Imperial Valley press., 1938-02-01

Continued from Page One)
in Imperial Irrigation District. An
intake structure was built on the
right bank of Colorado river just
above the international boundary
through which water was taken
from the river without a diversion
dam. The canal from this point
to Imperial Valley could not be
built through the United States
because the sand hills east of I'm
perial Valley constituted a barrier
which could not be overcome with
the resources and facilities then
available
Through Mexico
Not far below the headWorks,
however, the Alamo overflow chan
mel took off from the river and
followed a course through Mexico
into the Imperial Valley. This was
a natural route for the canal and
accordingly a concession was OBJ
tanned from the Mexican govern
ment for its use and for the con-
struction of irrigation works IN
Mexico. A Mexican company was
organized to build and operate this
part of the irrigation system, and
the successor of this company still
exists and is known as the Com
pania de Terrenos y Aguas de la
Baja California, S. A.
California Development Co., did
not construct the distribution cam
ais for delivery of water to farm
ers, but this was done by a number
of Mutual Water companies who
purchased water from California
Development Co. Almost from the
time of the first deliveries in 1901,
it was difficult to keep the head
works free of silt, and at times OF
low flow in Colorado river enough
water could not be diverted to
meet all demands. In an effort to
remedy this situation, the company,
a few years later, built new head
gates in Mexico a short distance
below the boundary, but with dis
astrous results.
A series of floods came down
Gila river-which enters the Col
orado a few miles upstream-and
the new headgate structure was
washed out. The full flow of Col
dorado river then turned from its
former channel into the Alamo
into the Salton Sea. With its limit
ed resources, California Develop
ment Co. was unable to close the
break, and intervention of the
United States was sought because
of the tremendous damage being
done to lands in the valley, and
because great erosion channels had
formed which threatened to cut
back up the river and destroy La
guna dam.
Railway Got Job
The actual task Of closure was
given to Southern Pacific Railroad
Co, whose tracks across the Sal
ton Sink had been inundated. The
transportation facilities of the rail-
road were diverted to this work,
and finally the river turned back
into its fomer course. In the settle
ment of it's claim the Southern
Pacific became the owner OF Cali
fornia Development Co., and its
Mexican subsidiary, and retained
possession until 1916.
The people in Imperial Valley
were naturally desirous of owning
their own irrigation works, and ac-
cordingly organized Imperial r.
rigation District July 25, 1911 for
this purpose. The district originally
included a total area of COS, 900
acres, extending from the Interna-
tional boundary to the Salton Sea,
within which were located all of
the Mutual Water companies.
The first issue of bonds of I'm
perial Irrigation District was au
thorized by an election on Oct. 29,
1914 These were in the amount of
s3,500,0O0 and were to provide funds
for the purchase of the irrigation
systems of California Development
Co. and its subsidiary. Actually,
these were not taken over until
1916, after which the district oper-
ated the diversion works on Colo
RADIO river and the Mexican canal
system much as had it's predeces-
sors.
Elections Held
Within a few years there was
agitation for the district to acquire
the distributing systems of the
Mutual Water companies, and cleo
ions were held at which bond issues
aggregating S12,500,000 were voted