188 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



In the district court of this district, Chief Justice 

 A. C. Baker presiding, evidence is being taken in a 

 water case that is of supreme interest to all water 

 users in Arizona. 



It involves the validity of the prior appropriations 

 of water made by the early settlers through the old- 

 est canals in the valley, as against the claim set up 

 by a canal more recently constructed. 



The plaintiffs estimate that it will take twenty 

 days for them to examine their witnesses alone, and 

 it is likely that the defendants will consume nearly 

 as much time with theirs. 



It is the first time the matter has ever been brought. 

 to an issue, and it is the earnest wish of every one 

 that it be settled now, and that every man's right be 

 established, once and for all. 



One day last month the new Marion dredger on 

 the Maricopa Canal caught fire, and was burned to 

 the water's edge. 



It is quite a serious loss to the canal company, but 

 itwill be rebuilt at once, and the work of enlarging 

 the canals continued to completion. 



Col. C. H. Gray, who is one of the earliest pioneers 

 of the valley, recently made a sale of his famous 

 Arica gold mines, which lie just beyond the Colorado 

 river, to A. M. Wells, the representative of a Denver 

 syndicate ot capitalists. 



Col. Gray has one of the loveliest homes in all Ari- 

 zona surrounded as it is with noble shade trees and a 

 rose garden that is hard to match, and his many 

 friends are pleased at his success in compelling the 

 hills to give up their wealth for the benefit of the 

 toilers in the valley. 



Since the opening of the Santa FC", Prescott and 

 Phoenix railroad the shipments of all kinds of farm 

 produce has been more than doubled, and at the 

 present time nearly the entire supply of grain, hay, 

 flour, beef, pork, vegetables and green fruits used 

 throughout the northern part of the territory are 

 drawn from Phoenix. This trade is the natural heri- 

 tage of Phoenix, and in the near future it will make 

 her the metropolis of the great southwest. 



Several camping parties are arranging to spend 

 the summer at the Grand Canyon north of Flagstaff. 



This is a trip well worth making to any one who 

 loves an outdoor life, for the Canyon is a sight not to 

 be seen elsewhere. 



The fruit crop promises to be abundant and of 

 good quality. At present strawberries are being 

 shipped in every direction at prices that net about 

 eight cents per basket to the growers. 



May 3d was the date chosen by the combined Sun- 

 day schools of Phoenix for a picnic to the historic 

 Hassayampa. Every idle car that the new railroad 

 possessed was filled with the joyous children and old 

 folks, and when the two train loads of humanity 

 reached their destination it was found that over 1,500 

 souls had availed themselves of the opportunity to 

 visit the stream that is as famous in the annals of Ari- 

 zona as the Hudson is in the history of New York. 



The enterprising citizens of Flagstaff are working 

 on a proposition to establish a summer school for 

 Chautauquans, with almost a certainty of its being 

 accomplished. The location is unequalled for the 

 purpose and the climate is superb, combining the 

 altitude and temperature of the mountains with dry, 

 balmy air from the plains below. That it will have 

 the enthusiastic support of all Arizonans goes without 

 saying. 



Prescott is to provide amusement for the rest of the 

 territory the 4th of July, and a jolly time is looked 

 forward to by the web-footed alfalfa growers of the 

 valleys. When the people of the pine-clad hills of 

 Yavaipai start out to do anything it is usually done 

 in a creditable manner, and in this instance they 

 propose spending 6,000 to amuse and entertain their 

 visiting brethren from the surrounding towns of the 

 'territory. Hurray for the glorious 4th of July ! 



CALIFORNIA. 



The Escondido Irrigation District has just com- 

 pleted its main line, and on April 23 turned the water 

 of the San Luis Rey river into the storage reservoir. 

 The dam is now complete to the forty-five feet con- 

 tour, the ends being built to the full height of seven- 

 ty-five feet, and it is expected that the dam will be 

 finished in time to store about sixty feet of water this 

 year. 



Work is being pushed on the distributing system, 

 and water will be supplied to a part of the district 00 

 less than a year from the beginning of work. 8'250,0of 

 have already been expended, and $100,000 more in 

 bonds contracted for to complete the system. 



E. F. Tabor is the district engineer. 



Messrs. Frank j. Riblett and Skidmore have re- 

 turned from Snake river, their search for a bridge lo- 

 cation having proved highly satisfactory. A number 

 of measurements were made at different points be- 

 tween Marsh creek and Story's ferry, but the most 

 favorable site of them all was at the latter place. 

 Here the river is of far less width than at any of the 

 former places, besides at this point there is a solid 

 rock bottom to the river upon which to build but- 

 ments, etc. At Story's ferry the low water measure- 

 ment is 450 feet and high water measurement 540 

 feet. At one place in the river, at this point, there is 

 a deep channel, but its width is only about 150 feet, 

 just an easy span, while for the balance of the dis- 

 tance across the water is very shallow. 



MONTANA. 



Seeding is almost over on the ranches. Things are 

 looking well. The season has been a little dry, but 

 with our abundant supply of water for irrigating 

 purposes there will be no trouble in raising a fine 

 crop. 



Prospects are fine for an abundant crop of fruit, 

 especially apples; trees just blossoming out. 



The Western Montana Fruit Growers' Association 

 has been incorporated, and will hold their annual ex- 

 hibition in Hamilton in September. 



There is considerable ranch property changing 

 hands, parties coming from the East buying homes 

 in an irrigating country where they can be sure of 

 growing a crop. 



There are no large or expensive irrigating canals 

 in this valley, with one exception. So many small 

 creeks put into the valley from the mountains, the 

 water drawn from them, instead of from large canals 

 from the river, makes it quite inexpensive for the 

 ranchers to get their water supply for irrigating pur- 

 poses. This is one of the best watered valleys in the 

 whole mountain country. 



A large number of fruit trees are being planted here 

 this spring. 



