Читать книгу History of Fresno County, Vol. 3 - Paul E. Vandor - Страница 25

One of its original settlers, H. Madsen located in Central California Colony, where the first canal system of importance was constructed and the real beginnings were made in the small-farm development of the county, Water had been brought from Kings River far out upon the plains, but the project was largely experimental in character. The story of the vicissitudes of these early day farmers, who were ignorant of what to plant and were greatly handicapped in marketing the crops they raised, makes one of the most interesting chapters of the history of Fresno County.

Mr. Madsen came to Central Colony with his family from Alameda County in 1877. A few others had preceded him a year. All about Fresno was still a treeless plain. His faith was never shaken, he explains, because of the remarkable production that resulted from irrigation of the soil of the plains. Among other difficulties there were contests with riparian claimants to the water of Kings River: and convinced that orange culture was just what the Colony was suited for, a considerable area was planted to young trees brought from Southern California, only to encounter severe frosts that came the following winter and all that remained of this enthusiasm was the name of Orange Center, which had been given the school district; and there were other disheartening failures, but the joy of pioneering knew no discouragement. Grapes, deciduous fruits and alfalfa, it was finally demonstrated, were what Central Colony was adapted for, and soon it blossomed and flourished into a most beautiful and productive spot. The success of this Colony proved what irrigation would do, and exploitation of the plains for other than sheep-raising then began in earnest.

It was Mr. Madsen and the other Central Colony pioneers who led the way in the intensive cultivation of lands, which has been the basis of Fresno's upbuilding and prosperity. To these courageous early settlers considerable measure of the credit is due for Fresno's emergence from a frontier city and county into one of the great productive centers of California.

In 1906, Mr. Madsen sold his Central Colony holdings and located in the Fairview district, five miles north of Sanger. He is a native of Denmark and was one of the first to locate in Fresno County, of the great number of people from that country who have chosen this section for their homes.