The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1918-12-27
5T PROJECT EVER PROPOSED
FOR THIS NORTHWEST COUNTRY

uecided to open it for settlaman,
He'e Is the entire story of tho frame
action. Read it and feel elated as -,
ala upon learning of the transoct;,.,
l victoria, Dec. 1.-THE announna
meht was made today by Hon - I,
rattuiio, minister of lands. tba, III
provincial government TODAY CON-
pleted arrangements for the purcnos
OF the land holdings of tbe Sor,han,
okanogan Land Company for the mr.
pose OF inaugurating large sca,
agricultural settlement in Tho lowe
okahagan valley. The property com
prises 22,OOO acres of choice lands n,
either side of the Okanagan river in
cluding about twenty miles on eithe
side OF the Okanagan river. toeetbe,
with stretch of bench lands on m,
west side of Osoyoos lake averao;r,
TWO miles in width and running for J
Instance OF ten miles from the outler
OF the Okanagan river to the interna.
tional boundary. The townsite Of Oso,
yoos and Fairview are included in The
property. WV
The lands are said to be ideally s;t.
uated in the garden region of the prov.
lnce with abundant water nearby for
irrigation needs. the entire % u0,
acres being open lands all ready fo,
the plow and capable of being easily
transformed into a second Okanaga,,
district.
Z; IL Is understood that the purchase
price of the $4,000 acres is $3.50 900 or
on the basis of little more than si5
an acre or 100000 less than was of.
fered to the Southern Okanagan Land
company for the property four or FIVE
years ago.
In making the announcement on be-
half Of the government, Hon. Mr.. Pat
tullo said:
These lands, in my Judgment, con-
stitute the best development scheme of
like proportion in British Columbia.
They are being purchased under the
Soldiers Land Bill for the benefit of
the returned soldiers and the develop
carrying out our plans it may be later
found desirable to intersperse soldier
settlement with other experienced and
capable settlers. This will have to be
determined as circumstances dictate.
There will necessarily be very large
amount of preliminary work on con-
1ectiOn with the project, such as the
checking up of surveys for the con-
struction of irrigation works, the sub
division and survey of the whole tract,
the laying out of townsites, the locat-
ing of right of way for railway, etc.
This will furnish work for. returned
soldiers during the construction pc
riod and will put them in a position to
make and save money, which will as
sist them in acquiring the lands after
irrigation works have been construct
ed and water has been rendered avail
able. This project particularly lends
itself to development by units which
will keep down the overhead and
easy of accomplishment.
"In the carrying out of our plans
we think there should be no difficulty
in SO arranging matters that We can
cooperate with the Dominion Govern
ment under it's legislation. so that
Dominion assistance should be avail
able to returned soldiers unde: their
legislation.
Last summer | went over this
ground with the water comptroller
and it struck me as great pity that
this large tract of what is un1oubted-
ly as fine territory as there is in
British Columbia should be practically
uninhabited, when with the placing OF
water thereon it could be quite as
1ourishing as the Vernon, Kelowna
and Penticton districts. There are
those who say that this district is su-
perior to the three districts named
on account of the fact that the season
is considerably earlier am not pre-
pared to make that statement. but
am satisfied that it is as gooc as the
districts already flourishing, ana Is
capable of supporting many thousands
of people.
"The tract has been reported on by
several engineers, amongst them EI-
wood Meade. who is known as an emil
nent authority on irrigation matters
and is undertaking highly important
work for the State of California as
we'll as the reclamation service OF the
United States by F. II. Latimcr, VINO
has probably had more experience IN
irrigation matters than any other en-
gineer in the province and by j. u
Dufresne, also an engineer OF expert
ence.
"The feasibility of the project mas
been carefully considered by William
Young, comptroller of water riShts'
who has now had many years expert
erce on irrigation matters In 'iiIS
province.
"The project also has received the
consideration of other office's OF the
government, including the grazing
commissioner, the superintendent VI
British Columbia soldier settlement
and the deputy minister OF lanes ne
knowledge of the last named oilicial
of this tract of land extends pacN
some twenty years. -,
1--WE propose to formulate piahs y,
operation Immediately in order .l'a'
actual development may begin WIN d,
little delay as possible. TINS Is
project worth while. 1t is cohs'Iue, -,
tive work in a large way and l zee
nerfectlv sure will rebound greatly