ORIGINS OF A DESERT COMMUNITY

January 10, 1913 the Brawley News: (note the original misspelling of "Borrego.")

Considerable interest is being attached to new development work in the Borego valley, not far from the road between Warner's Hot Springs and Brawley and within a reasonable distance from the Los Angeles highway. The following dispatch in the San Diego Union tells of the good features of the valley, the most serious handicap being the mileage to the railroad: That a second Imperial Valley has been discovered in Borego valley is the report of those who have inspected that section with a view of taking up government land. Borego valley lies to the east of Hot Springs mountain, being thirty-nine miles from here, and thirty-nine miles from Mecca, the nearest railroad station on the Southern Pacific railroad. To the nearest point on the San Diego & Arizona railroad is about sixty miles.

Borego valley comprises about 80,000 acres, all being government land excepting tracts which have been homesteaded. A dozen families have settled there within the last few months.

The greatest advantage the valley offers is its abundant water supply, there being a lake beneath the ground. At several places in the valley water is found four feet below the surface. Drillings in other places have shown that it is not necessary to go deeper than thirty-five feet to get a liberal flow.