The Parker post., 1911-07-22
FUTURE LAND OF
MILK AND HONEY
Colorado River Country Capable of
Supporting Millions of People.
Prominent lrrigationist Describes
Advantages of This Section.

! George H. Maxwell of Chicago, ex-
ecutive chairman of the Natinal Irri-
cation Association, in speech before
the chamber of commerce directors
and the associated jobbers of Los An
geles said:
'Few realize the almost inconceiv-
able possibilities for the development
of agricultural wealth and population
in the southwest. Take Yuma as an
illustration. 1t has a territory imme
diately tributary to it that would sus-
tain a population that would make
Yuma as large as Cairo.
"Of course, l know that the av-
erage person would laugh at that
statement and say: Yuma as large
as Cairo! How absurd
''Well, now let's analyze the con-
ditions. There are at least 2,000,000
acres of land Immediately adjoining
Yuma that are so rich that farming
them should be really hot-house gar
dening without the glass. The Is
land of Jersey, foggy and inhospita-
BILE as is it's climate by comparison,
sustains something like 1000 popula-
tiOn to the square mile by intensive
farming, gardening and horticulture.
That density of population on the
rich alluvial lands of the Colorado
river would put a population around
Yuma of 100000 people, Would
anyone doubt that such a population
as that would create a city at Yuma
as large as Cairo?
"It isn't going to be very many
years before the working people who
live on their days wages in tene-
ments are going to discover the fact
that life on just one acre, with a
knowledge of how to cultivate it,
will pay better than the great major
ity of jobs, where they earn wages
and pay it all out for rent, food and
clothes.
Zone beauty of that Colorado riv-
er country is that family don't need
an expensive house or any great
amount of clothes to be comfortable
There are times in that climate when
even a fig leaf would be a surplusage
from the standpoint of comfort
eyes," interjected the inquisitor,
"and that brings up the question OF
the climate. Isn't that country too
hot for life to be endurable there?"
''Not a bit of it," said Mr.. Max
well. "It's all matter of having
sense enough to adapt oneself to the
climate, and live in such a manner as
ure A man on the Lower Colorado
would probably not crave or be very
healthy on a diet of walrus fat and
wouldn't want to wear furs in sum-
mer. But by proper diet and build
ing to fit the climate and living as
people who are accustomed to hot
reason why one may not be healthy
and comfortable in that climate.
"When you see the abominably hot
and Sitting places where so many
workers in the east are compelled to
work in the humid heat of hot sum
mer days there you would wonder
that they survive at all. By compar
ison the comfort, taking the year as
whole, that can be enjoyed in the
Colorado River country, is infinitely
greater than the average WOrklngman
enjoys today anywhere in the east,
especially in the large cities.
''The fact is that l regard the hot
climate of the Colorado river as it's
greatest asset, just as the climate OF
southern California has come to be
recognized to have an actual finan-
cial value of stupendous proportions.
1t is easier to estimate the value of
the climate of the Colorado River
country. You just figure what it
would cost to cover an acre with
glass to turn it into greenhouse and
you have the acreage value OF the
climate capitalized. Now, in addi-
tion to that, the government experts
estimate the fertilizing value of the
silt in the water from the Colorado
river at S. per acre per year. That is
per cent on 500. So you must al
so add that to the value of the land. "
"But isn't your vision OF the pos
sibilities of the Colorado River val
ley something so remote that it is OF
small interest to this generation?"
"Not bit of it. People simply
don't use their brains to think who
fail to realize the marvellous rapidity
with which this country is going to
develop in the next few years.