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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Emergency services, Oct. 16 ... Since You Asked: Park resurfacing delayed during winter ... SOU training gives tips on what to do if there's an active shooter ... Emergency services, Oct. 16 ... Since You Asked: Park resurfacing delayed during winter ... SOU training gives tips on what to do if there's an active shooter ... Mail Tribune 100, Sept. 7, 1915 The following news item was drawn from the archives of the Mail Tribune 100 years ago. Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 7, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Sep. 7, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Sept. 7, 1915 IRRIGATION WILL DOUBLE VALUE OF LAND AND CROPS By. W.W. WATSON, Ashland Suppose we consider an area of irrigable farm lands in the heart of the Rogue River valley intrinsically worth today $20,000,000 without artificial irrigation. Suppose we install an adequate system of irrigation for this area and thereby increase its intrinsic value to $40,000,000. Suppose there is a lonely landowner in this gem of mountain valleys who would hesitate a moment to avail himself of this opportunity to acquire his share of the $20,000,000 increase. Suppose we simplify the proposition a little by assuming that he owns a farm of forty acres valued at $6,000. Would he pause long to consider the propriety of joining a movement at a small individual cost, that would within a reasonable time after the completion of its work result in augmenting the value of his little farm to $12,000? What manner of man is he who would thus pass up the best, the foremost, the easiest and topmost chance he has to insure his own success? Does he not know that the losses of farm and orchard crops in the Rogue River valley this year alone, because of the drought, will aggregate a sum of money sufficient to pay the original cost of installing an adequate irrigation system or systems covering at least 250,000 acres, including every item of expense, from the survey of sources of supply to the cost of delivery of water to his own farm floodgate? Small Value Without Water It will be seen from the foregoing paragraphs that the naked land is herein considered only half of the value of the real property involved, the possession of water necessary to irrigate it constituting the other half. That is a very conservative estimate of the relative value of these two farm essentials in this valley. In some farm districts in which I have operated as an irrigationist and general soil manager during the past 20 years, the land would be worth absolutely nothing without artificial irrigation. Without a developed prospect of an adequate water supply, the land would be positively unmarketable at any price. Artificial irrigation quickly gave it a true value, ranging from $300 to $1,200 per acre. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 7, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501