Los Angeles County
Biographies
ROBERT M. TEAGUE
TEAGUE, ROBERT M., Citrus Nurseries and Horticulturist, Los Angeles, California, was born May 6, 1864, in Iowa, the son of Crawford P. Teague and Amanda R. (May) Teague. He married Minnie E. Cowan, November 29, 1891, at Pomona, California.
Mr. Teague was taken to the Sacramento Valley, California, when only two years old, and there he later attended the public schools. He took three years at the Christian College at Santa Rosa, but did not graduate.
When he was sixteen years of age, the family moved to Southern California and he went into grain farming at San Dimas with his father and brothers. They worked hard and prospered.
The citrus industry of Southern California was just then beginning to develop. The science of the care and culture of the orange, lemon and grape fruit was not then as complete as it is now, and the study of the industry offered a wide field for an enterprising brain. Mr. Teague was then twenty-six years old and ambitious. He saw his chance and determined to follow it.
He leased some land from his father and started a nursery of citrus trees. On one acre of the land he put out 10,000 young trees, but happened to hit the wrong year and made but little on his venture. The following year he had better success. At the end of four years his business had grown to such proportions that he let go all other ventures and put all of his capital into his nurseries. In 1896 he planted 20,000 trees; a year later 40,000. In 1901 he planted 250,000 trees. It was not all unvarying success, however. The market went down about this period and in three years he lost $45,000. By 1906 the market had recovered and he was selling 260,000 trees. His nurseries are now on a solid footing.
In the year 1909 an association of individuals was formed in Los Angeles for the purpose of investigating and ascertaining whether or not a feasible plan might be found for the irrigation from the Colorado River of a large tract of desert land in the southeastern portion of Riverside County, believed by those interested to be capable of high development along horticultural and agricultural lines, provided abundant irrigation could be afforded at a reasonable cost. The original promoters of this investigation sought and secured Mr. Teague’s co-operation, and he became interested in The Chucawalla Development Company, organized for the purpose of such investigation. He was elected president of the Board of Directors and appointed general manager of the company, and for the past two years has been active in its affairs.
The problem confronting the company is one of great magnitude and engineers of prominence now carrying on investigations for the company considered its successful solution difficult. This investigation is still in progress. The Company is not interested in lands and has not encouraged settlement on the government lands within the scope of its investsigation. If the irrigation problem is finally solved successfully by the company, of which Mr. Teague is president, too much credit cannot be given him for his indefatigable labors to that end. In case of failure to solve the problem, the failure will not be due to lack of honest and honorable endeavor along legitimate lines to promote the horticultural and agricultural interests of the state.
A few figures will give the magnitude of the Chucawalla project, the largest yet conceived in the United States by private enterprise. The Chucawalla valley is located about 400 feet above the level of the Colorado river, and to this height the water must be raised. Between 300,000 and 500,000 acres have been declared susceptible of irrigation. The valley is flat, and the soil is deep and rich. Horticultural experts have declared the climatic conditions the most perfect in California for the growing of citrus fruits, oranges and grape fruit in particular. In the event that the valley can be converted into orange groves the result would be the creation of a district in wealth and population the rival of Redlands, Riverside and the San Gabriel valley combined. At the present time the problem is to discover by deep borings whether an enormous dam across the Colorado river, which would be the largest in the world, should be erected, or whether it would be better to install the greatest pumping plant yet imagined.
Previous to his interest in the Chucawalla concern he had been instrumental in the development of other water supplies for Southern California. He helped organize and is president of the Lordsburg Water Company, a concern which irrigates land now worth in the millions. He is also director in the San Dimas Water Company, which furnishes water for the San Dimas district.
To understand the great importance of Mr. Teague’s work to Southern California, one must realize the importance of water for irrigating the lands. The sections that Mr. Teague has interested himself in, like all of the Southwest, require abundant irrigation for citrus fruit and agricultural development. The problem of water is one of the greatest confronting the land holder and agriculturist. Without water, practically nothing can be raised on much of the land of Southern California, but with an abundant supply for irrigating purposes this same land may produce the most wonderful crops in the world, of fruits, nuts, alfalfa, and numerous other products. The land instantly becomes very valuable both to the owner and the community at large. To undertake such projects as Mr. Teague has been directing require an enterprise worthy of special commendation.
In spite of his active out-door life and the extent of the territory over which he must travel to take care of his business affairs he has had time to become socially prominent. He is a life member of the Sierra Madre Club of Los Angeles, a life member of the Elks, Pomona, Cal., and a member of the Covina Club, Covina, Cal.
Transcribed by Joyce Rugeroni.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 827,
International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2012 Joyce Rugeroni.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPIES