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IMPROVING WAGON ROADS
TIIICKIC is naturally nn opportunity
■ for Considerable improvement to
the wagon roads leading BCrosa the
Imperial Innds, ns well an to the roads
leading to the colony from various
points, and plan* are maturing for im
provement* in a number of direction*.
The mosl important of the roads is
that from Flowingwell, over which by
far the greater portion of the freight
is brought in, and on which the Stage
comes. The Southern Pacific railroad
has never favored that road, because
Flowing well is on a heavy grade, nud
it wished the Imperial freight and
passengers to leave the road at Old
Heach, about three miles east of Flow
well, and an arrangement has been
perfected whereby the change will be
made at once. This will be an im
provement for almost everytmdy.
There is about three miles of very
heavy ruind to be crossed in coming
from Plowingwcll, and at least two
thirds of that will be dispensed with
on the new route, which will be but a
trifle longer than the old Hue.
At Old Heach the Southern Pacific
company will put in a depot and tele
graph Office worthy of the extensive
business which it is doing with the
(K'ople of the liujK'rial colony, and the
facilities for getting goods and peo
ple here will be much improved there
by.
Supervisor Jasper is making a study
of the situation in this section, with a
view to giving Imperial better commu
nication with San Diego and other
towns to the west, now having men at
work, and County Surveyor Ward and
Messrs Allen and Williams have been
in the valley the pant few days, inci
dentally keeping an eye open to roads
while ' transacting other business.
That the country will booh take some
important steps in road building in
this section U highly probable.
Hut while the approaches to the col
ony are being looked after, the lines of
communication between portions of
the colony are not being neglected,
audit is generally understood that at
an early date there will be a more def
inite marking of what will l>c the
main thoroughfares from Imperial
southeast to Calexico and southwest to
Hluc Lake. Therein now a great deal
of teaming done over these roads, and
their importance is growing daily.
Later on there will of necessity be a
road leading directly eastward from
Imperial to the oast side and another
directly westward to the west side,
crossing the two rivera, where now a
long detour is essential. There is no
immediate demand for those roads.
PROGRESSIVE COLONISTS
J. H. McKim of Pomona and William
Hart of Pueiitc have arrived to take
charge of their lands on portions of
Sections 7, 8, 9 and 17, township 15,
range 15, and arc preparing to work on
a large scale: They brought to Flow
ingwell six car loads of freight, in
cluding two cars of hay, two of grain,
lumber for a house and farm imple
ments. As a considerable saving can
be made in getting to their place from
the railroad by coming the cast side of
the Salton, they are considering the
propriety of putting in a bridge over
the stream northeast of Imperial, near
their land, where it would be of great
benefit to settlers of that section.
These gentlemen arc preparing an ac
tive campaign of planting during the
Coming winter, Mr. McKim having 720
acres and Mr. Hart 160 acres which it
is proposed to get under cultivation
before spring.
BOUGHT THE CROPS
Messrs A. K. Walters and L. M.
Holt have recently purchased from
Dr. J. C. Blackington his interest in
the crops and farming operations near
Calexico, as Dr. Hlackingtou desires
to devote his time to the improvement
of his section 33, just south-east of Im«
|H-rial, and work on the company's
ditches. The doctor has had charge
of this work during the past season
and Mr. Walters came down this week
with the doctor to close up the work
and dispose of the crop as sooti as it is
ready to harvest. Edgar Freeman is
now in charge of the ranch.
HOUSEHOLD GOODS
I. \V. VanDorlti brought in house*
hold good* tilling two freight wagons
Monday, lie recently Arrived with his
family from Linda Vista.
FORAGE PLANTS
Some dnyii since 11. C. Oakley wrote
W«lt»r T. Hwiuglcof the 11. H. De
partment of A^ r i * it 1 1 n r <r regarding
•pectmensof forage plants for tin*
section, Btld he will jiriM-rrtl to get
tin-in Ullder the Condition! of the fol
lowing letter received from Mr. Bwln*
gl«\ who in located at Berkeley, Cal.:
"I am assured by the Oakley-Paulin
Co. that you will he glad '" '•'*' ;il "'
report tt|x>ti some forage plants of the
Mediterranean region. These arc
planted In autumn atid grow through
the winter.
♦•If you dettre to undertake to tent
any of thene please write or wire me at
once. I think the Alexandrine clover
may do well with you, and have asked
Mr. Fairchild to wire you in regard to
it. Hin address is U. <J. Fairchild, De
partment of Agriculture.
"I am very much interested in the
culture of the date palm in the Colora
do desert and would like to learn what
in the coldest temperature in winter,
the hottest in Hummer, and the nature
of the noil at Imperial. How is the
water obtained? Is the drainage good?
I Heud you my paper on the date palm
under another cover."
STORM CLOUDS
While other portions of Southern
California have been visited of
late with rain which was severe enough
to cause a washout that delayed last
Sunday's easlhound overland tivc
hours, Imperial got only a mi it breeze
an its portion. There was no disap
pointment in thin, for no one wants it
to rain here, preferring to rely on the
canals for water.
Hut there were Home beautiful
scenes presented to the people of this
section. For two days the storm cloud*
were hanging over the mountains to
the westward, and at times the rain
could be seen descending, an though
in a torrent. Hut though the wind
»lew continuously in thin direction
from the storm center, the storm made
no advance beyond the mountains, the
clotidtt hanging over the peak* as
though they had been met by an itn
passabh* barrier.
ON A BEATEN PATH
People wh«» imagine that Imperial
stands off the beaten paths of travel
are mistaken, for every day or two
there passed through town a group of
people bound from points on the coast
toother points up the Colorado river,
or on their return from the latter re
gion. Four men have passed through
linjK-rial during the last week in two
parties, one of which was bound for
the river and the other returning.
While wagon roads have been scarce
in this part of the world until the last
year, the tract has been passed over
for years by many people* and now
that the roads are made and water is
plentiful, the wayfarer finds his task
the easier, and makes Imperial a stop
ping point on his route.
NOW FOR HEADGATES
J. Stuart arrived at Imperial Tues
day to take charge of the construction
of hcadgates, drops, etc., in connection
with the canals and laterals. There
is a vast amount of lumber to be put
in during the next few mouths. Mr.
Stuart has had charge of similar work
on several large irrigation systems in
Washington, where he worked with C.
N. Perry, I). L*. Russell and others
connected with the Imperial survey.
PROSPECTIVE BRICK YARD
W. Leonard of I«os Angeles exam
ined Imperial this week with a view to
establishing a brick yard. He thinks
a superior brick can be made here, but
took samples of earth home to test.
As long as he can get wood at $3.50 a
cord he thinks brick can be retailed in
Imperial at from S8 to 510 a ton. There
are a number of i>orsons figuring on
building with brick as soon as they arc
to be obtained.
ROAD CONSTRUCTION
W. W. Maatetl'a camp was moved
from Calexico to a point five miles
north of Imperial Tuesday, from which
point the construction of the new road
to Old lieuch is now in progress.
IMI'KKIAL PRESS
VARIOUS TOWNSITES
TIIKtfIC is to be more than one impor
tant trading center on the Impe
rial land*. That is one of the certain
ties of the future, and already there
is a degree of good naturcd rivalry t»e
twecu the residents and prospective
resident* of the various towns, and it
is evident that the progressive spirit
of the people Coming to the colony is
to be manifested in the building of
towns a* well as in the cultivation of
the soil. At picseut there are two
towns which have passed to Mic point
of OCCtllar demonstration of their cxis
tencc. These are Imperial and Cal
exico, the former in the heart of the
great Colony, and the latter on the in
ternational line, where it stand* a
good chance of intercepting a large
portion of the trade with Lower Cali
fornia, and where a custom house will
BOOH become an imperative requisite.
Imperial thus far has the advantage
of Imm ng the point from which a num
ber of important roads radiate to var
ious portions of the colony, and it sup
ports a number of business houses, the
number of which is increasing steadily.
Among the towns which arc to be,
and which already have enthusiastic
supporters are I'aringa, Eastsidc and
Kaucherita. With the first named,
there is a belief that it will become of
importance as a trading center, and
that it will also become an important
point for the cultivation of fruits and
vegetables, there being a number of
small tracts around the to'vn adapted
to that use. The future of the other
towns seems assured, on much the
same lines.
That somewhere on the great tract
there will be one town which will grow
to especial prominence everybody be
lieves, though the opinion as to the
town which will gain the lead is an
open one, different people viewing the
subject as their wishes prove father to
their thoughts.
The next year will see some very
important developments of town in
dustries on the tract, and there will be
some competencies created through in
creased values.
NATIONAL BANK OFFICERS
At a meeting held in Los Angeles
officers of the First National Bank of
Imperial were elected, as follows:
President, George Chaffey,: Vice Pres
ident, A. H. Heber; Cashier, Leroy
Holt: Assistant Cashier, W. F. Holt.
The directors consist of the officers
and X. W. Stowcll. Leroy Holt, who
will be in charge of the bank, has re
turned to Imperial. He has spent
most of his business life in the bank
ing business. The bank will begin
the transaction of business in about
thirty days, using the southern part of
Mr. Holt's store building for tempor
ary quarters. Within a short time a
substantial bank building will be erec
ted on the southwest corner of Impe
rial avenue and Eighth street.
THE GREATEST NEED
The one thing that Imperial has the
greatest need of is a new oldest inhab
itant. It is rather tame talk one hears
when the present bearer of that high
dignity braces himself and remarks:
"When I first arrived here, six months
ago — ." An oldest inhabitant whose
record only goes back six mouths does
not deserve his honors.
BROUGHT HIS FAMILY
Henry Mitchell drove into Imperial
Monday, having made the trip from
Phoenix, Arizona, about 300 miles,
with his wife, mother and six little
children and their household goods on
two unsheltered wagons. He has no
laud and had never seen the country
before. He hopes to get work with
his teams.
PUTTING IN CROPS
H. J. Jeuks and W. A. Edgar have
leased 160 acres of land southeast of
Imperial from W. F. Holt, and are
preparing it for a crop of wheat and
barley.
NEW POSTO FFICE
The equipment for a new postoOke
to be known an llarue*. on the Hunt
tract east of Calexieo, arrived Monday.
Peter Hnrnea has been commissioned
as post master.
FIRST CHURCH SOCIAL
A social which was held at the
Christian church Thursday even
ing of last week was of greater Impor
tance than Is the Usual gathering of
the kind. It wan the first social
"function" ever held in that broad
laud bounded by the Colorado river on
the east, the international Uric on the
south* the Han Jacinto mountain* on
the west and the Chuckawalla moun
tain* on the north. In that area might
lie laid one of the far eastern states.
PoMibljF the programme which wan
presented might have been more ap
propriate to a village improvement so
ciety, but such as it wa* it was pur
posely selected as adapted to the re
quirements of the day, leaving to later
times the presentation of the more
usual coucomitantsof such gatherings.
Key. John C. Hay directed the pro
gramme and read a letter from a
friend at Indio, giving advice regard
ing the planting of fruit and shade
tree* on the desert.
Kcv. J. S. Kline gave a brief address
encouraging the people of the colony
to harmonious work.
Mrs. W. A. Edgar gave a very pleas
ing recitation of "Jesus, Lover of My
Soul/
Miss Jessie Holt recited a pretty
story of doll life.
K. T. Perry of Los Angeles and sev
eral residents of the valley made brief
addresses.
The programme of music was partic
ularly pleasing, Mrs. D. C. Huddleston
gave a solo, accompanying herself on
a guitar, while Master Carl Huddleston
rendered a solo, accompanied by his
mother.
Mrs. H. C. Reed presided at the or
gan as accotnpanyist and soloist in a
very creditable way.
FANTASTIC DANCE
Probably the first dance ever held
on the Imperial lands was an informal
affair in W. W. Masten's dining wagon
at Calexico a few days since. Music
was provided and a number of the
graders and Indians employed near
Calexico joined in slinging the light
fantastic in a new faugled manner.
NEW COTTAGE
A. W. Patton, one of the old timers
in Imperial, having lived here over
half a year, is building a neat cottage
on East Nintth street, at a point con
venient to his freight station.
Ftlainly Personal
Edward W. Coil and George Lusk of
Corona, visited Imperial this week.
George Varney of Halleck, San Ber
nardino county, looked over business
prospects here a few days since.
A. M. Dunn of the Pomona Review,
has taken in an eighty-acre slice of
Imperial lands, which he selected this
week.
Walter Evans and family and F. L.
Richmond arrived Tuesday from
Phoenix, A. T., having driven through
with two covered wagons and eight
horses.
A. B. Chaffey, son of George Chaf
fev, has joined the surveying corps
under F. F. Hall. Mr. Chaffey wa *
with the corps a year ago for two
mouths.
William G. McConnell and William
Wagler of San Diego, were looking
over the lauds a few days since, ex
pecting to bring in their families in a
short time.
William Demery, representing Baker
& Hamilton, brought his 320 pounds of
avordupoise to Imperial a few days
since, being the first drummer to in
vade this country, so far as the record
goes.
J. E. Heber, son of A. H. Heber, gen
eral manager of the Imperial Land
company, came in Wednesday to as
sume charge of the business of the
Imperial Mercantile company, which
has purchased the store of Leroy Holt.
David Stoner of Corona, who has* 320
acres six miles south of Imperial ar
rived Tuesday, accompanied byJ.T.
White, wife, four sous and Mrs.
White's mother. They will make their
home on Mr. Stutter** land, having
just arrived from Missouri.
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