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WORKING FOR RAILROAD About the first thought that occurs to any person viewing the Imperial tract and noting the great develop ment work in progress is the need of a railroad. That a railroad will come in the near future seems a certainty, but the requirement of the times to hasten the building of the road is that every man having an interest in the valley should do his utmost to secure the road. Two railroad projects are already under consideration. One of these provides for a road from Calexico through Paringa, Imperial and Ranch erita to a junction with the Southern Pacific, with a branch through East side, thus leading on to Los Angeles. The othor is the projected San Diego and Eastern railroad. The latter may be built. It is a large enterprise. The former must and will be built, because it is not a gigantic undertaking, and because the interests of the Imperial settlements demand imperatively close communi cation with the metropolis of Southern California. Just what step will be taken to se cure the construction of the Los An geles, Imperial and Arizona railroad remains to be seen, but whatever the line of action, there ought to be unan imity on the part of all those interest ed in the Imperial lands, and equally on the part of all those in Los Angeles who are interested in establishing close communication with country which will be tributary to that city. The Levelers The level corps of the surveyors was in Imperial Monday night again, hav ing made a run from Calexico. These men, under D. L. Russell, are kept rushing these da,ys under the pressure of the construction force, the latter crowding the ditches ahead with great rapidity. There has never been a time when greater activity prevailed in spreading the water over the Impe rial lands than at present, and as a re sult, thousands of acres will for the first time be under water during the next few weeks. There are scores of land claimants who are anxious to come to their lands as soon as water is' within reach of them, and who will be flocking in during the next ninty days. This means that the level party will be kept on the jump for three months at least. Telephone System The telephone system put in by W. F. Holt, which has been a great advan tage in the development of the Impe rial tract is to be extended and much improved. At present there are but four telephones on the line, one each at Calexico, Imperial, Flowingwell and Iris. A number of farmers living along the line have been anxious to secure connections, and these are now to be made. A. G. Walin of Los Angeles, an expert electrician, has taken charge of the line and will make many improvements, developing the system with the general growth of the colony. Ditching Machine The ditcher, which was first set at work near Calexico, has cut its way through to a point about eight miles southwest of Imperial, and is said to be a complete success. As drawn along, the machine plows the ground and a conveyor carries the dirt to the bank of the ditch. Sixteen horses are required to draw it. Domestic Water One of the questions which will be presented for solution in the near fu ture is that of domestic water for the towns. The lands in the townsites have water rights like those of agricul tural lands, and eventually it will be necessary to establish water systems, with water under pressure. Braly Tract A. W. Patton will soon begin work digging laterals for the irrigation of the Braly tract, where the town of Cancherito is to be founded. This tract lies north of Imperial, and the land will be sold in small tracts for fruit and vegetable growing. IMPERIAL PRESS ADVANCING NORTHWARD By steady stages the work of con structing the main canal and laterals is advancing to the northward, and within a short time the center of activ ity will be at Imperial, instead of Cal exico. The main office of the survey ors will probably not be moved, but the field corps and the construction camps will soon be in this vicinity. At present there are four camps of the construction force on the main ca nal, one in Mexico, Masten's camp at the big bend of the canal, Forrester's camp with the big ditcher and another camp still nearer Imperial. Within a few days a camp will be established for digging the main later al, to pass east of Imperial. Heretofore most of the land under irrigation has been at the southern end of the tract, but the amount of land in the immediate vicinity of Im perial subject to irrigation will make rapid strides hereafter. Rockyford Melons T. P. Banta, who is doing a vast amount of good for the Imperial settle ments by testing the ground for var ious crops on his model farm, has had experience with the Rockyford canta lope before coming here as well as on his Imperial farm. He estimates that they can be grown and crated for 30 cents a crate, holding 48 melons. There ought to be a vast demand for these eantalopes early in the spring as soon as the railroad is built for a much better price, from the Eastern as well as the Coast markets. Lumber For Canals One of the greatest tasks the Calif ornia Development company now has facing it is getting in the drops and gates in the various canals and later als. A large amount of lumber has already accumulated at Flowingwell, and contracts have been let for hauling it, while the carpenter force necessary for the great amount of work to be done has been organized. Teams hauling lumber will soon be more nu merous, though a number are now at work. Sowing Alfalfa It seems to be the sentiment of the Arizona people that February is the best month in which to sow alfalfa where there is an abundance of water, as it will then grow steadily without interruption by frost. Where water is scarce it is thought best to sow early, that the plants can get a longer chance, at moisture. For that reason, they have been accustomed to sow eariy in their old home, but will here sow late. Desert Telephone Referring to the Imperial telephone system, the Redlands Citrograph says: •'The line runs from Flowingwell to Calexico, connecting the whole bunch of desert towns, Imperial, Iris and Cameron Lake with Flowingwell. To think of towns down on the desert is a hard shock to old-timers, but a com plete telephone system — give us air, please, so we can get our breath!" Business Blocks The adobe business building being erected in Calexico for the Imperial Mercantile company is approaching completion, and will be an ornament to that town. The same company will soon put up a similar building on the northwest corner of Eighth street and Imperial avenue, in Imperial, and will later build at Paringa. Hay Presses Two hay presses were brought in Saturday, one by W. A. Van Horn, and another by Jacob Stoner. These ma chines will be used in baling sorghum in the southern end of the tract, where most of it was grown this season. Alfalfa and Barley Seed Just received from Utah a carload of alfalfa seed. Also choice seed barley for sale. Imperial Mercantile compa ny, Calexico. - 9 PROFIT IN DAIRIES For some years Imperial will draw lessons from the Salt River Valley, Arizona, where farming has been con ducted for years under conditions sim ilar to those exisiting here. Gordon H. True of the Arizona experiment station has issued a bulletin giving the results of studies of the dairy industry in that valley. He kept a record of the value of the output of 58 dairy herds for the year ended with October, 1900, and found that 42 herds yielded more than $32 per cow, the estimated cost of feed and care during that year of partial drought, while 16 herds fell below the cost point. The total range of returns was from $13.28 per cow a year to $54.80, and this great range of returns he attributed to the character of the stock kept. This illustrates most forcibly the need for securing only good dairy stock by those who wish to engage in the dairy business. One hundred cheap cows can drive a man into bankruptcy while one good cow can keep the wolf from the door. About the lowest estimate made by Arizona alfalfa growers is that an acre will support three head of stock. Forty acres devoted to dairying can safely be depended on to support 100 cows, and deducting $12 a head for care and milking, according to the Arizona ex perience, 100 cows will yield a revenue of from $128 to $4,280 a year, accord ing to the value of the cows, no allows ance being made for the value of feed grown on the place. '.-''• Mules Brought In A. W. Patton has brought in two carloads of mules and grading imple ments, including a large disk gang plow. One of his freight teams, with twelve mules and three wagons, looks like business. It 1 is also understood that Lathrop & Carter of Pomona are about to send in sixty horses and mules for hauling lumber from Flowingwell to the various canals and laterals of the system. McKim & Hart of Pomo na, who recently brought in a large force of teams, have begun work on the main lateral leading to their lands on the Salton, east of Imperial. Mr. McKim has 720 acres and Mr. Hart 160 acres, which will be put under cultiva tion as rapidly as possible on the arri val of water. Justice of the Peace E. F. Howe has been appointed jus tice of the peace for Imperial judicial township by the supervisors of San Diego county, vice W. F. Hudson, re signed. Calexico Town Site During- the last few days working men have been busy cleaning- the townsite of Calexico, and it conse quently makes a much neater appear ance. Mainly Personal Miss Forrester has joined her father at his camp on the main canal. V. Gant of Tempe, A. T., was look ing up land in the valley the past week. Mrs. Cram of San Pedro arrived Wednesday to look up a half section of land. Mr. Babcock, son of the proprietor of the Hotel Coronado, spent a portion of the week in Imperial. Territorial Senator George P. Blair of Mammoth, A. T., is looking after his half section of land northeast of Imperial. George P. Thompson, late with Dr. Heffernan at Calexico, has joined the throng at Imperial, taking a place in the store of the Imperial Mercantile company. F. C. Paulin of the Oakley-Paulin company, Los Angeles, general agents for the Imperial lands, spent a portion of the week in Imperial, visiting Cal exico and other points on the tract, in company with H. C. Oakley. M. B. Harovitz has arrived at Impe rial from Glendale, Arizona, whence he drove in to occupy his ranch three miles southeast of town. He brought in seventeen head of stock and was ac companied by J. W. Dryden, wife and sou, who recently drove from Carthage, Missouri, to Phoenix, Arizona. Pen Pictures SUNDAY morning at Imperial seems to be more beautiful than those of other days. There is less stirring of teams and a nearer approach to the primeval quietude which marked this wide plain until so recently and so ab ruptly terminated. . The little white city of the plain, with its tents and canvass houses, and the little white church around the corner, seen from a distance on such a morning, present a lovely scene, and a novel one. The church is a contrast with itself and with other churches whose spires point alone to heaven. Caught in the mi rage of ever-present seeming water, the church .stands as though in a bap tismal font, and points the wayfarer to heaven with its graceful little spire. But reflected in the mirage is another church, whose spire points downward, as though to draw sharp contrast be tween the courses which man can fol low in this world, the good and the evil. The morning is not far advanced, when there begin to assemble the peo ple who are rescuing the plain, with children predominating, for Sunday school is to be held. And thanks be to the Great Ruler, He still stands su preme over the pattern makers at Im perial. The conventionalities which hem inhumanity in other places are here shattered to fragments, and "a man's a man for a' that." A year hence, clothes may make the man, but for the time being we rejoice that one can go to church in his shirt sleeves, in corduroy or khaki, in prospector's garb or the soiled raiment of. the la borer, and be neither ignored nor greeted with that effusiveness which betrays a stern endeavor to overcome evident prejudice in favor of fine linen. It is Sunday school, and a dozen bright faces of child life are there, child life unstinted and unhampered, and some bare feet and bare legs swing joyfully in true child nature, as though they might be in r3'thm with one of Riley's melodious interpreta tions of just such a true-toned child world. And the old, old story of re demption is told to them by their eld ers, as it has been rehearsed for twen ty centuries, gaining in splendor . ; with each cycle. But there are others at this Sunday school. There are a half dozen women and a dozen men present. And of these brave pioneer women, who shall speak with praise enough? They have come here with their husbands and children to share the privatious of pioneering, and to womanly nature the test of courage and pluck is a severe one. Some of them have ridden a half dozen miles on horseback to get here. And among the men there are those who have not for years been at such an assembly, and they seem a little awk ward as they recall times main* years vanished, when they would have felt more at home in Sunday school. There is little change in the congre gation when the Sunday school adjurns and church begins. Rev. John C. Hay, pastor of this Christian church, or Rev. J. S. Kline, the Methodist pastor residing here, delivers a sermon such. as might grace the pulpit of a greater church, and a broad catholicity suited to such an assembly of people of many creeds prevails, and accord ing to the usage of the Christian church, the sacrament is partaken of each Sunday morning in that broad and liberal communion which leaves to the conscience of each individual a determination whether he is to partake of the symbol of the blood and body of Christ. Service again in the evening, and Sunday closes as it began, bearing to each citizen of Imperial the token that, free as he may be from the enslaving chains of cant and conventionality, he is yet bound to the world at large by that great religion which reaches out everywhere for the souls of men and draws the frontier into closer touch with the centers of civilization. Do You Need Any Flumes? If so, let me construct the ditches so you can irrigate better out of them than from the best flumes made. I can do it for the same money it would cost you to make ordinary land or earth ditch. If interested write to M. F. BOETTOER, Kedlands, Cal. 5