Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1888-08-18
WATER. wATERs
The CRY Which is Heard
From the Hockey Mountains
IN the sierra

| From the Hockey Mountains
| TO the sierra.
Everywhere between the Rocky
Mountains and the Sierra we are
now hearing the cry of "Water,
water!" In all this region water
is AZ good as gold, and those who
have it have that which is as good
to draw upon as an inexhaustible
gold mine. Those who have secur-
ed good and permanent supplies Of
water anywhere within the Great
Basin region see and appreciate
this, and it will not be long before
the Government will see it. When
the matter of the expenditure of the
trifle of $3.50 900 for surveys for the
sites Of reservoirs came up last
week in the Senate, Senator Plumb
had fears, it would seem, that the
Mississippi river would be dried up.
The big storage reservoirs of India,
Ceylon and other countries where
irrigation is practiced have not dried
ed up the rivers, but on the con-
trarv have been 4 means of regulat-
ing the flow of the rivers-of keep
ing . certain amount Of water in
the rivers at all seasons. The
Egyptians have not yet dried up
the Nile, nor the people of Arabia,
Assyria and Lombardy their sys-
TENS of rivers.
However, if the people OF the
older States are afraid Of drying up
the Mississippi river, there are
plenty OF other places where they
can make a beginning. Indeed,
before touchiag the great tributaries
of the "Father of Waters" they
will do well to learn something of
the business of the reservoir build
ing by commencing upon some of
the small streams in the Great Bag
in region. Plenty of places can be
found in which to begin the
practice of such engineering.
When the Government has water
to sell there will be plenty of per-
sons ready to take it and pay for
it. 1t will be found q paying in
vestment for all time. A time will
come when appropriations of mil
lions will be voted with less talk
than We now hero about $3.50, 900.
By constructing large reservoirs
in suitable localities, the Govern
ment will be doing a good thing
for itself and for the people, partic-
ularly for men of small means who
desire to build up hemes for them
selves. In this way tbs land will
be divided up among small holders,
which is for the good of the whole
That is a thing which ev-
Dry true and patriotic American
wishes to see. We cannot have
100 many small holders of land. A
nan of small means may know
where he can find as much good land
IS he can till and may also know
where an ample supply of water is
but he cannot command |
he amount of capital necessary to
bring the two together. Meantime
| rich man, or perhaps several men
If capital come along and take tho
whole thing, land, water and all.
n this way falls into the hands of
me man, or three or four men, what
hould have made good comfortable
,omes for forty or fifty families. In
tead of being free and independ-
mt land owner, the man of small
means is left to stand biting straws
3 poor as ever. Not being able to
,ring in water and build up . home
# his own, all he can do il to work
. . servant and dependent on
hose who have secured water and,
# course, all the land the water
Where the Government stores up
J supply of water sufficient to prop
rly irrigate certain area of land,
"A the track largo or small. II can