The Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1869-1872, 1870-12-24
Railroad L.na-iui<.tie..

consideration plans for the irrigation Of its
land grants along the Platte, Lodge Pole.
Grow Greek and Laramie rivers, thereby -ea-
de-ins prodre<ire vast tracts Of lands which
Otherwise would remain u1tiIlei and worth
less Soch movement Is PROMPTED By the
soandss; principles Of economy. and Is one
that shOald be followed by the Central PEcife
Railroad Company to- the reclamation Of the
isDis along the Hruholdt thousands O.
acres al along the railroad hne VII forever
rs-aAin ulsold, unless the company by the sI-
PsodltGre Of . few dollars il sIrxrineu;ia.
shall demonstrate hat The sol 2ni climate :
suitable for culture, and the production Of
ether sse1leni roots, o. cereals. In Arizona
the work o. irrigation Is carried o. under The
direetlOa Of = FsisrSl otSeer. fo- which an Ar-
PsrPriEaon Q! Sl5o, 600 EAs Ea2is by Consress.
Tith0zi that artificial distribution Of water
the majority Of the soil Of Arizona Is ~ h.--e-
a. sosae Of our thoroughly .lkAIie5 fats With
tie completion OF the eA2A COVERING the
waters Of TIE Colombo riNer. more than sew
sniy-fvs thorsscd acres Of lad are bru1-ht
under the kishss; state Of cultivation. The
entire valley OF TIE Rio G-4nds, from source
70 mouth, i trzTe-Sei With canals and G;;shes-
One ditch 81 = Pzso del Nor+s taps the r.vs-
:; the falls supplying Tie thirsty soil e.
twenty-five @. tGi-ty miles, AID r-o.ize5n-
Subsistence fo- : Population q 1900 sguls.
In Utah there z-e ia 900 axes -z.s-a5 bv
:-.-s-:;.5=-- I,-S--SS-zs Szu., 49, - I'm
estimated 70 t= worth $4,000 A-ars-!v.
Itru1EboSi re kszths-, IS vel IS the
christian TV:ii, E-tGG-A! irrigation has II al
ages Of The world t+sc reso-1si 20 10 supply
the deficiencies Q: v4:e- ~ natural sources.
In India the lEv, written IL the iuri5 stvIe q
the Orlsri, directs that ''oc both sides Of The
canal trees Of every description, both fgr shade
and blossou- Be planted. 50 Is 70 make il I.ss
the canal under the trees IL Paradise. thst the
sTee; favor Of rare fruits may reach the mouth
Of every one, and that from these Injuries 8
voice may go forth 10 travellers, calling them
70 res: in the cities where their every van,
viii be supplied"
While are have not such implicit faith II
the practical results Of irrigation in Nevada IS
to anticipate paradise il the valley OF the
Humboldt, re Do bzisye that flowers NAV Be-
made 70 bloom, the sEes; grass and fields
Of waving grain 70 grow where nov Is nAughi
seen bat sageLrush and the cactus. In the
countries above referred to, the searching ravs
Of the sun burn, IS with fire, the earth's sur
faess. and hence when amply supplied NTH
moisture the growth Of every plant j. rank
and rapid. Such. We believe. vUrld be the
result here, fgE IN no portion Of the United
States are the rays OF the sun more seorch!ng
than on the table lands Of the Humboldt. I,
Is true that Immediately along the river. on the
lowest lands, fr0sts are occasional dur.ug most
Of the year. but IN = distance Of fsw h1D-
dTed yards, OF wherever the saCebrush grows
the season free from fEosts is a. long Is in spv
place Of this altitude and latitude. We
would have shor: be-; rapidly gTovius seas
on. Each year the ground would receive nsw
vitality from the sedimentary deposits Of the
water. while the DOHOus elements Of the soil
would be il equal ratio eliminated. The e.
feet Of diVenIDg the major portion of the
water Of the Humboldt and carrying it along
the foo: hills or the outer edge 0. the table
lands, would be TO reduce the frequency Of
frosts on the low lands, and thus by the beau
hful economy Of nature the absence As well as
the presence Of moisture he made beneficial to
man.
The cost Of the experiment TO private in
dividual has deferred ranchers and farmers
from practical and thorough tests. but to the
Central Pacific Railroad Company. which hos
millions at stake on the result. it would be bu,
8 drop in the bucket.
The experiment Of hydraulic irrigation
might be tried with little or no expense be-
yond the ordinary tillAgs by using any Of the
stationary engines at the waite. tanks along
the road. Between Elko and the first tank
eight miles east, lies several sections Of appar-
emily very fine soil which might be irrigated in
the manner proposed.
In Italy this manner OF irrigation has been
carried to great degrse Of perfection. By
one author it has been styled the LAND Of
classic irrigation" There the practice Of hy-
iraulic engineering is Taught rs a science with
3 direct view of aiding agriculture. The Uni
yersity Of Turin has department where this
science u taught, and in the reign Of Theodo-
nc |. hydraulic engineer was brought from
Africa 10 teach the manner Of obtaining and
regulating supplies OF water from rivers.
These references, made more on account Of
then historic worth than as precedents for
this age 20 follow, are valuable ~ mont
tors that We do not fall behind a ssni-barbaric
age in appropriating to the use Of man the
gifts which nature has seen Ct 10 b, stow. II