THE IRRIGATION AGE 259 



so when irrigated by this water no matter how much it may be 

 cropped. 



This being the character of the land and water, the next thing is 

 to bring them together. 



Public attention has been directed to this great desert for the last 

 half of a century. 



In 1856 Dr. O. M. Wozencraft of San Bernardino commenced his 

 work of exploring the desert and preparing plans for reclaiming it by 

 means of water from the Colorado river. He applied to Congress for 

 a land grant to assist in the work, and secured a strong endorsement 

 from the Committee on Public Lands of the House of Representatives. 

 He also applied to the State Legislature of California and secured the 

 state's interests in the lands of that county, but the civil war of 1861-5 

 put an end to this program and the project was allowed to sleep until 

 the past few years. 



In 1896 the California Development Company was organized under 

 the laws of the State of New Jersey, with headquarters in New York 

 City. This company purchased the Hanlon Heading on the Colorado 

 river adjoining the international boundary line, purchased 100,000 

 acres of land just below the line extending from the Colorado river on 

 the east to the mountains on the west, in order to secure a right of 

 way for the canal, and spent many thousands of dollars in surveys for 

 the canals from the river to the lands to be irrigated in what was com- 

 monly known as the New River country. 



Early in 1900 this company was reorganized and its headquarters 

 was moved from New York City to Los Angeles. George Chaff ey 

 became president of the company and its Board of Directors was sel- 

 ected with a view to pushing active construction of the irrigating 

 system. 



C. R. Rockwood, who had spent eight years of his life in studying 

 this problem, much of his time in the field, was retained as chief engi- 

 neer of the reorganized company. 



In order that the entire energies of the Califofornia Development 

 Company might be devoted to the construction of the irrigation sys- 

 tem, the Imperial Land Company was organized to act as an agency 

 to colonize the lands to be reclaimed. S. W. Pergusson was made 

 general manager of this company, and the work of opening up the 

 desert was begun in April, 1900, and this work has been pushed ever 

 since. 



A hotel was built at Flowingwell Station on the Southern Pacific 

 railroad this being the most convenient station to be used as a base 

 of supplies. 



A camp was established at Blue Lake, about forty miles to the 

 south, and a stage line was inaugurated between these two points. 



