Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-04-03
The Arid Region of the United
States.
HOW TO RECLAIM 1T.

q iCPolt ny IOWell, III CIdT Sc Vi Tic y.
5. Geographical and Geological Survey of the
Rocky Mountain region on the lands of the
arid region of the United States.
This report does not resemble the subject of
which it treats in point of dryness. 1t IS a
thorough and elaborate discussion Of an i'm
from personal experience: is perfectly .ac
quainted with his subject in all its branches
Ihe arid region of the United, States, accord
the great plains and extends across the Rocky
Mountains to the Pacific, excluding western
washington and Oregon, and the northwest
Tooth meridian may. be given as its eastern
boundary. 1t comprises about fOur-tenths of
the United States and within it's limits, speak
ing generally, the rainfall on lands suitable
for agriculture is less than 2Oinches annually;
consequently for the purpose of cultivation
irrigation is necessary. 1t is divided into ir
ing along the streams, timber lands, including
the extensive forests on mountains and higher
plateauS. and the pasture lands which include
the valleys, hills, and mountain slopes lying
between the low irrigable and the elevated
timber tracts.
AN AUTHORITATIVE CLASSIFICATION NEEDED.
The advantages of an authoritative classi
fication of all these lands are presented in the
report After touching upon the different
methods by which title to public lands may be
acquired, as by the Pre-emption, homestead,
Powell points out that they are insufficient for
securing the settlement of those regions which
depend on large streams for irrigation, and of
those which come under the head of timber
and pasturage lands. Taking Utah as a fair
type of the Rocky mountain region, over
which territory the Majors survey has eX-
tended the report considers each of the three
kinds of land separately, and makes practical
suggestions as to what amendments to our
present land laws should be adopted. In all
this representative territory, with the excep
tim OF few spots, irrigation is necessary for
agriculture. The space occupied by high
ragged mountains and plateaus, touched by
summer 1rosts, and the scarcity of water in
country where many OF the large rivers, as the
Colorado, run in deep gOrgeS, bring it to
pass that only about 2.S per cent. of the whole
territory is irrigable.
THE IMPORTANCE OF IRRIGATION.
Since irrigation is OF such Importance as the
only means by which agriculture can be sue
Gessfuy carried on in nearly e-half of the
United States, it deserves and receives in this
report careful and extended consideration.
Irrigated lands are not without evident ad-
yantages.. They are not subject to the vicis
drought, and his labors are seldom Interrupted
or his crops injured by storms. Thus agrlcul-
tural operations are rem dered much more GER
tam: tain The waters coming from the plateauss
them over the cultivated lands, and by this
service alone almost repay the cost of irriga
tlon For utilizing large streams considerable
outlay OF labor and material is required; con
sequently, cooperative labor, such as is sue
cessfully practiced under ecclesiastical Or
ganzatiOn in Utah. or considerable capital is
lands. The area of the latter may be in
creased by storing the water OF the non grow
lns season IN reservoirs or ponds, TO pc used
at the proper time. AS the increase of wa;eH'
by storage will eventually be impera tive, it is
recommended that the necessity be antci
pated by the reservation of sites for principal
reservoirs and large ponds. In regard to the
THE DISPOSAL OF THESE LANDS,
it is suggested that they be so amended tha
sales may be made in quantities to suit pur
tracts shall be actually irrigated before the
title is transferred. This method would pro-
vide for their redemption through the employ
ment of capital. If they are to be reserved
for actual settlers in small quantities to pro-
vide homes for poor men on the homestead
principle, general law should be enacted
under which a number of persons would be
able to organize and settle on irrigable dis
tricts and establish their own regulations for
the use of the water ana the subdivision of the
lands in obedience to the general provisions
tracts. The timber lands of Utah, estimating
the necessary mean annual rainfall to be from
20 to "A inches, are q per cent. of the whole
with standing timber. This fact is due to the
extensive fires which annually destroy dis
tricts of timber on SO vast scale that the
into comparative insignifcance. The first
step to prevent these fires must be prOhibi-
ton to the Indians, who Systematically kindle
them to drive game, from resorting there for
hunting. AS the lower country Is settled the
grasses and herbage, in which fires generally
spread, will be kept down by summer pastur-
age and the dead and fallen timber removed
TO the market.
THE TIMBER LANDS
cannot now be acquired by any of the methods
prescribed by law, since they are not agricul-
which the timber can be used by persons or
companies wishing to enter into the business,
and in such quantities as may be necessary to
encourage the construction OF mills, the erec
tiOn of fumes, the making of roads and other
are considered. When the fraction Of terri
tory represented by the first two classes, and
the true desert lands. as found in the southern
parts of California, Nevada Arizona and New
Mexico. with other naked and Improbable
tracts, are deducted from the entire area of
the arid region there vet remains vast uuan-
titles of valuable land, bearing nutritious
grass. Springs feeding small brooks are scat
the water needed for herds. In the absence of
springs, wells may be dug or reservoirs NAV
be constructed to save the rainfall. Thus, in
any case sufficient water may be obtained. The
ter section of land is of no value to the herds.
man: Four miles, or 2, $50 acres, is put down
farm. These lands should not be surveyed In
regular tracts as square miles or townships
but in such manner that water front on a
brook may be given to the greatest number of
farms In this way the government will dis
pose OF most land and the largest number of
settlers will be supported. A general law
SnOulQ De enacCeu 10 provide 1Of the OrganlZa-
tiOn of pasturage districts of sufficient size i'm
which the settlers may make their own regu-
latiOns for the division of the lands the use of
the water for irrigation and for watering
stock, and for the pastlrage of the lands in
common OF severalty; but each division or
pasturage farm should be owned by one indi.
vidual who acquires his title thereto by the
homestead system.
THIS COLONY SYSTEM,
the basis of all the mining district organiza-
tions OF the west, would apply not only to per
to these already in that country who roam
from place to place with their herds, seeking
Improvement, BY the. adoption of the regu.
latiOns suggested land system would be pro-
vided for the arid region adapted to the wants
Of all designing to become actual settlers
there; those who roam the plains with herds,
or prospect for mines over mountain ranges
and the mutitudes who are without the re,
wards Of labor in the eastern states would
speedily find homes in the great Rocky Noun.
tain region.
CANADIAN WAR HORSES FOR ENGLAND.-A
dispatch from Montreal, Canada, says that the
demand for a particular class of horses for
England is increasing Several carloads of
us N