National Republican., 1888-05-25


MAI PowrtLs report in favor of making an
effort TO reclaim by irrigation vast districts
uf the arid lands of the west, and the Syme>
bill IN the House looking 10 the same end, will
bring up for consideration one of the most
interesting economic questions that has been
before the country ror long time. The object
uf the SymCs bill is tu establish system OF
reservoirs from which water may he supplied
tu lands that are now barren and useless
through lack uf moisture. Mai Powell thiuk,
N,CtU,CUO acres of land could be reclaimed by
the system of irrigation proposed bv the
>ymcs bill. II is fact not generally realized
that there are vast bodies OF very rich land
In Colorado. New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, and
Texas which is now utterly useless, but
which could he made as productive as the
Mississippi valley If some system ui
irrigation could he applied In south
tIn Arizona there are great bodies
oi level land called mesas derived from
the Spanish mcsea, table, and meaning table
landl where the soil Is from five TO twenty
feet deep and ol the richest sandy loam but
wh,re nothing grows except cactus and few
varieties Of hard, stunted shrubs. In many
places one can find two or three hundred
thousand acres In one OF these mesas with not
a cultivated spot on the entire body, owing to
the absence Of water. The rainfall Is heavy
enough, coming on In both summer and viii.
ter, but the earth Is 80 pOrus that the water is
absorbed at once. Great floods Of water that
may come from sudden storm will sink into
the earth in Il few hours at furthest and Leave
the surface entirely dry Rivers that are full OF
water one day have dry beds the next
The ella river of Arizona drains almost
as much watershed as the Potomac, and yet
IN the dry season II >hrinks To- the dimensions
OF a brook that may be cleared at single
leap. The question, therefore, Is not one of
finding water, but of outstanding II, OF storing
and utilizing II. There Is but one way in
which this can he done-thdt Is. to construct
vast reservoirs. Nature has provided the
PRINCIPAL walls and foundations for these in
the deep mountain canyons that everywhere
open ont into these vast fertile plains. All
that Is needful Is that dams shall be con-
Stluctcd across these canyons, The streams
that rush down the mountain sides in case Of
rainfall will soon fill them, and thus millions
and millions of gallons of water can be saved,
10 lie let out as II may he needed
through irrigating canals. The problem to
be solved 50 far As Arizona is concerned
is very simple one, The only thing
| needed is capital to build the reservoirs,
| II would appear to be as proper for the gov
| eminent to appropriate money to save the
arid but naturally rich lands of Arizona as
TO save the lands along the Mississippi from
overflow. such appropriation would clearly
come under the head of internal improve
inents. If irrigation could be applied to the
southern part OF Arizona there would be i'm.
nediately seen there one of the most beaui.
ful and prosperous regions in the world The
resources of the soil are illimitable, the win.
! tels most delightful, and the appearance of
| the country most novel and picturesque.