W.E. Smythe
Encyclopedia
William Ellsworth Smythe, known as W.E. Smythe, (1861–1922) was a journalist, writer and founder of the Little Landers movement, which aimed to settle small suburban lots with people who would farm their own properties, live off the land and sell or trade the surplus for needed income. In 1908 he set up such a colony in the Tijuana River valley (now San Ysidro, California), and in 1913 he joined in developing a similar venture in Tujunga, California.
In high school he was editor of the school newspaper and later, in 1881, at the age of twenty, he tried to establish a printing business, but failed. But in 1889 a feisty Nebraska newspaper publisher named Edward Rosewater
made Smythe the editor of the Omaha Bee
.
Smythe obtained the publisher's approval for a series of articles about the importance of irrigation
. He researched the subject carefully, going back to the times of ancient Egypt
, and published articles daily. He wrote for national magazines. He spoke at public meetings and became chairman of the influential National Irrigation Congress
. Eventually he traveled the breadth of the country to drive home his message. He founded a magazine, Irrigation Age, which he edited until 1896.
Smythe organized a cooperative settlement
called New Plymouth
in Idaho and advised developers near Sacramento, California
, and in Lassen County
, where he founded the town of Standish
. He moved to San Diego
in 1902 and promptly ran unsuccessfully for Congress in the newly created Eighth District, as a Democrat, garnering 40.8 percent of the vote.
In 1904 he traveled to Washington, D.C., to lobby for Imperial Valley
farmers who wanted public ownership of the irrigation system in their valley. This trip earned him the scorn of Harrison Gray Otis's Los Angeles Times, which wrote
In 1908 he formed a corporation that bought 700 acres of the Belcher Ranch on the U.S. side of the Tijuana River
, which is shared with Mexico, and immediately changed the name of the entire community to San Ysidro
, after the patron saint
of farmers in Spain.This was the first Little Landers colony, which attracted some 300 families to its promise. Smythe lived there from 1909 to 1911, overseeing a market that the farmers set up in San Diego to sell their produce.
Smythe began writing editorials in 1912 for the Scripps newspapers
, whose publisher, E.W. Scripps, lived in San Diego, and he published a Little Landers magazine. He opened a Little Landers colony called Runnymede.
In 1913, M.V. Hartranft
, a Glendale, California
, land developer with utopianist ideas, joined with Smythe in forming a Little Landers colony in Tujunga, just north of the Verdugo Mountains
in Los Angeles County.
After World War I, Smythe was appointed U.S. assistant secretary of the interior
for veterans land settlement.
, to William Augustus Smythe, a wealthy shoe manufacturer, and Abbie Bailey Smythe. In 1882 he and Harriet Bridge were married. They had three children. Smythe died at the age of 61 on October 6, 1922, in his apartment on Fifth Avenue in New York City
. He was survived by his son, W.E. Smythe Jr.
In high school he was editor of the school newspaper and later, in 1881, at the age of twenty, he tried to establish a printing business, but failed. But in 1889 a feisty Nebraska newspaper publisher named Edward Rosewater
Edward Rosewater
Edward Rosewater, born Edward Rosenwasser, was a Republican Party politician and newspaper editor in Omaha, Nebraska...
made Smythe the editor of the Omaha Bee
Omaha Bee
The Omaha Bee was a pioneer newspaper in Omaha, Nebraska founded on May 8, 1871, by Edward Rosewater, a Bohemian Jewish immigrant who supported abolition and fought in the Union Army. The Bee was regarded as a Republican newspaper, and early on featured Rosewater's opinions...
.
The next year a terrible draught [sic] gripped the Great plainsGreat PlainsThe Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
. Smythe saw farmers abandoning their land and, within sight of creeks that had carried water a year before, shoot their livestock because they couldn't prevent the beasts from dying of thirst."
Smythe obtained the publisher's approval for a series of articles about the importance of irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
. He researched the subject carefully, going back to the times of ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
, and published articles daily. He wrote for national magazines. He spoke at public meetings and became chairman of the influential National Irrigation Congress
National Irrigation Congress
The National Irrigation Congress was held periodically in the Western United States beginning in 1891 and ending in 1916, by which time the organization had changed its name to International Irrigation Congress. It was a "powerful pressure group."...
. Eventually he traveled the breadth of the country to drive home his message. He founded a magazine, Irrigation Age, which he edited until 1896.
Smythe organized a cooperative settlement
Settlement
Settlement may refer to:*Consolidation , a process by which soils decrease in volume*Human settlement, a community where people live**Israeli settlement, communities inhabited by Israeli Jews in territory that came under Israel's control as a result of the 1967 Six-Day War**Urban settlement **Rural...
called New Plymouth
New Plymouth, Idaho
New Plymouth is a city in Payette County, Idaho, United States. The population was 1,400 at the 2000 census. It was incorporated on February 15, 1896. It is the host of the annual Payette County Fair....
in Idaho and advised developers near Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, and in Lassen County
Lassen County, California
Lassen County is a county located in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 34,895, up from 33,828 at the 2000 census...
, where he founded the town of Standish
Standish, California
Standish is an unincorporated community in Lassen County, California. It is located southwest of Litchfield, at an elevation of 4049 feet ....
. He moved to San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
in 1902 and promptly ran unsuccessfully for Congress in the newly created Eighth District, as a Democrat, garnering 40.8 percent of the vote.
In 1904 he traveled to Washington, D.C., to lobby for Imperial Valley
Imperial Valley
The Imperial Valley is an agricultural area of Southern California's Imperial County. It is located in southeastern Southern California, centered around the city of El Centro. Locally, the terms "Imperial Valley" and "Imperial County" are used synonymously. The Valley is bordered between the...
farmers who wanted public ownership of the irrigation system in their valley. This trip earned him the scorn of Harrison Gray Otis's Los Angeles Times, which wrote
Investigation shows that the Imperial Water Users' Association has paid Smythe $2000 cash. Whether he presented an itemized bill showing all this to have been used as "expense money" was not learned. If so, Mr. Smythe likely lived very well, and could on as much style as the most fastidious ambassador.
In 1908 he formed a corporation that bought 700 acres of the Belcher Ranch on the U.S. side of the Tijuana River
Tijuana River
The Tijuana River is an intermittent river, 120 mi long, on the Pacific coast of northern Baja California in Mexico and southern California in the United States.-Location:...
, which is shared with Mexico, and immediately changed the name of the entire community to San Ysidro
Isidore the Laborer
Isidore the Laborer, also known as Isidore the Farmer, , was a Spanish day laborer known for his goodness toward the poor and animals. He is the Catholic patron saint of farmers and of Madrid and of La Ceiba, Honduras....
, after the patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of farmers in Spain.This was the first Little Landers colony, which attracted some 300 families to its promise. Smythe lived there from 1909 to 1911, overseeing a market that the farmers set up in San Diego to sell their produce.
Smythe began writing editorials in 1912 for the Scripps newspapers
E. W. Scripps Company
The E. W. Scripps Company is an American media conglomerate founded by Edward W. Scripps on November 2, 1878. The company is headquartered inside the Scripps Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its corporate motto is "Give light and the people will find their own way."On October 16, 2007, the company...
, whose publisher, E.W. Scripps, lived in San Diego, and he published a Little Landers magazine. He opened a Little Landers colony called Runnymede.
In 1913, M.V. Hartranft
M.V. Hartranft
Marshall Valentine Hartranft , known as M.V. Hartranft, was an agriculturalist, a land developer and the president of the Glendale-Eagle Rock Railway in Los Angeles County, California...
, a Glendale, California
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
, land developer with utopianist ideas, joined with Smythe in forming a Little Landers colony in Tujunga, just north of the Verdugo Mountains
Verdugo Mountains
The Verdugo Mountains are a small, rugged mountain range of the Transverse Ranges system, located just south of the western San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles County, Southern California...
in Los Angeles County.
The two men believed that anyone could be independent on a small acreage irrigated and lovingly farmed. . . . [They] joined together in their business ventures. Smythe was the idealist of the two and Hartrantf was the businessman who could make the ideas work.
After World War I, Smythe was appointed U.S. assistant secretary of the interior
Secretary of the Interior
The Secretary of the Interior may refer to:* The United States Secretary of the Interior* The Secretario de Gobernación Secretary of the Interior...
for veterans land settlement.
Personal life
Smythe was born December 24, 1861, in Worcester, MassachusettsWorcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, to William Augustus Smythe, a wealthy shoe manufacturer, and Abbie Bailey Smythe. In 1882 he and Harriet Bridge were married. They had three children. Smythe died at the age of 61 on October 6, 1922, in his apartment on Fifth Avenue in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was survived by his son, W.E. Smythe Jr.