The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-04-09
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Editors Democratic lStdtesmdll- The intro
duction in the Senate Of a bill to charter
the Frio Irrigation Company, seems 70
have struck key note in the minds Of thol
community. When we consider the immense
amount Of fertile land lying idle and worth
now only twenty-five cents per acre, and not
salable even at that price. The bold run
ming streams that rise in the mountains and
sink before they reach the valleys; and the
fact that we have ten If not twelve growing
months in the year, it is strange and mex
cusable, that we should be so far behind
Colorado and other new settled territories
General Lessig, surveyor general Of Col
oradO, estimates that there was in 1871 four
hundred mules of main irTigating bitches in
Colorado, and 10, 900, 600 acres of land sus-
ceptible Of cultivation in the Territory, aud
says, sThe amount is only limited by the
facilities Of ir-igation.n Some Of these
bitches are the result Of private enterprise
Some have been constructed by an associa-
ton of farmers, and Others IS 3 hIaEber-of|
speculation by companies formed for the
purpose. The Platte Water Canal was com
menced in 1859, is twenty-feur miles long,
and cost 500, 900. II Is estimated that
30, 600 acres are covered by this ditch,
though in 1871 only IS, 600 WINS under cul-
tivation. The original width was ten feet,
and depth two feet, but the size has been
greatly increased, as this ditch supplies the
city of Denver with an abundance of pure
water direct from the Platte Canonga
We cannot notice al Of the main bitches.
Among them are the Table mountain ditch,
the Farmers ditch, each Of which Is inten
ded to irngate from thirty 70 forty thousand
acres, and supplies water 10 "a jacent land
owners at a dollar and half per inch per
inch per annum, with q pressure of three
Canal No. 2, Of St. Louis western Colonx
Evans, Colorado, was c0nstfuctedb
colony The water Is taken lsoss
river. The canal Is ten feet wildcat tlIe
tom, with slopes Of one % one and one-hal
giving an area Of water secti0n Of 53.37
square feet. The main trunk "a nine miles
long and with its branches IS fortF
long, covering an area of I've toWnshlps d
land on 1l5, 200 acres W 'f 90
The result Of ell this sfhat tue value Of
land Is increased one hundred fold, and
thousands Of acres, heretofore useless, now
equal, IN production, the most favored sec
tlons Of Che world. The patent Office re-
ports state that IN Colof6d0 the produce of
aIkali land has been as high IS seventy and
eighty bushels of wheat 70 the acre, and
that It can easily be made 60 Yield forty or
fifty tons Of beets per acre. Such has been
the success Of irrigation III the Northwest
that the grand enterprise f0r tllc 70
climatlon Of the ssGreaf American Des-
ert, az first considered & joke, b now
seriously considered How much Nor
practicable Il would Be to Illgafe The vast
body Of valley land lying Between the
Nu6ces and RIO Gfandes rs fertility aud
climate Is unequaIcd. Il needs bat watef
controlled By skiIlfui hands - make its pro.
ductions exceed the far famed delta Of the
Me We hal this Fno Inegslioh Com.
pany as q pioneer IA the great work dcs
tined 70 90 more lof The development d
our State than any scheme that has ycts
been devised
The sfstfstics 10 the above are taken iron
TIE Agricultural Reports 0f 1871