Imperial Valley press., 1913-12-22
BIG RUSH OF PEOPLE
TO IMPERIAL VALLEY

!
TO IMPERIAL VALLEY
San Diego Union: Characterizing
the Imperial valley as the region that
will revolutionize the agriculture OF
the West, and urging betterment of
trade conditions between San Diego
and that locality, Samuel Gordon Ingle
has returned to this city after trip
through the section for which he is so
enthusiastically boosting.
Ingle reports the opening of still
another section of land in the valley.
! This is practically the last which can
be irrigated by the waters of the Cali
fornia Development Company, and
comprising $4,000 acres in the north
ern part of the valley.
The new tract is being developed by
Imperial Water Company No. 3, cor
poration which is operated for the
mutual benefit of the land owners and
farmers. Already the main canal has
been completed as far north as the
tracks of the Southern Pacific rail-
road, which is the farthest that water
has ever been carried by the canals of
the valley.
The company plans in all more than
200 miles of irrigation bitches. These
will not all be completed for about
two years, but great portion of them
will be finished in the course of the
next few months.
This land is especially adapted for
the production of fruits. Dates,
grapefruit and grapes are particularly
successful crops which may be grown.
Two townsites already have been
started in this new section, Imperial
Junction and Date City, and many
more are expected to spring up in
short time.
Ingle, in speaking of his trip
through the valley, said: ~ was more
than surprised to see the progress and
prosperity which has taken possess
sion of the valley. Every town is
alive with business and none but the
countered. What pleased me most,
however, was to find that the senti-
ment of the valley is all favorable
toward San Diego as an outlet. The
people over there seem proud to say
that their country is San Diego's pro-
ducing center, and despite the efforts
of other cities of Southern California
the tide of their trade will always find
an outlet in this city.
"There is no part of the country
capable of producing such abundant
and excellent crops as this region. The
cotton industry is taking remarkable
strides toward rivaling that of the
South, and experts declare that the
cotton raised in the Imperial valley is
only excelled in quantity by that pro-
duced in the valley of the Nile. This
industry alone furnishes employment
for all who desire it. The rumor that
the valley is overrun with men seeking
employment is false. There is plenty
of good work for any one who is will
ing to take it.
"The estimated value of the crops
which will be raised in the valley this
year is $18,000,0OO. There are more
than $4,000 head of cattle which are
grazing there at the present time, be-
sides the $4,000 which are being
raised for dairy purposes. The recent
droughts in California and Arizona
have caused thousands of head of
cattle 10 be shipped into the Imperial
valley to be fed. l have seen car
loads of cattle arrive in the valley in
such a half starved condition that
they were unable to stand. After hav-
ing been pastured in the fields for
several weeks they are shipped back
to where they came from in surpris-
ingly fattened condition. All manner
of fruits and innumerable crops of
grain and other products are raised in
the valley. In some localities as many
as seven crops are harvested each
year..
"The rush of people to the valley
has been remarkable this year. Ell
Centre is unable to cope with the in
flux of population. Every house and
hotel is filled to capacity, and still
there are many seeking place to live
Citizens of that section claim that
great deal of the recent boom is to be
credited to San Diegans, who have
been quick to see the opportunities
which are offered in this productive
region. The auto stage travel between
San Diego and the valley is now equal
to that of the average passenger
train"