Imperial Valley press., 1913-06-20

freight rates, extra length Of time for
transportation from San Diego via Los
Angeles and similar conditions made il
impossible to do business with San
Diego and compete with his fellow
merchants.
"The cantaloupe crop this year is
couple Of weeks later than last sea-
son, but the quality and quantity is
far superior to even the luscious mel
0ns of two years ago. About fifty
carloads day are going out now.
THIS amount will run considerably
higher by the last Of this week The
ground is literally covered with rap
idly ripening melons. Hundreds of
men. women, boys and girls are busy
harvesting the crop, and teams are
kept on the go steadily hauling the
product to the cars. Special trains
leave every few hours with melons
for the eastern markets. It's one
grand rush. The farmer himself chases
back and forth between the field and
The railroad station in his automobile
never thinking of speed limits or other
little annoyances incident to city life
The greater portion of the crop is
handled through a Chicago office from
which the distribution to eastern mar
kets is made. 1t is thus possible to
handle solid train loads Of melons d-
rect to Chicago on fast schedule. One
important and rather rapidly growing
feature is the invasion of Japanese
growers. who market their crops in
dependently. The JapS have quietly
acquired considerable acreage and are
making money rapidly. The Mutual
Orange Distributors Of Rediands have
this year entered the field and are
now shipping their first cantaloupes.
Their acreage is what is known as the
White Mans belt Of growers at Ell
CentrO. The directors, under the name
of the Imperial Valley Produce Com
pany of Ell CentrO, have leased for
number Of years 5000 acres and have
their own men who are experienced
Cantaloupe growers to look after the
deal, under the personal supervision OF
Arthur Gregory, who is one Of the
best posted men in that line on the
coast
"There are $4,000 head of cattle
now fattening in the valley. Six train
loads arrived last week from Arizona
and Mexico, where in certain sections
a drouth prevails. With a tremendous
crop Of alfalfa and other food prod
ucts the importation of cattle for fat
teninS is this year being undertaken
upon a larger scale than ever before
Many of the farmers claim that this
is one of the most profitable methods
of disposing of their crops. They buy
the cattle outright and usually in poor
condition. A short while feeding on
the nutritious valley productions fat
tens the animals fit for market. The
demand for cattle money is enormous.
They figure that $50 to 500 head is
about their sale value. To obtain
funds with which to absorb a large
number of cattle the farmers are pay
ing large rates of interest for money.
lei Centre is making marvellous
progress. The main street is now be
ing paved. A mile thereof will be com
pleted next month. About five blocks
are so nearly ready that it is expected
they will be opened for traffic neXt
week. AS the county seat Ell Centre
has grown more rapidly during last
year than any other city in the valley
but the others are moving along rap
iGly. Imperial is nearly as large and
supports several of the largest indus
tries in the state. 1t is growing rap
idly. HOltville is another progressive
place of about 5000 population. Braw
ley is another progressive city and
great shipping point. CaleXico is rap
idly forging ahead and is destined to
become an important gateway for Mex
lean commerce. With all these towns
about the same size there is consid-
cradle rivalry between them. 1t is all
Of the very best nature and when they
fail to land newcomer in one town
they invariably say, We'll, you'll find
-- (the other town) four or
five miles distant. It's a might good
place. Maybe you'll like it better, but
if not, come back here, as we are GER
tain of having the largest city in the
entire valley
lone thing which attracts stranger
in looking at a map Of the great I'm
perial valley is the designation Of the
former shore line before the sea re-
ceded, leaving this great fertile basin
a virgin territory. How many years
ago since it was covered with water
no one knows. 1t is a fact, however,
that in anticipation Of the Salton sea
some day receding out Of existence
rcnNrTTNJITED Oar DACT EOTrD1