Colorado River Irrigation Company

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The Colorado River Irrigation Company was incorporated in Colorado on January 7, 1892, for the purpose of irrigating "lands contiguous to the Colorado River."[1][2] The company founders claimed to be able to irrigate 3,000,000 acres (12,000 km2), with 1,000,000 acres (4,000 km2) of that being in San Diego County, California, and the remainder in Baja California, Mexico. They projected that the canal would be completed within two years. The Colorado River was described as an "inexhaustible source."[1]

The company employed C. R. Rockwood as an engineer. Rockwood was aware of O. M. Wozencraft's earlier attempts to promote a scheme to irrigate the Salton Sink.[3]

The 1893 depression impacted capital flow to the company.[4] The company failed in September, 1894, with the director, John. C. Beatty, accused of fraud.[2]

In 1894 Rockwood sued the company for outstanding salary and was awarded the data he had collected as well as engineering equipment.[3][4][5] Rockwood and Anthony H. Heber later formed the California Development Company and, with George Chaffey providing capital, this new company constructed a canal system to divert Colorado River water to the Salton Sink.[3]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "TO IRRIGATE ARID LANDS; INCORPORATION OF THE COLORADO RIVER COMPANY". New York Times. May 13, 1893. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  2. ^ a b "DIRECTOR BEATTY ACCUSED OF FRAUD.; Application for Temporary Receivers for the Colorado River Irrigation Company". New York Times. September 11, 1894. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  3. ^ a b c Robert L. Sperry (Winter 1975). "When the Imperial Valley Fought for its Life". The Journal of San Diego History. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  4. ^ a b Harry Thomas Cory; William Phipps Blake (1915). The Imperial Valley and the Salton Sink. San Francisco: John J. Newbegin. p. 1232. Retrieved 5 August 2010. unpaid salary.
  5. ^ Charles R. Rockwood (1918). "III". In Finis C. Farr (ed.). The history of Imperial County, California. San Francisco: Elms and Franks. pp. 100. Retrieved 5 August 2010. john c. beatty colorado irrigation.
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