San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-11-17
IRRIGATION CANALS.
Editor LIGHT:

Editor LIGHT:
The remark may be merely thrice
told tale, but its truth and Importance
certainly justify its being repeated time
and again-that, while Nature has poured
out her favors and bOunties upon Texas
with prOdigal hand, man has done but
little towards improving the natural adj
vantages of the state. 1t Is time that
the ingenuity and industry of man was
being turned towards the improvement
of the natural advantages of Texas SO
that the wilderness shall bloom like q
garden of roses and become vocal with
the hum of business.
The climate of Western Texas is I'M
matched in the world, so far as health is
concerned. Its dryness is its chiefrecOm-
mendation. There are no swamps filled
with ponds of stagnant water and
decomposing timber to serve as the seed
bed of malaria and to faint the breeze.
II ia exempt from the sirOccO of South
ern Italy and the mistral of Southern
France, vet the daily and nightly
breeZes during the summer months, es-
sentially mOderat, the heat OF the
weather and contribute to the comfort
and health of the inhabitants. Chills and
fever are unknown.
The productiveness OF the soil is even
now scarcely appreciated. Its possibili-
ty of production is hardly conceived of.
But what can man do to improve the
natural advantages Of Western Texas,
which embraces a vast and magnificent
territory? Much, very much.
He can bore artesian wells and thus
procure an abundant supply Of unfailing
water, now SO much needed for stock
raising purposes.
The practicability Of reaching water
by artesian wells admits Of no manner
of doubt-all that is necessary Is to bore
to q sufficient depth to tap the subter-
ranean streams. These wells would
render every acre valuable for pastur-
age, and wonld quadruple the value of
land lying remote from rivers and creeks.
The increased moisture would increase
the rainfall and the growth Of timber.
So much on this point.
The construction Of irrigation bitches
on the BraZos, Colorado, San Marcos,
Guadalupe, PecOs, Concho and San An
tonic rivers would more than quadruple
the products of Texas. 1t would pro-
duce certainty Of crops en- lands Of
unsurpassed fertility bordering on the
water courses named above. The irriga-
Bile lands in Italy, Hindoostsn and China
vie d large as well as sure crops because
they are not dependent upon the rainfall
for their supply Of moisture. The same
Is true of all irrigable lands possessing
ordinary fertility of soil.
By well planned and we'll executed
system Of irrigation, canals and ditto hes,
over million OF acres of land In Texas
might be made irrigable. In other words
made AS fruitful as the land along the
river Nile in Egypt.
But such system OF irrigation would
necessarily have to be executed by the
state, since Ii would require greater
outlay of money than the most affiuent
private person could afford to make.
The state could use its convicts in dig
ging these irrigation canals and bitches
ana would be out only such sum of
money as might be required for the pur-
chase OF clothes and food for convicts
and the necessary implements for exc
cutting the work. 1t might, perhaps, re-
quire 20 years 10 execute the work, but
that would constitute no objection to
Undertaking Ii.
There IRE at present about 2,700 con-
vIcts, ard these, II kept steadily at work
in digging irrigation canals and bitches
would accomplish a great deal In the
space OF ~ years. IL may De shlely rs
sumed that there will not be any nate
rial falling off In the number OF convicts
since the Increase In the population OF
the state will prevent diminution.of
crime for years to come.
1t Ia true wisdom as well as true patri.
otism, to employ the convicts in labor:
on such public works as will be perma'
nently beneficial by adding to the pro-
ductive resources Oft state.
Irrigation canals and bitches, II they
are properly laid out and dug, will by
timely repairs last for centuries and
prove perennial source OF wealth.
The state can construct these iTriga'
tion canals and bitches at comparative
ly Insignificant outlay OF money by US
ing convict labor. 1t appears to me
that no sensible and patriotic citizen can
raise any objection to the employment