EVOLUTION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 



aid of irrigation. This demonstration was destined to 

 work a revolution in the character of the people and 

 country. 



The Riverside Colony, perhaps the most widely cele- 

 brated of any of these communities, is a better example 

 of the colonial life of California. In a truer sense than 

 Anaheim, it is a product of irrigation, and it illustrates 

 more fully than the mother colony the social possibili- 

 ties inherent in this form of agriculture. Its history 

 reveals a curious struggle between the forces of co-op- 

 eration and of private enterprise, in the course of which 

 both lent much strength to the colony and exerted a 

 marked influence upon its fortunes. Like most of the 

 pioneer settlements, Riverside was the dream of com- 

 paratively poor men who sought, in the fresh opportuni- 

 ties of a new country, better conditions for themselves 

 and their children. The enterprise originated with 

 Judge North, of Knoxville, Tennessee. His prospectus 

 was issued from that place in the spring of 1870, and 

 evoked a large response from many different States. In 

 this prospectus the founder did not undertake to out- 

 line a social organization with any detail. 



"Appreciating the advantages of associative settle- 

 ment," ran the circular, " we aim to secure at least one 

 hundred good families who can invest one thousand 

 dollars each in the purchase of land ; while at the same 

 time we invite all good, industrious people to join us who 

 can, by investing a smaller amount, contribute in any 

 degree to the general prosperity." The advantage of 

 co-operative over individual settlement was rather for- 

 cibly expressed: "Experience in the West has demon- 

 strated that one hundred dollars invested in a colony 

 G 97 



