The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1911-08-25

ter can be carried across the Okano-
gan river to be distributed over bot
tom land and benches on the east
side.
The cost of a system such as in
contemplation will, of course, be quite
heavy, but it would be a small sum in
comparison with the vast increase
that would Immediately follow in the
value of the lands that would be re-
| claimed. 1t is doubtful if a more at
tractive project of the kind on so
large scale can be found anywhere,
or one that could be successfully car
led out at so small a cost per acre of
the land to be watered. 1t may not
be possible for those directly inter
ested to finance the proposition but
1t is one of such vast possibilities that
there should be little difficulty expert
enced, with proper encouragement eX-
tended, to induce outside capital to
take hold of and carry out. Consider
ing the amount of territory that co lid
be reached and the short distance
that a fume must be constructed. few
irrigation projects on so large a scale
present such slight physical obsta-
cles to overcome, or appeals more
y
prises of this character.
The plan of covering land in the
Okanogan valley, in this immediate
vicinity, by means of fiuming water
from the Smilkameen river. is not a
new one of recent conception. 1t has
been talked of and discussed for sew
eral years. 1t has always been looked
upon as feasible, and most attrac-
N loc q
gentleman spent several weeks i'll
Oroville endeavoi ing to arouse inter
est among land owners in a PROPOSE
tiOn exactly similar to the one now
under consideration. Had he been
given the encouragement thac should
have been extended the irrigation sys-
ten would be in operation today.
There is no otner such body of re-
claimable land in the county and if
the project as contemplated can be
carried out it will not be second in
importance to The big government re-
clamation system now in operation
covering the territory between River
side and Okanogan. Furthermore the
Oroville project is the better one from
the fact that the water supply is
greater and surer, and the cost of
maintenance will be much less.
The benefit that such a system would
be to Oroville is incalculable 1t re-
quires no richly endowed imagination
to realize the changes a few years
would work In the place If the plan
(jof irrigating the valley Is. 'cOnsumma-
htesi -rhePe 'swotfid be no .tfnceftainty
as to the future of the town. There
would be no tedious waiting for slow
and halting growth. Let it be known
that such an enterprise is to take
shape and be carried out, and the
pulsatiOn of new life would be felt in
every avenue of business, and flood
of hOmeseekers head this way 1t
would result in the speedy building
up of a large city at this point, max
ing it one O. the most thriving indus
trial centers in the state. The higher
land north and south and in immediate
touch with the town, that must re-
main bare, unprOductive and unprOfit-
able until its dormant soil is electri-
fed by the touch of ample moisture,
would become richly productive, pro-
viding homes for hundreds of families.
There would be provided means of uti-
liZing and placing in commercial shape
the products of these hundreds of
small orchards and gardens, which
would mean, besides the shipment Of
vast tonnage of the raw material can
neries and other means of preserving
the yield OF the soil. Happy the day
for the people of Oroville when ac-
tual work commences on the fume
system that taps the Smilkameen for
the purpose of carrying the life giving
water to the thirsty lands he:eabOuts,
which only awaits that fluid, and the
labor of the husbandman, to respond
most generously in the prod lction of
all the fruits of the earth.