Imperial Valley press., 1914-03-28

In the fundamental processes by
and through which the winning OF
the west has been brought about and
a coastal development accomplished
within, it is but fair to say decade
on the Pacific coast that has far out
stripped the visions of real estate
dealers and operators, to say nothing
of their optimistic representations
which were termed fantastic by the
more conservative element, funda-
mental reasons have been overlooked
for a development that has reached
and overtopped the roesiest dreams OF
the embir builder and argonaut in his
westward quest along the years since
"the days of old, the days of gold,
the days of 40"
Fifty years agone the great domain
stretching from the Atlantic's shores
westward for 1900 miles was sparsely
settled compared with it's marvellous
growth since. The westward quest
of the pioneer and frontiersman had,
you might say, hardly more than
reached the Rocky Mountain barrier
by then. But the rapid filling up of
the waste places went on apace and
soon flowed over the great divide and
began to flow gently into the valleys
of the great Pacific West. By slow
processes of time the people of the
East, Middle West, North and South
came to know of Sunny Southern
California" and to appreciate the ad-
vantages of climate second to none
for the home, health and pleasure
seeker, and the vanguard of 9 great
army of conquest began to plant it's
picket posts where sun kissed wales,
smiling skies and the life giving
ozone of blue seas and towering
mountain ranges make of this sunny
Southland a mecca for teeming thou
sands. A half century since America
was a great workshop, a field OF ef-
fort and toll. Today it is filled with
millionaires and thousands of men
and women in quest of homes where
blizzards, killing heat and cyclones
are unknown. Where every day out
of the 365 days of the year is sum
mer day comparatively. Where may
such conditions be found but in Sunny
Southern California? 1t is but fair
to say that the people of the East,
Middle West, North and South are
only beginning to find out that upon
no part of this terrestrial globe is
there a more salubrious climate, q
more equable temperature through
out the year, more advantages for
pleasure or more beautiful combina
tions of landscape, of rolling hills and
spreading wales, of seashort, lake and
stream, of seaside and mountain re-
sorts than in Sunny Southern Cali
fornia.. They are but just beginning
to find out some of Natures most
amazing secrets hidden in the soils Of
the valleys of the Southland. Among
the multitude of these mysteries OF q
long dead past the Imperial Valley
has brought forth it's casket of gems
to amaze and mystify the whole civ
iliZed world.
To amaze and mystify by the mar
velous fertility and productivity OF
it's soil. To amaze and mystify be-
cause through all the years of the
past, men, women and children have
been taught to regard these lands as
barren waste fit only as the hibita-
ton of scorpions, rattlers, tarantu-
las and centipedes. But when water
touched this soil "into the newness OF
life" new Eldorado burst from
these barren wastes, sand dunes, sage
and mesquite covered plains dried
and burned by scorching sun and
avoided as a pestilence by the pros,
pector. Ten years ago the Imperial
Valley was a desert, devoid of beauty,