[Illustration: Barbara. Often as Barbara sat looking over that great
basin her heart cried out to know the secret it held.]




THE WINNING OF BARBARA WORTH

BY

HAROLD BELL WRIGHT





ACKNOWLEDGMENT

While this story is not in any way a history of this part of the
Colorado Desert now known as the Imperial Valley, nor a biography of
anyone connected with this splendid achievement, I must in honesty
admit that this work which in the past ten years has transformed a
vast, desolate waste into a beautiful land of homes, cities, and
farms, has been my inspiration.

With much gratitude for their many helpful kindnesses, I acknowledge
my indebtedness to H. T. Cory, F. C. Hermann, C. R. Rockwood, C. N.
Perry, E. H. Gaines, Roy Kinkaid and the late George Sexsmith,
engineers and surveyors identified with this reclamation work; to W.
K. Bowker, Sidney McHarg, C. E. Paris, and many other business