USA > California > Kings County > History of Tulare and Kings counties, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the counties who have been identified with their growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 15
USA > California > Tulare County > History of Tulare and Kings counties, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the counties who have been identified with their growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 15
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No estimates may be made of the increased productivity, in- creased value due to more profitable kinds of erops, increased capa- city for supporting population and the other incalculable benefits acerning from the distribution of water and its intelligent use. Yet the hisory of irrigation development here and the causes thereof differ so materially from that of the reclaimed districts that a few words of explanation and comparison are necessary.
In the first place, water did not here canse "the desert to blos- som as the rose," for the reason that no desert ever existed. True, there were originally vast semi-arid plains. These in later years, without a drop of water artificially applied, produced hanner wheat crops. In 1886 this yield amounted to fourteen thousand carloads, and for many seasons Tulare held first rank in wheat production among California counties.
But in the sections favored by the early settlers-the delta lands of the Four Creeks country, there was not even semi-aridity. Here was a vast, eye-delighting oasis. Here, beneath groves of oak ex- tending miles and miles in either direction, Insh, rank meadow grass thrived. Here, as far as the eye could follow was a tract where verdure was perennial, where riotous growth almost unceasingly persisted. Both in the winter by reason of the rains, and in May and June by reason of the melting snow of the mountains, mach land was subject to overflow. Swamps and sloughs were numerons, and a system of drainage would have been beneficial.
The activity of the pioneers in taking ont water was usually for the purpose of securing stock water on lands not bordering streams, and to irrigate lands for a second or fall crop of corn and pumpkins after hay had been out. It was not until a much later day, when a general influx of new settlers desirous of farming and planting to vineyards and orchards, lands hitherto held suitable only for grain farming, that the value of the water rights secured by these early diversions was realized.
The first effort to irrigate lands ahont Visalia was made in 1854. when Dr. Reuben Matthews, assisted by his neighbors, out a ditch from Mill creek to his mill near town. The ditch was intended to bring water not only to run the mill, but also to irrigate lands for gardens. In later years the Jennings' and one or two other ditches obtained their water from this sluiceway. The Persian ditch dates also from 1854, the Evans and Fleming from '58, the Watson from 1855 or 1856, and the Birch from the early '60s. In the period from 1865 to 1872, a number of irrigation projects were inaugurated.
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chief among which were the Pioneer, the People's Consolidated and the Wutchumma ditch companies. The pioneer, organized in 1866, took its water from the Tule river, well up into the hills, and cov- ered the territory adjacent to Porterville. The People's Consoli dated Ditch Company built its big canal of about twenty feet in width in 1871, the head being taken from the Kaweah, a few miles west of Lemon Cove. While the first work of this system did not begin until this date, many of the water rights secured dated as far back as the '50s, and were obtained by a consolidation of the interests of the owners with the new organization.
In 1872 the Watchumma company organized. and commenced the construction of a system which now consists of about forty miles of main and branch ditches. The water is taken from the Kaweah near its intersection with the St. John abont eighteen miles east of Visalia, and is carried to points ten miles west of Visalia. Bravo Lake, situated near the intake of this canal, is used as a stor- age reservoir for flood waters so that a supply is maintained throughout the year.
Numerous other diversions, including the Tulare District Com- pany, under the Wright Act, have been made from the Kaweah and St. John rivers so that today twenty-nine corporations divide their waters. All but two of these secure their flow below the point of divergence.
The amount of water in the river at this point probably aver- ages during the three months of April, May and June in the neigh- borhood of twelve hundred cubic feet per second, rapidly dropping then until mid-summer, when it is negligible. Necessarily, the ap- portionment to each company of its proper share has been fraught with difficulties, and considerable expensive litigation has resulted. In order to best secure their rights by being able to act unitedly and harmoniously, the ditch companies taking water from these two streams have formed the Kaweah River Water Association and the St. John River Water Association. A spirit of compromise has been fostered and in 1907 a threatened law snit of enormons pro- portions was settled in this way; one of the features of the agree- ment being that the water in the two streams is divided equally until such time as a low stage of eighty cubic feet is reached. The entire flow is then diverted into the Kaweah and runs there until the first day of October. Then, if the flow exceeds eighty cubic feet. or as soon thereafter as it does, the stream is again equally divided.
Diversion dams at the confluence of these streams and some kind of a division of water there, date from 1892. In 1911 a strie- ture of cement dams and confining walls was completed so that now perfect control and equitable division is made possible.
The next great irrigating enterprises were the Alta and Tulare
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irrigation districts, organized under the Wright law, which pro- vides for the issuance by a community of bonds which become a lien on the property in the district.
ALTA DISTRICT
In the early '80s, along Kings river and near Traver there lay some large tracts of land owned by Darwin & Ferguson, who were engaged in stockraising. Their brand was "76," and the country was called the 76 country. Considerable attention was also given to grain raising, and good crops could generally he had with the nsual rainfall.
In 1881 P. Y. Baker and D. K. Zumwalt conceived the idea of bringing water onto the land and organized the 76 Land and Water company. A main canal one hundred feet wide on the bottom and deep enough to carry a stream of water five feet deep, together with several large laterals, was constructed, the point of diversion being on Kings river, about fourteen miles northeast of Reedley.
Now, in 1888, an irrigation district under the Wright law was projected in the northern part of the county and at an election bonds were voted in the sum of $675,000. Bonds were only issned to the amount of $410,000, that sum proving sufficient. This district was named Alta, and embraces one hundred and thirty thousand acres, four-fifths of which is now under irrigation. The property and water rights of the 76 company were purchased and various exten- sions have from time to time been made, so that now, inelnding laterals of a width of ten feet or more, there are over three hundred miles of ditch system. A territory is covered lying within the fol- lowing described extremities: southeasterly to a point six miles east and four miles south of Monson; southwesterly to points three miles west and three miles south of Traver; easterly to a point one mile north of Orosi. Portions of Kings and Fresno, as well as Tulare, counties are included in this area.
This district has been a success from the very beginning. In twenty years after its formation the number of land owners within its boundaries had increased about three hundred per cent ..
From early spring until the middle of summer there is water in the greatest abundance for the needs of its dense population of orchardists, vineyardists and alfalfa growers, which is seenred at a cost of fifty cents per acre.
TULARE IRRIGATION DISTRICT
This district was organized in 1889, and in 1890 bonds in the sum of $500,000 were voted and placed on sale. Work on the main canal, which had a width of sixty-four feet and a depth of six feet, was commenced in 1891. This canal had a capacity of five hundred feet per second and took its water from the north side of the St.
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John river. It was to be about twelve miles long with seven laterals varying in width from ten to forty feet, carrying the water to all portions of the distriet.
In one sense of the word, this district was a disheartening failure and for many years proved a heavy incubus to every landowner in the district embraced. The causes leading to this condition were many, chief among them being the depressed condition of business in Tulare resulting from the removal of the railroad shops, the panic of 1893, and the failure to get water. This latter difficulty was oc- casioned by litigation involving the water rights of the district; by the series of dry years immediately following the construction of the canal and perhaps also by reason of the lack of sufficient funds to complete fully the plant as originally projected. At any rate, the payment of a heavy tax to meet the interest on and provide a sink- ing fund for the bonds, without receiving any benefits was universally resented. The validity of the bond issue was attacked and, acting under the advice of attorneys, farmers refused to pay the tax, a condition lasting about six years. An injunction preventing execu- tion on lands to satisfy judgment for default of taxes was obtained. Acerued interest by this time amounted to $150,000, making a total indebtedness of $650,000.
In the meantime land greatly depreciated in value became, in faet, unsalable by reason of this cloud on the title. It became ap- parent that some agreement between bondholders and landowners must be reached if general bankruptcy was to be avoided. Joe Gold- man, a large landowner in the district and also a heavy bondholder, took the initiative. He agitated the submission by the bondholders of an offer to surrender the bonds on payment of fifty per cent. of their face value, all interest to be remitted. It took months of hard work to secure the consent of each individual bondholder, but it was finally accomplished and the bonds placed in eserow in a Tulare bank. The plan then was to raise the $250,000 by one direct tax. Assessors were appointed and another long tug of war ensued, many property owners at first refusing to consent to the assessment or to pay the tax.
Eventually all were, however, brought into the fold, the levy was made and the money collected. October 17, 1903, was set as the day for the transfer and a monster celebration was planned and carried out, to signify the universal rejoicing at the lifting of the load.
Some six thousand people, including Governor Pardee, Mayor Snyder of Los Angeles, numerous bankers from San Francisco and Los Angeles and other notables were in attendance. Dramatically. the bonds were consigned to the flames of a big bonfire. Land values immediately doubled, trebled, quadrupled. A delayed prosperity
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proved swift in action after its arrival. The ditch system of the company became the unencumbered property of the district. No tax is levied for its maintenance, running expenses being secured by water tolls.
It will doubtless be a matter of great surprise to many to learn that in all the foregoing in which is indicated the development of a very extensive system, no mention has been made of other sources of supply equal to or in excess of that obtained from the Kings, Kaweah, St. John and Tule rivers combined. This is the under- ground flow, belief in which seems to have existed in very early days. Not until 1890, however, when at Lindsay, in wells but seventy feet deep, water rose to within twenty feet of the surface and main- tained that level under constant pumping, did the people begin to realize the fortune that lay below ground.
ARTESIAN AND OTHER WELLS
The efforts to get water from artesian wells for general use in Tulare county were first made in 1859. At that date some of the citizens of Visalia and vicinity sank a well, about the present cross- ing of Main and Court streets in Visalia. But nothing came of it, for after boring two hundred and twelve feet and finding no stratum that would rise to the surface, the work was abandoned; but the well was long used by the fire department.
The Southern Pacific, in 1875, bored a well near the track south of Tipton. At a depth of two hundred and ten feet a stratum of water was found that flowed to the surface in a strong stream. Many other flowing wells have since been bored. But the water is tepid, with a slight smell of sulphur and rather insipid. In 1881 another well was bored on the Paige and Morton ranch, and at a depth of three hundred and thirty feet a grand flow of water was obtained. The completion of this well was made the occasion of a great cele- bration. It established the theory that there is an artesian helt in the county. There are at the present time about four hundred flow- ing wells used for watering stock and for irrigation. This belt of flowing wells seems to be mostly west of the main line of the rail- road, and to extend to the westerly line of Tulare lake.
But the wells along the great plain sloping westerly from the eastern foothills, though none of them are flowing, might justly be termed artesian. The water is inexhaustible, of fine quality for domestic use and for irrigation, and has wrought that wonderful miracle of transforming those dry plains to gardens teeming with fruits and flowers.
DAIRYING INDUSTRY
Coincident with the arrival of the first family cow, tied behind a prairie schooner, the dairy industry started in Tulare county, but
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it was not until the introduction of alfalfa and the realization of its adaptation to the climate and soil that there was any idea that dairy- ing could be conducted as a separate and profitable business.
The Delta, in its issue of February 4, 1860, under the head of Alfalfa, thus speaks: "Those desirous of trying the adaptation of this clover to the soil of this valley can now have an opportunity of so doing by calling at MeLane's drug store for the seed. There is no doubt in the minds of those who have seen this clover growing that it will be one of the most productive erops in the valley. When it becomes once rooted, the drought will never affect it in the least. In this light soil it will root fifteen or twenty feet, at which depth water can always be found in abundance in every place in the valley in the dryest season. Farmers, try it."
The farmers did try it and wonders have been accomplished. It early became apparent that dairying should pay and so a number of farmers about Visalia formed a joint stock company and built a creamery. This was a two-story wooden building, situated on the Visalia-Goshen railroad about a mile west of the city limits of Vi- salia, and was completed in 1890. W. 11. Blain was president, and S. M. Gilliam secretary.
Shortly afterwards D. K. Zumwalt erected a cheese factory and creamery on the Tulare-Goshen railroad abont midway between the two towns. Strange as it seems now, both of these early enterprises were destined to failure. Several causes contributed to this result, chief among them being the apathy of farmers toward engaging in the business, owing to the publicity of the extraordinary profits made by the early orchards, at this time just coming into bearing. Dairy- ing appeared much too slow. The one business appeared as a tedious, arduous method of extracting nickels; the other a leisurely, gentlemanly waiting for a shower of goklen eagles. Then came the panie of 1893, and the great railroad strike. The latter, especially, proved disastrous. Mr. Zumwalt at this time had twenty thousand pounds of cheese on hand which he was unable to move. Much of this spoiled. The delay in getting the product converted into cash necessitated a stoppage of payments to the farmers and cansed them to become suspicious and uneasy and disinclined to continue deliver- ies. Then, markets were not good. Los Angeles produced nearly all it consumed. The result was that both enterprises were aban- doned.
In 1898 W. B. Cartmill leased the Zumwalt and Visalia plants and operated them as skimming stations, and in 1901 Thompson and Futtrell commenced in Tulare the operation of a creamery of small capacity. The skimming stations were abandoned, but in 1906 Mr. Cartmill was instrumental in launching the Tulare Co-Operative
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Creamery, the capacity of this in its first years of existence being about one thousand pounds per day.
The entire growth of the industry dates from that time, only five or six years ago. Today the industry ranks as one of the most important in the county. The county ranks, according to the state dairy board, as third in the state. According to figures given out by the creameries, it ranks second. At any rate, there is an annual production of four million pounds of butter fat. A conservative estimate of the value of dairy products, including skimmed milk, is two million dollars per year.
An idea of existing conditions is obtained by quoting the Tulare Register of May, 1912: "The creamery disbursements here today were $97,191.26. The fifteenth of the month in this city is much like the regular monthly pay days in factory districts. Business jammed at the local banks all through the day and it was simply a question of waiting one's turn at the windows of paying and receiving tellers.
"Nearly every horse-drawn vehicle which comes to this city will have the cream cans somewhere about it. Even antos are used to convey the cream and milk."
Dairying has centered particularly about Tulare, which includes Tagus, Paige and Swall's station; about Porterville, Woodville, Tip- ton and Poplar, all of which may be combined as constituting one immense connected district ; about Visalia, including Farmersville and Goshen; about Dinuha, westerly and southerly to Traver.
There are now within the county one thousand dairymen with herds aggregating between twenty and twenty-five thousand animals. The Holstein is the favorite breed, and the grade is constantly im- proving by reason of the importation of numbers of registered bulls.
A factor of importance hearing on the relation of this industry to general prosperity is the fact that there are few large herds. In fact, there are only two in the county numbering as many as three hundred. The remainder range from five to two hundred.
The monthly creamery pay check has become a factor in busi- ness circles. It pays bills of all kinds promptly; it contributes to savings bank balances; it steadies and enhances land valnes.
The one thing that has rendered this extraordinary development possible and one of the causes for the belief that the industry is at present only in its infaney, is the phenomenal growth of the city of Los Angeles. And as this metropolis bids fair to maintain a healthy growth and as the towns of the citrus district and of the oil fields are also rapidly growing, it appears that a widening and increasing demand assures to the industry a stable future.
There are now eight creameries in the connty, each provided with the best modern facilities, machinery and equipment. These,
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with their managers are: Tulare Co-Operative, W. B. Cartmill; Dairymen's Co-Operative, J. P. Murphy; Good Luck Creamery, J. W. Drew, all of Tulare; the Visalia Creamery, W. B. Cartmill; Visalia Co-Operative Creamery, N. J. Beck; Sun Flower Dairy at Poplar, Ridgeway Bros .; Porterville Co-Operative Creamery, C. T. Brown; Tipton Co-Operative Creamery, J. H. Drew.
DECIDUOUS FRUIT
From its vineyards and orchards of deciduous fruits Tulare county now . annually receives about three million dollars. The de- velopment of this industry. within the county presents peculiarities. Thus, at a time when the vineyards of Sonoma and Napa counties, the orchards of Santa Clara, Vacaville, Suisun and Ventura were in full bearing and prodneing profitable returns, here, one of the richest fields remained until comparatively recent years unknown and undeveloped.
This neglect did not proceed so much from doubt as to the adaptability of the section for fruit growing as from the ignorance of the earlier inhabitants of the large profits in the business. Life- long farmers and stockmen did not readily undertake a change. Then there was doubt of finding a market, in view of the exorbitant freight rates charged in early days.
Apparently, the very first settlers, however, planted some fruit trees and vines. In 1859, the Delta speaks of having received some . fine apricots from Mr. Goodale, also some apples of the Summer Queen variety that measured thirteen and one-half inches in cir- enmference. In another issue mention is made of a vineyard near town belonging to Dr. Matthews that was producing grapes "equal to those grown in Los Angeles." The doctor brought in a bunch weighing nine pounds. Horace Thomas also was bearer to the editor of a large cluster of grapes. Again, in the issue of Angust 7. 1867, the editor acknowledged the receipt from Rev. Mr. Edwards of some peaches of fine flavor that measured three inches in diameter and some lemon eling's eleven and three-fourths inches in circumference. Mention, in the '60s, is also made of samples of wine made near Visalia, and on the assessment roll of 1860 there appeared one thou sand gallons of wine on hand.
Humble beginnings, truly, and containing no suggestion of the wonderful expansion that was to come.
The first impetus to the growing of fruit commercially in Tulare county was given by I. H. Thomas, since called the father of the industry. This gentleman, about 1880, planted near Visalia a ton- acre orchard of peaches, pears, plums, prunes, apricots and nectar- ines. Mr. Thomas was a "fruit man," a careful, intelligent observer, a member of the state board of horticulture, and very enthusiastic
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about the adaptability of soil and climate here for the growing of fruit.
Mr. Thomas exhibited specimens of his products at the meetings of the state board in San Francisco and they were regarded as phenomenal. The district was recognized as possessing most favor- able qualifications. Mr. Thomas, however, met with difficulties in the disposition of his product. The fruit was sent to Los Angeles by express, the greatest eare being exercised in packing. Exorbitant charges absorbed the profits. However, Frank Briggs and Thomas Jacob, the latter an experienced fruit grower and nurseryman from San Jose, planted acreage orchards which came into bearing in 18SS.
George A. and Charles F. Fleming, known as Fleming Bros., dried fruit packers and speculators of San Jose, noted the event of a new district's production, entered the field and in 1889 and 1890, purchased the output for drying. The phenomenal yield of the new orchards in the latter year, coupled with the high prices prevailing, started a boom for the industry which resulted in an almost universal desire to enter the game. The year 1890 wit- nessed a general planting of fruit trees all over the county. The Orosi colony of forty or fifty ten and twenty-acre tracts was launched; near Tulare the Oakland colony, the Bishop colony, the Chicago ranch, the Oakdale colony, the Emma orchard and numerons others were set out; near Porterville, Dr. W. A. Witlock, Jim Bnrsell and others made plantings.
In the district tributary to Visalia and Farmersville the most remarkable showing was made. The Fleming Brothers and J. K. Armsby purchased four hundred acres, planting about one-half the first year; Pinkham & MeKevitt, Vacaville fresh fruit packers, with associates from that section, set out the Giant Oak and California Prune Company orchards, each of several hundred acres. Visalians organized the Evansdale, the Encina and the Visalia Fruit and Land Co. San Joseans formed the Mineral King Fruit Co .; J. P. Morton and William Swall began planting on what is now known as Swall's. This furore extended to 1891, when A. C. Kuhn, fruit packer of San Jose, purchased about eleven hundred acres near Farmersville, all to be set in fruit. Exclusive of these orchards, each of which con- sisted of hundreds of acres, scores of smaller plantings were made in these two years, so that in the Visalia district alone the acreage now amounted to some seven thousand acres.
The main canse of this extraordinary planting rush, resembling a "stampede" to a mining camp, was the yield and return from the Jacobs' and Briggs' orchards in 1889. Mr. Jacobs, from one hun- dred and thirty-five four-year-old prune trees, received abont $800 net. the trees averaging four hundred pounds each and the fruit being sold for $35 per ton. At the Briggs orchard the old trees
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averaged eight hundred pounds and one tree, which was picked in the presence of witnesses, who made affidavit to the fact, produced eleven hundred and two pounds.
Preceding this excitement a few years there had been a general though quiet movement of vineyard planting, particularly about Tulare and in the Dinnba-Orosi district.
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