RESULTS FOR SETTLERS— 19C4. 



Another irrigation celebration of equal importance to that of the Yolo County Canal 

 was held a week earlier at Gridley, Butte County, and marked the breaking of ground 

 for the Butte County Canal, which will divert the water of Feather River, and covers 

 at present an area of 215,000 acres. This system is capable of vast development, as 

 the Feather River drains an area of 4000 square miles, with an annual rainfall of from 

 30 to 60 inches. This canal may be made to irrigate all the land lying between the 

 Feather and Sacramento Rivers, from the point of diversion southward, an area of 700 

 square miles. 



Great progress has been made during the last year in the Tulare Irrigation District. 

 The year previous the bonds for this system were paid off and burned. Several thou- 

 sand acres have been put in alfalfa in this district in the last twelve months. 



During the past year, the irrigation system at Imperial, California, on the Colorado 

 River, has increased to 75,000 acres of land under actual irrigation. 



This in brief comprises the greatest of the mighty irrigation enterprises which char- 

 acterize the development of California during the past year. 



The tremendous value to California of these irrigation projects can hardly be esti- 

 mated. Irrigation means more to California than to any other State; not that Califor- 

 nia needs irrigation more than any other State, for there are many parts of the State 

 with sufficient rainfall for the raising of ordinary crops. The value of irrigation to Cal- 

 ifornia lies in the fact that the climate allows irrigated soil to produce the year 

 round. 



Two big projects of immense importance to the State are the Western Pacific Rail- 

 way and the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroads. The latter road, usually 

 known as the Salt Lake Road, will soon open short communication between Los An- 

 geles and Salt Lake City, and the Western Pacific Railroad, which now seems sure, 

 will enter Plumas County through Beckwith Pass and come into the Sacramento Val- 

 ley at Oroville. This road will open up wonderful opportunities for settlers. 



Bank clearings show a great advance in business. Building permits in the larger 

 cities and the buildings themselves in the smaller communities and throughout the 

 country, testify to the permanent increase in population. 



4 $ $ # * 



WHAT SETTLERS SAY— Continued 



DINUBA, California, Dec. 26, 1904. 

 The California Promotion Committee, San Francisco, California: — 



Gentlemen: I feel it my duty to let you know how I am progress- 



ing since coming to California, for I know you are interested in my welfare on ac- 

 count of being responsible for me locating in California. 



I was first impressed with the resources of this State by an article of yours pub- 

 lished in the Twentieth Century Farmer, published at Omaha, Nebraska. I entered 

 into correspondence with you, receiving descriptive literature, together with your pub- 

 lication, FOR CALIFORNIA. I can say after residing here since March 20th last 

 that every word you published with regard to the resources, etc., can be verified by 

 any one who has investigated the same. 



Having resided at Ruthven, Iowa, for twenty-five years, where the mercury fre- 

 quently runs as low as 25 to 30 degrees below zero, and being more or less exposed to 

 wet weather, I finally located in northern Tulare County, purchasing 50 acres, where 

 I found sandy loam soil similar to our Iowa sandy loam lands, at prices ranging from 

 $40 to $50 per acre. There are large tracts still unsold which If put in alfalfa, one 

 acre will produce more hay and of a far superior quality than any four acres I ever 

 saw in Iowa. I put in 25 acres. I sowed in September and expect two or more crops 

 next season. The other 25 acres I Intend to put in raisin grapes, as this is the home 

 of the raisin. 



The winter weather here is like the September weather in Iowa. The summer 

 weather is not as disagreeable as July or August there. The mercury ran 8 degrees 

 higher here last summer than I ever saw it in Iowa, but the heat is so much different 

 that 114 degrees which it registered here on one occasion was not any warmer that 

 94 degrees would be in Iowa, the 20 degrees being accounted for by the absence of 

 humidity in the atmosphere. 



My wife and family Join me In thanking the California Promotion Committee, feel- 

 ing that It would be ingratitude on our parts not to do so, for the valuable informa- 

 tion furnished us and for the prosperity we have shared in our California home. 



Yours very respectfully, (Signed.) DAVE GAVIN. 



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