Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1883-02-14
Dailn 5entiuel.


sources Of the State OF Nevada. A pre-
,mble to the bill states the facts that
. 600 900 acres OF land, in lieu Of the
sixteenth and thirty-sixth sections, have
been granted to the State Of Nevada by
the General Government for school pur-
poses: that the selection OF said lands
are not confined 10 any particular
of unappropriated lands; that the
portion of these lands is a desert
waste-valueless, unless water is brought
upon them, though when systematically
irrigated crops of all kinds can be sue
eessfully raised upon them; and that the
permanent settlement, growth and wealth
of the State, as well as the sale of the
school lands, depend upon their re-
clamation. In view OF these facts, the
bill creates a Board of Reclamation, to
consist of five members, including the
Governor and Surveyor General, who
shall have charge and control Of all in
ternal improvements for the irrigation
and reclamation OF desert lands. 1t is
made the duty of the Board to procure
information relative to public lands,
which may be reclaimed by waters from
rivers, lakes, etc, and to report the same,
with an estimate of the cost of reclaim
ing them, to the Legislature at its bien-
NAL sessions; and also to publish facts re-
garding the water courses of the State
and the most practical method Of utiliz-
ing said waters, in order to attract dor
mant capital and encourage individual
enterprise. The Board OF Reclamation
is authorized to appoint a competent civil
engineer, whose duty it shall be to
furnish the Board with maps, profles and
estimates of canals for irrigating pur-
poses, and of dams, reservoirs, etc, for
storing waste water. The building OF
these works shall be done by contract, to
be let to the lowest responsible bidder,
and the rent for water from the canal
built by the Board shall be one dollar per
acre per year, said rent to be a lien
against the land. The bill provides for
building a canal on the Truckee River,
from a point to be selected by the Board,
for the purpose OF ~irrigatins lands in
Washoe County, and appropriates $780,
900 from the School Fund for the con-
struction OF the m Lands purchased
from the school grant shall have prefer
ence over all others for water from canals
constructed under its provisions. A tax
OF four-tenths Of a mill Is TO be levied
on each one hundred dollars Of the tax
able property Of the State for the Re-
clamation Fund, which is made a per-
manent fund, into which all revenue
arising from said tax, as well as from
water rent, shall be paid.
This is a bill Of mammoth proportions
and should be very seriously considered.
Its provisions should be earnestly inves-
tigated, for If they can be carried out
the whole State will be reclaimed
through the reclamation of her desert
lands. At this distance from the author,
and having no knowledge of the details
OF the measure other than that contained
in the bill itself, we do not feel able to
review it satisfactorily. 1t does not
look to us, however, like a proposition
that recommends itself in the present
condition OF our State finances. One
hundred thousand dollars is a large
amount just now to ask for a single in.
ternal improvement. Nor does it seem
possible to get the money in the manner
proposed, that is, ont Of the State
School Fund. The Constitution says
that the proceeds derived from the sale
Of lands and any or all other sources
for the State School Fund ''are hereby
solemnly pledged for educational pur-
poses and shall not be transferred to any
other fund for other uses"
1t is claimed by the advocates Of the
bill, says the Silver State, that the pro-
posed irrigating canal on the Truckee
will make 100, 900 acres Of land now
valueless worth 81 %, at least, per acre,
and place 1925, 900 in the School Fund,
besides increasing the wealth and taxa
Bile property OF the State.
This may be a just calculation, but it
looks as though the State Of Nevada
were being asked to expend large sums Of
money in a struggle to make sage
soil attractive to immigrants who
are invited to many other sections Of the
United States in which the land is ready
for cultivation in its natural state and TO
had on equally easy terms. In other
words, it looks like a speculative effort
TO place Nevada, as a farming commu-
nifty, IN competition with Texas or Cali
With the present lights before
as it does not seem, if the sagebrush
ands OF Nevada were improved as pro-
posed, that there would be any rush Of
to take them up. And it APP
pears that if the improvement sug.
gested on the Truckee is really such
4 good scheme for investment a plenty
of dormant capital in the hands OF
wealthy individuals could be had for the
on proper showing.
But the SENTINEL considers Mr..
Markers bill worthy of full and serious
consideration, and one that should not be
lightly passed upon for or against. 1t
ihould be passed if the Legislature is
atisfed that the magnificent PROPOSE
ions it contains can be accomplished
Without still further distressing the State
u her already crippled finances.