Imperial County CA Archives History - Books .....Irrigation 1918 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 14, 2006, 3:25 am Book Title: History Of Imperial County California IRRIGATION Here was a golden opportunity to test the value of irrigation on a colossal scale. It was destined to reclaim millions of acres of the most fertile land on the globe, from this vast California section which had been given up as a worthless desert since its first discovery. It took men of courage and indomitable persistence with a full knowledge of all the conditions and obstacles that might present themselves, even to begin this stupendous work. And yet with such a prize, with such glowing possibilities as the reward, history7 shows that the men for the task usually have been found. Thus it was that in 1856 Dr. Oliver M. Wozencraft of San Bernardino came to the front and applied to Congress for a land grant for himself and his associates if they would reclaim the lands. The application was received with favor, and the Committee on Public Lands reported in favor of the concession. But soon after this the Civil war broke out and threatened to disrupt the Union. There was no time to think of any new projects of this fortuitous nature. The plan was abandoned, and Dr. Wozencraft died at his home with the pet scheme of his life in abeyance. Then for over thirty years this great project of such transcendent importance to the nation, and especially this California section, lay dormant. This was partly due to the reconstruction period of the national life perhaps, but also because of the fact that no successor to Dr. Wozencraft had been found. But the project was too great to die, and it came to the front again in 1891 with some show of success. Mr. C. R. Rock-wood was given charge of all the engineering problems, and he worked successfully for a time. But now the financial and business end of the enterprise was wrecked in the panic of 1893, and that organization was abandoned. But Mr. Rockwood still had faith in the scheme and did not propose to give it up. Thus in 1896, allying himself with a new element, the California Development Company was duly incorporated with a capital stock of $1,250,000. Among these incorporators were the late A. H. Heber, an experienced colonizer, who was chosen president; C. R. Rockwood, chief engineer; Dr. W. T. Heffernan, and W. H. Blaisdell, both of Yuma. These men had an abiding faith in the enterprise and gave material assistance in the early work. Money was promptly raised and extensive surveys were made. And it should be stated here that Dr. Wozencraft originally planned to divert the water from the Colorado, using the channel of the Alamo River as a canal for that purpose. And this plan was now adopted by this company. One hundred thousand acres of land in Lower California, extending from the Colorado on the east to the mountains on the west, were purchased from Sr. G. Andrade, thus securing a right of way through this foreign territory. Then for three years this company was overtaken by new vicissitudes. The work of construction could not proceed for the lack of money. In 1899, however, S. W. Ferguson, of San Francisco, becoming interested in the company, was duly commissioned to finance the project among his friends on the Pacific Coast. As a result of an important interview with Mr. L. M. Holt in San Francisco, he came to Los Angeles and was introduced to Mr. George Charley, one of the founders of Etiwanda and Ontario, who had recently returned from Australia, where he had been engaged in building the irrigation system of Mildura on the Murray River. A few days later these three gentlemen visited the desert and spent three weeks investigating the advisability of the scheme. Mr. Rockwood, who was then in New York City, was sent for and spent several weeks more with Mr. Chaffey in further investigations. The latter, though much pleased with the enterprise, was not quite satisfied with the terms offered him, and he therefore declined to undertake the work. Mr. Rockwood was about to return to New York and give up the scheme. But Mr. Holt, being still sanguine of success, thought he could formulate a plan that would satisfy all parties interested, and he was thereupon authorized to go ahead. After working some weeks on this proposition, which was finally submitted to Mr. Chaffey, he then consented to undertake the work on this basis. Dr. Heffernan, Mr. Blaisdell and Mr. Rockwood were consulted, and the result was that Mr. Chaffey was fully authorized to begin the work. He was given control of the California Development Company for five years, and a certain portion of the stock of that company if he succeeded in constructing a successful irrigation system that would put water upon this desert land. About this time the Imperial Land Company, the colonizing agency, was incorporated, of which Mr. Ferguson was made manager, holding one-fifth of the stock of that company. After beginning the work, however, he was not entirely satisfied with his share of the bargain and sought a power of attorney from Mr. Holt that he might vote his one-fifth share of the stock of the company and thus gain control of the corporation, which he regarded necessary in order to make his work effective. With this stock of Mr. Holt he expected to secure enough more to give him the control he desired. But Mr. Holt declined this request, and then Mr. Ferguson sought to retaliate by forcing him out of the company. In order to avoid any conflict at this stage of the enterprise, Mr. Holt finally exchanged his stock in the Imperial Land Company for that of the California Development Company. A few months later Mr. Ferguson's management became so undesirable that he was asked to resign. On his refusal to do this he was removed soon afterward, and all his interests in the company passed into other hands. Additional Comments: Extracted from: THE HISTORY OF IMPERIAL COUNTY CALIFORNIA EDITED BY F. C. FARR IN ONE VOLUME ILLUSTRATED Published by ELMS AND FRANKS BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 1918 Printed by Taylor & Taylor, San Francisco File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/imperial/history/1918/historyo/irrigati200nms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 6.5 Kb