Banning High School - San Gorgonian Yearbook (Banning, CA)

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Water Development in the San Gorgonio Pass In 1875, S. M. Hall, a railroad contractor, noticed a quantity of timber around Banning, and decided to build a saw-mill near the head of the Big San Gorgonio River (Banning Water Canyon) in the foothills of Mt. Grayback, and also a flume down which to float his lumber. Accordingly, he leased the water rights from Ransome B. Moore and organized the San Gorgonio Flume and Lumber Company. Hall borrowed considerable money trom the Temple and Workman Bank of Los Angeles. He then started his “V” flume, floating the lumber down the finished part and using it to lengthen the flume. The Temple and Workman Bank failed and the Company disbanded. Cc. W. Filkens and George W. Bryant bought Moore’s holdings and also the flume, and organized the Banning Land Company and the Banning Water Company. Later they sold most of their stock to Evan Williams, W. S. James, Jacob Klein, and Theo. Hoffer, who were business men from Nevada. In 1883-1884 they began building the rock ditch in place of Hall’s “V” flume. They also built the lower reservoir and laid part of Banning’s domestic water system. Before any of the enterprises had been begun, President Hayes had issued a proclamation setting aside all the unpatented land in the four townships centering just south of Protero Canyon for the Indians. This gave practically all the even sections, in checker- board fashion, to the Indians. The Banning Water Company, in par- ticular, and many people in general were thus caused a great deal of trouble. President Cleveland sent Federal troops out here, and everybody on eyen sections, to which title had not been attached, were forced out, as were those on odd sections who had no patents. To offset this trouble, Mr. C. O. Barker outlined a plan of trad- ing land so that the Indians’ land would all be in one place. The people haying land where the proposed Reservation was located were given land off the proposed Reservation. Thus the Banning Water Canyon was released from the Indian Reserve in 1891. After this trade had been passed through Congress, the Banning Water Company bought out the holdings of land owners in the canyon. After the Indian question had been settled, the Banning Water Company outlined a plan for the conservation of water and submit- ted it to the Department of the Interior. The Department sent out a party of expert inspectors, who recommended the withdrawal from sale or settlement of the land necessary for the carrying out of this plan. This was accomplished February 17, 1914. The present system of development is as follows: The surface water is taken out of the wash and spread on the open land above Camp Comfort. There are about five miles of spreading ditches. In these ditches there are many “cut-outs” or gates that may be opened for spreading the water. [Page Twenty-seven]

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acres of land planted in various kinds of fruits, grapes being the most prominent crop. Experiments were made with olives and al- talfa. The grapes were hauled at night for shipping to prevent wilt- ing and insure greater comfort for the men and horses. From where the Desert Inn now stands to the La Palma Hotel extending to the mountain was a vineyard owned by a Professor Wheaton. This vineyard produced the finest of seedless grapes, which were ready for shipping to eastern markets by the tenth of June. More people were continually coming in and there were many excursions from Los Angeles auctioning off of land. However, in 1894 a ten-year drouth started. The railroad was sold and shipped to Texas. Whitewater and Tahquitz dried up, and all the fruit raising was abandoned. In 1908 Ralph Rogers moved to Palm Springs, repaired the Whitewater ditch, and piped domestic water from Chino Canyon. This was the beginning of the second improvement of Palm Springs. Mr. Rogers wished to make a health resort of the place. About that tivae or soon after, Dr. Murray sold his land to the Misses White. He died two years later, and there is a small stone structure in his honor now in Palm Springs. Mrs. Coffman in 1913 started the Des- ert Inn, which was at first two small shacks and a dining room. By this time there were about a dozen white families there, a small tu- berculosis sanatorium and several small places of business, In 1915 the county highway was put through, which was quite a boom for the Springs. People came in more and more, until at present (1925) there is a population of approximately one thousand people. The Desert Inn now covers about fifteen acres of land, and there are five smaller hotels and the “Oasis,” another large hotel. Besides this, it boasts of several bungalow courts, two apartment houses, two garages, two groceries and general merchandise stores, two butcher shops, three cates, a bakery, and any number of other busi- ness houses. Also five real estate offices and any number of at- tractive homes, a few of which cost more than one hundred thousand dollars each. Tourists gather there from all over the United States to enjoy the wonderful mild climate, bathe in the hot sulphur springs and visit the wonderful canyons, among which are Palm, Tahquitz, Andreas and Cathedral. Palm Canyon has recently been taken over by the U. S. Government, and is truly “California’s Garden of Allah.” Mivery year an annual desert play is given in Tahquitz canyon, which attracts hundreds of people from Southern California. It is a wonderland, this bit of desert, and so far has been discov- ered by only a wise few. But to those who have enjoyed it, it is truly a land to be revisited and to be sought after. It is the Mecca of the Southland. If you have been there— “Then you know, for you've felt its spell, The lure of the desert land. If you have not, then I could not tell— For you could not understand.” [Page Twenty-six]

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In this way the water slowly sinks into the ground and, instead of running out of the canyon in a few days, it flows underground only a distance of about two to five miles a year. In the Water Canyon there are three ceinegas or underground reservoirs, where the water rises and is again put in spreading ditches. In 1899 it became necessary to put in a well. This well was forty-eight feet deep, and produced a good stream of water o f about two hundred inches. The first well is known as Well No. 1 and is just above Camp Take-It-HKasy. The Consolidated Reservoir and Power Co. was formed in 1914. It diverted the water from the Middle and South Forks of the White- water River and brought it in an open ditch to Burnt Canyon, where it is dropped through a pipe line to Big Oaks and then down the canyon. The Banning Water Company purchased from the Consolidated Reservoir and Power Company all the water, except that which was being used for domestic or irrigation purposes on Banning Heights. This water is spread in the Banning Water Canyon as is the water from storms. The City Water system was installed about 1899, and has been added to as necessary. In January, 1925, a survey was made in re- gard to putting in a new and much better domestic water system. In February, 1913, the City Water Company was formed. This organization takes care of the domestic water, while the water for irrigation is handled by the Banning Water Company. In 1925, Banning’s pumps number five, and when it is necessary to draw water from them, they are operated by water power de- veloped higher up in the canyon. During the irrigation season, when extra demands are made on the resources of the canyon, the well at the end of the canyon is operated first, and then those higher up, so that in this way during the winter the voids in the lower end of the canyon are again filled by the water from the spreading ditches above. (Ch ©) 15}, “i, Cattle Raising Cattle raising began in the very early history of Banning and its vicinity, having a very short but active existence. Many of the ranchers, before the coming of the railroad, were engaged in cattle raising. The ranches extended all through the Pass and in the San Jacinto mountains. The ranchers were Rans Moore, Mr. Warren, and the Smith Brothers. Cattle raising during that period proved quite profitable, even though the market price was only three to five cents on fOOte but, with the influx of population caused by the coming of the railroad, the cattle raisers were pushed out. The new comers engaged in fruit raising, leaving no room for the cattleman. The few remain- ing cattle were sold to the Indians, who raised them only on a small scale. Cattle raising is only another one of the small business at- tempts which marked the early enterprises of Banning. [Page Twenty-eight]