Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing series of reprints of historic Catalina Islander articles. It has been edited for space. From the Catalina Islander, Wednesday, April 2, 1924.
Water! More water! Sweet water!
To the agriculturalist and the farmer of Southern California, “Rainmaker Hatfield” is a wonderful man.
Some say that his system of rainmaking has a valuation of several millions of dollars to Southern California, every time there is a drouth.
Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing series of reprints of historic Catalina Islander articles. It has been edited for space. From the Catalina Islander, Wednesday, April 2, 1924.
Water! More water! Sweet water!
To the agriculturalist and the farmer of Southern California, “Rainmaker Hatfield” is a wonderful man.
Some say that his system of rainmaking has a valuation of several millions of dollars to Southern California, every time there is a drouth.
That’s what water means to Southern California in general.
Last Thursday “Rainmaker Hatfield” let the sun shine. It shone so nice and clear that William Wrigley, Jr., decided to see if the pumps at the new dam at Middle Ranch would do the work. They did.
And, it took more than 200,000 gallons of water to fill the pipe from the Number Two Dam to the top at the Summit.
That pump pumped! Oh, boy! It had to, to lift the water almost a thousand feet!
So Thursday was the RED LETTER day in Catalina Island history.
Water! Water! Water! all you want to drink. Clear, sparkling water for domestic purposes will soon be in the city pipes, to be used for lawns, flowers, washing dishes, drinking, etc.
Less than six months ago there was a peaceful little stream of water rolling down Middle Ranch canyon to the sea, on the west side. It had gone its way way unmolested for many years. It was of little service to Avalonites, excepting that it watered a lot of trees and wild flowers.
Most of the water was wasted.
But, now, that water can be pumped to Avalon for use by this community. Accomplished, too, in record breaking time!
Tons and tons building material, engines, motors, pumps and pipes have been installed.
General Manager D. M. Renton of Santa Catalina Island Company, who has had supervision of the big project, has made many trips, day and night, over the rough roads and trails while the big dams have been under construction and the pipeline to the Summit was being put under ground.
With Mr. Wrigley and Mr. Renton the writer watched the first flow of water as it poured into Falls Canyon.
Looking from the top of the dam back of the electric light plant in Falls Canyon, the writer, watching the water coming down was “struck” with the following parody:
How does the water come down from the Summit?
It leaps and it rolls; it tumbles and plunges;
It roars and bubbles in joyous glee.
It’s water, pure water, just down from the Summit;
Fresh water, good water, as good as can be!
