The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1916-06-02
A DREAM REALIZED.

bration of the completion Of the West
Okanogan Valley Irrigation system,
Ii. may be of interest to the general
public to delve into the history of the
movement that has finally led up to the
realization of one Of the most complete
| irrigation systems and covering the
largest acreage ever inaugurated in
the west and carried to completion
alone by the owners of the land to be
reclaimed and benefited by the life CIV
ing water. AS We follow along through
the FIVE years from the first conception
of the scheme to its final consumma-
ton it will be realized that the object
has been attained only after many dis
Icouraging disappointments, disappoint-
ments that at times seemed unsur-
|mountable, heart breaking procrastina-
lions, and years of watchful and weary
waiting.
Those directly and vitality interested
the property owners, recognized that
without combined effort to secure wa
ter individual initiative would not re-
claim the valley and bring the lands
up to state of their highest produc-
tiveness for years and years. The de-
TRY, the giving of real value to real
estate, depended upon providing means
to get the best results from the land,
and water was that means. Hence a
few energetic spirits refused to be dis
couraged with hope deferred. but kept
steadily grinding away for the one
great object until at last they feel re-
warded by seeing that object accom-
plished.
1t is just five years since the irriga-
ton bug took possession of a few land
Owners along the west side of the
Okanogan, from Oroville south. AS
first suggested the project that these
few had in mind was on modest scale
compared with the finished system in
which water is flowing as We write.
and yet the plan under consideration
was of considerable magnitude for a
few land owners to carry out. For at
that time the promoters, or agitators,
dred acres by means of pumping, and
that was no small beginning towards
ultimately carrying water to all the
thirsty land in the valley. 1t was felt
that could the enterprise as formulat-
ed among few. be carried out, it
would be an incentive for others to fol-
low their example, and through a sys-
TEN Of small units the entire irrigable
acreage north and south Of Oroville
would finally be reclaimed. The orig
inal scheme Of pumping and distribut-
ing water on valley lands in a large
area was first preached in Oroville as
long ago as May, 1911, and from that
Irrigation system, covering 10000 acres
the completion of which will be cele-
brated in proper form and with great
enthusiasm and eclat next week.
The first mention of the irrigation
movement appeared in the Gazette of
the issue OF June 16, 1911, and then
Ionly few lines referring to proposed
pumping system to cover a few hun
dred acres. Nothing more appeared in
print until August 25, 1911, when the
ambition Of the promoters had out
grown the original plan. An extension
of the irrigation scheme was proposed
among the land owners of the valley
on much grander scale than at first
advocated, which was really the orig
inal move that finally resulted in the
present large and comprehensive sys-
tenn. The Gazette grew enthusiastic
over the proposition, and it may in all
modesty be added that at all times and
leven when the project looked as though
| it was to die aborning, the Gazette has
never faltered in urging on the chief
promoters and lending every encour-
agement in its power to keep alive in
!terest. feeling that accomplishment
was vital to the town and valley.
After August, 1911. there was organ
ization and reorganization. The COM
missioners granted the petition to or
ganiZe districts under the state law, an
election was held among the property
owners at which it was unanimously
decided to organize. At first there was
TO be but one district. on the west side
of the Okanogan river. Then the east
SANSAS "oueSu " iCoP SOhiC oChCht, anu
two districts were the result, the East
and West Okanogan Valley Irrigation
districts. Proceedings dragged along
year after year, and at times it seemed
as though the project would never be
realized. Large sums were paid out to
engineers, who carefully went over the
grounds, presented elaborate reports
with masses of estimates of cost. At
last it was decided to consolidate the
two districts under the name of the
West Okanogan Valley Irrigation dis
trict, in order that the proposition
could be the more readily bonded. But
the cost was so great that the diff
Guilty Of floating the bonds stood as
barrier to further proceedings for
months. At last, the Great Northern
railway, that was largely interested in
seeing the country developed, came to
the rescue, and through the influence
OF the road A. Guthrie & Co., offered to
do the work and take the bond issue, |
some $600,00O in payment. On Monday,
July IL, 1915, ground was first broken |
en- the system on the hill to the west
Of and overlooking Oroville, under the |
direction of r. L. Hoffmark, managerI
for A. Guthrie & Co. A crowd of citi- |
zens collected on the ground at the