower down. So there is
plenty Of water for Colusa TO enjoy.
The chief interest in the county is
now turned toward the $4,000, 900 irri-
cation proposition which is being un-
dertaken by the Sacramento valley ir-
rigatlon company, commonly known as
the piCtsburg syndicate. This corpora
ton is bringing water TO 200, 900 acres
Of land It has taken hold of what
was the central canal project, a scheme
which was started years ago and was
discontinued owing TO internal dis
agreement in the district. To the orig
inal central canal project the Pittsburg
interests have added other districts.
The main canal, which is along the old
survey Of the central canal, is pro-
jected to be from So to 20 miles long.
IL taps the Sacra ramento river about two
and a half miles north of Hamilton,
Glenn county, near the Tehama county
line, and passes near Willows, Glenn
county. and on into Colusa county, west
OF Colusa city.
ENGINEERING PROBLEM
The company is encountering an en-
cheering difficulty at Willows, where
Willows creek crosses the canal. Five
hundred men are employed at that
point About so miles Of waterway has
been finished. The ditch is built so
feet wide at the bottom and 100 feet
wide at the top Branching out from
the main canal near Jacinto, Glenn
county, and running % miles south
into the Boggs tract. Coiusa county, is
branch of the canal known as the
river canal The land contiguous 70
the canal is for the most part owned
by the syndicate and is being sold to
settlers.
Members Of the Sacramento Valley
development association place great
store IA this irrigation work One of
the chief speakers before the session of
the development association to be held
here on Monday will be D. W. Ross,
chief. engineer OF the Sacramento Val
lev irrigation company The people OF
Colusa. know that the completion of the
Der OF small farmers into this section
and realize that Colusa is just begin
ming its most prosperous period.
Thirty years ago this county was the
banner wheat county in the world, win
ming its laurels by the splendid size Of
the great tracts under cultivation. Now
il promises to be a county famous for
its small farms. The annual prune
crop is between 1000 and 5000 tons
dried. bringing in between 100000 and
$500. coo.
A dairy district brings its cream into
Colusa and the city supports a cream
cry with capacity Of $500 pounds Of
butter day. Eac& COW in the irri-
gated dairy district produces for its
owner from IS TO 81 a month.
FETE OF PROSPERITY
Butter, prunes, alfalfa and engineer
ing problems are not subjects consid-
cred kindred to the pageantry Of a
carnival. But If Colusa were not pros
pering with its farming activities and
II IL were promising with its irrigation
projects there would be no carnival
Backward communities are too busy
making both ends meet to want to
lapse into the luxury of a carnival.
Colusas hospitality is official as well
as general. The mayors and the town
trustees n every srifry aus $500. ~