USA > California > Imperial County > The history of Imperial County, California > Part 5
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HISTORY OF IMPERIAL COUNTY
perhaps $700,000,000, if this could be done. He asked Congress not only to return to the Southern Pacific Company the amount that would be required to close the second crevasse in the dikes at the heading, but also to appropriate sufficient money that the great river might be for- ever restrained from its erratic wanderings. And he claimed that this could not be done by any mere private enterprise. An international commission was thereupon appointed to study the necessities of the situation. This commission was composed of one member from the United States and the other from Mexico. Subsequently President Taft also asked an appropriation from Congress to control the Colorado, with the right to carry the work into Mexico. This bill, authorizing the President to use one million dollars for that purpose, was promptly rushed through both houses. The claim of the railway corporation for $1,500,000 for this work, after hanging fire for three years, was finally allowed in 1910, though in a reduced form.
MORE ABOUT THE COUNTY
The purpose has been thus far to record with some detail the chronolog- ical history of the development and early progress of the Valley. If the account has been of a rambling nature, the writer will perhaps be par- doned when it is stated that it was deemed best to follow the order observed in previous records of these facts. It will be seen, as stated in a previous chapter, that the actual formation of the county itself was not among the early features of development here. San Diego County had an extended territory. It had been organized as a county in 1850, although the town dated back to 1769. But it remained a very insig- nificant dot on the map for over fifty years. Of course the reclamation of this lower section, known as the Colorado Desert, was wholly un- dreamed of at that time and for long years afterward. It was regarded as a worthless region, like many other desert sections of the United States. No one dreamed that people could ever be induced to live amid such desolation, so far from any railway line. But with the opening of the Imperial Valley a wholly different situation presented itself. The intervening distance and lack of transportation was sorely felt by the settlers. They were nearly 300 miles from the county seat, where all public business had to be transacted. The people were then dealing with the government offices, which sometimes seemed almost inacces-
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HISTORY OF IMPERIAL COUNTY
sible to them practically. Thus they saw the need of some relief. The county officials of course also had this distance to contend with in reaching the residents of the Valley. The superintendent of schools had to drive across the mountains to visit the schools, and then cross the desert to a more distant settlement in the mining region. Thus it appears that except just before an election, when it was deemed necessary to interview these resident voters, the visits of thse San Diego County officials were supremely rare. Then, too, the isolation of the residents from the rest of the world, separated by vast desert wastes and moun- tain ranges, was in no way conducive to comradeship, save in their own immediate region. New-comers were commonly fused with the pioneers, and there developed what may be called an imperial spirit. This meant pride of section and an ambition to make it a unit in government as well as in purpose. This sentiment grew and soon became a powerful force in the early movement for county division. While the parent county was loathe to part with any part of its territory, the justice of this claim for separate government was too apparent to ignore. Thus, as detailed in a previous chapter, formal action was taken and the new County Imperial was duly launched and placed on the map of Califor- nia. The bitter struggle for the county seat has already been alluded to.
An early act of the new Board of Supervisors created a Horticultural Commission for the suppression and prevention of pests and diseases to plant life. This commission has labored most effectively in the inter- est of farmers and growers, and the ravages of such pests common to older sections of the country have been kept out of this new county.
It may be said also that magazine and other writers of the period have been surprised in not finding the usual features of the "wild and woolly west" in this reclaimed Valley. Nothing of this nature has pre- vailed here. The section is not favored by idle and dissolute men. There is no record of any gambling hells, drinking-places nor any immoral dance halls as yet, despite the prediction of some that when the Valley became more populous and prosperous there would be loafers on the streets and thieves along the highways. It is pleasant to record, there- fore, that up to this time that "high state of modern civilization" has not been reached in this new county.
Another factor worthy of mention pertains to the temper and spirit of the settlers themselves. They come here to make their homes, live
F
A
HEADQUARTERS OF THE CALIFORNIA DEVELOPMENT COMPANY The only building in the townsite of Calexico. Taken September 24, 1901
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HISTORY OF IMPERIAL COUNTY
and do business with all the energy they have, bent on the reclamation and cultivation of the soil to the fullest extent. They have little time or patience with incapacity or incompetence. Press, pulpit and public opinion are united in maintaining a high standard of decency and mor- ality. And these influences have discouraged the entrance of undesirable classes.
Referring further to some of the various county towns, it may be said that Calexico was at first a camp for the employees of the Califor- nia Development Company. But it soon increased in size and population, and became important because of its being the port of entry into Mex- ico by way of the Inter-California Railroad line through Baja to Yuma. The Blue Lake region was settled early by the San Diegans. It is also an important base of supplies. Brawley assumed considerable impor- tance in 1903 and it has grown rapidly since. East of the Alamo River Holtville is the supply basis. The Holton Interurban Line greatly im- proved the local transportation facilities. But the boom there came when the first artesian well was sunk, the money for the purpose having been raised by those having faith in the scheme, in spite of the ukase of geologists and scientists, who decided that no artesian water existed in the valley. The water-bearing gravel was struck at a depth of a little over 800 feet. This was in 1910, and the find created a big sensation in the vicinity. Not far away a second well was bored some 1100 feet deep. This passed through the sweet water and entered a stratum of sand which carried salt water. The well was filled up to the 800-foot level, where the water was all right. This discovery gave great impetus to these east side districts, where the soil was very fertile, and farmers began cutting up their holdings into small tracts in view of the artesian water possibilities, and there was an active demand for these small farms. Many new wells were bored at once and nearly all proved suc- cessful. But just how and to what extent the territory in the Valley is underlain with this fresh-water stream has not been definitely deter- mined, although drilling has been in progress in scattered sections. And yet it is not considered probable that it will be found in many parts of the Valley. But the fact that it was found at all shows that our scien- tific men are not always right in their deductions.
The town of Heber was established at a point where another town had been planned. It has become an important trading point, and an
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HISTORY OF IMPERIAL COUNTY
agricultural institution known as the Heber Collegiate Institute is located there.
The town of Imperial was so named for the Valley itself, as it is the geographical center of the county.
Calexico is a combination of California and Mexico in name, while the border town of Mexicali received its appellation by a similar method. Holtville was named in honor of Mr. W. F. Holt, its promoter. El Centro is Spanish for the center. Brawley got its name for a friend of Mr. Heber in Chicago. Silsbee, on the shore of Blue Lake, was named by a former land owner there. And this was the prevailing method used in the bestowal of names for most of the smaller towns in the county. There are several smaller places in the Valley, however, without any special names as yet.
Within these county bounds are still an Indian reservation and school, six working gold mines and a large part of the mechanical apparatus belonging to the $4,000,000 government reclamation project. This Yuma Indian reservation contains 16,150 acres, of which 6500 were thrown open to entry under the homestead act of 1910 and immediately taken up. The balance of this land is still in possession of the Yuma Indian tribe, numbering 700 members of all ages and both sexes. This land is equally divided among them. And yet some 350 of them were in revolt against the government and the Indian school in 1895. The Catholic sisters, then in charge of the school, were driven off the reservation and fled to Mexico, where they now live. It is thought that many of these will never return, and thus more of this land will be thrown open for entry.
THE LAGUNA DAM AND ITS PURPOSE
Much has been said concerning the project of putting the water system under the Laguna Dam at some future time. This is known as the Yuma Project. Twelve miles north of Yuma, on the Colorado, the water falls between two rocky headlands, Laguna on the Arizona side, and Potholes in Imperial County. These rocks are about one mile apart, and the government has built a weir which cost $1,650,000. This is a fixed spill- way ten feet from the bed of the channel, and water may be taken from the sluiceways at either end of the weir. The purpose here is to par- tially settle the water which is taken into the distributing canals, the
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HISTORY OF IMPERIAL COUNTY
top being skimmed for irrigation purposes, and the silt carried back into the river with the surplus. The total cost of this structure in Im- perial County is about $750,000, in addition to the dam itself. Most of this work has been completed. The reasons for the diversion of this water under the river are, first, the only available site for such a struc- ture was at Laguna, and second, that the entrance of the Gila River on the east prevented carrying the water in canals in Arizona to the Yuma lands, which lie below the level of the Gila stream. Many plans have been proposed to put this Valley system under this diversion weir. But there seem to have been insurmountable objections to all of these thus far. And among these is the opposition of the people to any plan placing their water system under the control of the government Reclamation Service because of its antagonistic attitude from the start.
The opening of the Yuma Reservation lands to settlement in 1910 added some 173 farms to those already in the county. These average about forty acres each and are proving very productive under the ex- cellent water system provided. These farms pay $65 an acre for water rights under the Laguna project.
The Yuma Indian School was built by the United States army in 1848, and it stands on an historic hill. Generals Fremont and Kearney made their headquarters on this hill on many occasions, and for ten years a large garrison was maintained there. It was the scene of many battles with the Indians, and there are still many marks of those con- flicts. While these Yuma Indians are now quiet and docile, they do not take kindly to American civilization, as most other aborigines do. There appears to be a discouraging tendency among the tribesmen to return to their native ways after they leave school.
LEADING PROMOTERS AND SOME OF THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS
While the biographical section of this work will be found to include detailed accounts of the life and history of the great pioneers and pro- moters of this Valley, it is not out of place perhaps to make some gen- eral reference to their work in this general article as well.
Among these is Mr. W. F. Holt, who is credited with being the most noted man here and has become wealthy through his legitimate pro- motion of the Valley's interests. His town property holdings at one time were the largest of any single individual in the region. He is a
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HISTORY OF IMPERIAL COUNTY
virile and able business man and far-seeing, tireless worker in any good cause that appeals to him, always optimistic and enthusiastic regarding this Valley and its glowing possibilities, ready to infuse new courage into despondent men who may be overcome by adversity. A strict philanthropist, he would give a tramp a pile of wood first and double pay afterward. The needs of this Valley have been uppermost in his mind, and he has spent vast sums of money in its development. A Mis- souri man, born on a farm there, married his old-time sweetheart, and they have been active partners ever since. He established banks in dif- ferent parts of the West, but was always in search of some new country where he could help it grow and develop. What a find he was, therefore, to this Valley! It was in the spring of 1901 when he first looked across the vista of years into a country of many homes and big with possibili- ties. He thought it might become an empire, and he began at once to boost its interests. His first thought was to build a telephone line to the outside world. After receiving an exclusive franchise for this purpose and a small block of water-stock from the Imperial Land Company he went right ahead stringing his wires. Meanwhile he saw the advantages of a local newspaper, and this was accordingly established on a similar basis. He installed the plant and placed Henry Clay Reid in charge. This was the beginning of the Imperial Press. Being a churchman and in favor of promoting ethics, morality and education, and the higher principles of civic progress, he secured the influence and association of friends and an organization was effected and a small church edifice was built, Mr. Holt paying the salary of the preacher for two years. Mean- while the land company was in hearty accord with him and agreed to furnish water stock to repay him. He always regarded this move of vast importance to the best interests of the Valley and said it was a start to build here a civilization ahead of the time. One day, riding out on the stage, he heard two thirsty men bemoaning the absence of saloons, saying they would not put a cent into the country until sure that saloons would be permitted. Mr. Holt told them such men were not wanted there at all, nor one cent of their capital. Strange to say, how- ever, that one of these very men has since invested thousands of dollars there and now says that this prohibition of saloons was the best thing the Valley ever did. Mr. Holt was also instrumental in securing the railway from Imperial to the main line on the Southern Pacific, some
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HISTORY OF IMPERIAL COUNTY
28 or 30 miles. He afterward made large profits from a favorable con- tract with the California Development Company as a promoter, to which he was justly entitled. He in turn assisted the development com- pany to much ready money at different times, and, in fact, became a sort of national banker for the settlers.
This man had implicit faith in the future of this Valley. He believed in the people and the righteousness of human nature in general. He had never been cheated out of a dollar in his life, never brought a law- suit to collect damages or claims, never foreclosed a mortgage, and yet had been loaning money and selling on credit all his life. Give a man a chance and time to pay and don't crowd him, was his motto. He be- lieved in people. It was in this way that he kept on buying, building, improving and spending money in the Valley. Thus at the opening of 1903 he had increased his capital by over $20,000. After irrigating No. 7 district he saw water running to waste in the Alamo channel and was told it had between 500 and 1000 horsepower of electric energy. Then he formed the Holton Power Company, and a few months afterward men wanted to buy stock in that corporation, but there was none on the market. He purchased townsites and built the Interurban Railway. One of these townsites became El Centro later. He built a business block and the Opera House, costing $50,000, even then when the total popu- lation of the town could have been seated in a single passenger coach. People said a lot of mean things about him, some of which were true, too. Many don't like him, but lots of others do. The Holt Power Com- pany is capitalized for a million dollars, owning the electric-light plant in five towns, three other power-plants and five cold-storage houses. And during late years Mr. Holt has begun the construction of a gridiron system of roads which reaches the shipping of every acre of ground in the entire district. Other most important enterprises are being rap- idly carried forward, and the land company is now capitalized for over three million dollars. Mr. Holt surely has been a true pioneer and per- haps the greatest of them all in Imperial Valley. The record here given is only a brief summary of his many achievements.
Mr. W. E. Wilsie is another of these prominent pioneer settlers who have won marked success. Coming first in 1901, in the following No- vember he laid out the streets of Brawley, which then had only two other residents. In the succeeding winter he farmed 300 acres, and the
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HISTORY OF IMPERIAL COUNTY
next summer shipped three carloads of barley and one of wheat, the first ever shipped from the Valley. And it had been cut by a combined reaper and harvester. He afterward became associated with numerous corporations in the Valley in an official capacity, and was also Horticul- tural Commissioner of the county, winning high favor for his most effective service in that position. He was a director in the first creamery and stock-breeders' association, president of the first cantaloupe asso- ciation, secretary of the library board, trustee of the Heber Collegiate Institute, and an official in various other corporations.
Mr. George Nichols was also among these prominent early pioneers. He shared in the colonization of newcomers and in all public affairs, especially near Silsbee. He was also a leader in road and school district work. More than 100 persons were brought into the Valley by him, most of them from the old San Diego section. He opened the first real estate office in Imperial. His own ranch was six miles southwest of El Centro, where he now runs a real estate office. He saw the first crop of alfalfa grown in the Valley, near Diamond Lake.
Roy McPherrin was among the first lawyers in this section, and he tells some quaint stories of conditions he found on arrival to take a position in the Imperial Mutual Water Company, in connection with which he had a prominent share in the reclamation of the land.
W. H. Hartshorn was another leading pioneer. He became manager of the ice-plant erected by the Imperial Land Company, and he kept the price of this much-needed commodity at one cent per pound. He afterward piped the city for water and turned on the first water used in the homes. Then next he established a transfer company, with a specially designed dray for the purpose, with a big bay horse in front of the vehicle that created quite a sensation on the streets. He also shared materially in the colonization work, having an extensive ac- quaintance on the coastside of San Diego County. He built one of the first private residences in Imperial.
Mr. J. H. Holland came from San Jose with a full line of stock and farming implements. After spending some time in building canals and hauling freight from the railroad he stocked his farm and planted alfalfa.
For a time the introduction of Bermuda grass into this Valley was regarded as a dangerous accession, and it became known as "devil
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HISTORY OF IMPERIAL COUNTY
grass." But Mr. D. W. Breckenridge, who entered the Valley soon afterward, found use for it. He sent to Arizona for seed, and on this rich forage he raised the best fatted cattle of the season. And he sub- sequently had great success with this grass for years in rearing cattle and sheep. It starts growing early in the spring, and the animals seem very fond of it. He claims it has as much nourishment as alfalfa, with no tendency to disease. It also possesses great heat and drouth resisting qualities. This proved a decided innovation, as the grass had been uni- versally condemned by others. He also thwarted successfully several attempts to rob him of his land there on a technicality, in the courts.
The first important butcher and meat shop in the region was opened by the Thing Brothers, of Calexico. They bought and killed their own stock, and finally, in 1907, they built a fine business block, the largest in this southern end of the Valley.
W. A. Young, another Valley pioneer, drove in from a point near Los Angeles in 1901. Poor and pretty nearly broke he said he was at that time. His family lived under a "ramada" made of arrowweed shoots thatched on a frame eight feet high. These "ramadas" are famil- iar objects all through the Valley, few of the ranches being without them. Their shelter from the sun is superior to anything else.
W. C. Raymond, a Canadian, who went to Arizona several years ago and roughed it there until he heard of this Valley in 1903, saddled up and rode into this promised land. Here he camped until finding a suit- able location, when he began his work upon improvements at once. But now the old river rushed into his ranch and drove him out, and he finally moved to another, planted 320 acres of barley and alfalfa, and raised hogs with success, cleaning up $7000 in 1909. Then he put in 80 acres of cotton the next year.
William Lindsey was one of the great eastside pioneers who arrived in 1902, when the place was still a wilderness. But he also was driven out by the flood. The Colorado was no respecter of persons, but it some- times seemed the great stream sought to discourage newcomers. But Mr. Lindsey finally overcame this unfriendly greeting and prospered.
D. H. Coe rode in on a bicycle in 1901, passed through all the trials and tribulations incident to that period, and now has a ranch of 200 acres six miles northwest of Holtville, and is one of the most enthusi- astic boosters of the country. The mercury stood at 117 when he ar-
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HISTORY OF IMPERIAL COUNTY
rived, and his wheel was a great help to him, although he saw not a soul except from a distance at the time. But he rode straight to the spot he wanted and now has some 200 acres planted in alfalfa, barley and cotton, a large herd of stock, and is a purely business rancher.
F. E. Van Horn, three miles east of El Centro, was among the first to reach and grow up with the Valley, and his faith in it has never flagged. He started the first school ever held there, walking three miles each way, with books very hard to get, and the methods of teaching very primitive.
Among those who became early impressed with the value of cotton as a Valley crop was L. E. Srack, who came from Riverside in 1901. Later he installed plants for the care of the by-products of cotton-oil and cotton-seed meal, which were built in 1910.
Among the pioneers there with unconquerable souls, who fought the water floods back and won, was B. F. McDonald. When he saw the flood coming in he said : "We have put this water on the land where we want it; now we can surely keep it off when we don't want it. Let's try." They did, and won in the end. The waters receded and their ranches and stock were saved because of their vigilant and effective efforts. Being a Louisiana cottonman originally, he knew the game and how to manage it, having 160 acres in cotton. He was enthusiastic over the merits of that staple for that region.
Steve Lyons was of Irish descent. Having been reared on a ranch in Salinas, some of the advantages of city school life and social intercourse with cultured and educated people had left an impress upon his native character. And it is said of him that he possessed the spirit of the Val- ley in a marked degree. He brought some capital into the new country, and much sound business judgment, all products of hard work and good thinking. The Valley had been only partially developed in 1904 when Steve arrived. The territory west of Calexico was barely scratched, although the ditch system was under construction in the entire west side. Lyons saw that land was to be king and he filed on a half-section at once. But seeing a more profitable field for his activities in the contracting business, he pitched into that with his brothers, and they built over fifty miles of the main ditches and laterals for the Cali- fornia Development Company. Being skilled in the work, they found no difficulty in securing good contracts for grading and ditching. Mean-
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