Benton City Marks Irrigation Milestone
Thousands gather to dedicate the Benton extension of the Sunnyside Canal, signaling a doubling of local irrigated acreage.
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Benton City, June 3—With two thousand people present, the Benton extension of the Sunnyside canal was officially dedicated with appropriate ceremonies here last Saturday. With the turning on of the water in the canal, the irrigated area tributary to Benton City is more than doubled. Many prominent men who are interested in reclamation work were here to take part in the program. L. L. Todd presided as chairman of the day and speeches were delivered by Governor Lister, I. D. O’Donnell, irrigation commissioner of Washington, D. C., and Supt. A. G. Kamm, of the O-W. R. N. A fine basket dinner was served at noon and music for the occasion was furnished by the Prosser band. A feature of the afternoon's program was a ball game between the Benton and Prosser teams which resulted in a victory for the home boys, 7 to 2.
“With the turning on of the water in the canal the irrigated area tributary to Benton City is more than doubled.”
The expansion of irrigation was the singular most important factor in transforming the arid landscape of the Tri-Cities into the agricultural heartland it is today.
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