, 1888-12-13
STORAGE RESERVOIRS.
The Wyoming Delegation Confers
With Maj. Powell.
The Territory Will Receive Atten-
ton in the Spring.
A Good Official to Press Wy0<
ming's Claims.

A. Gilchrist and Hon. J. A. Johnston
returned from Denver last evening after
a most satisfactory conference with Maj.
Powell, chief of United States geological
surveys. The Wyoming delegation, headed
by Territorial Engineer Mead, also in
cluded Col. A. L. Babbitt. The two last
named gentlemen are still in Denver.
Messrs. Gilchrist and Johnston were
interviewed on behalf of THE LEADER
last evening and expressed themselves as
well satisfied with the result of the trip.
The fruition of their hopes will be of
great and lasting benefit TO the territory.
The Wyoming men were called to Den
yer by Maj. Powell for the pur-
pose of giving that gentleman their
ideas on the practicability of estab-
fishing storage reservoirs in the territory.
1t is a pet project of the government to
utilize all of the moisture of the arid re-
gions of the West. With this end in
view congress has appropriated 500, 900
to be expended in making typographical
surveys. 1t was to learn something of
the Feasibility of operating in Wyoming
that Maj. Powell called the Cheyenne
men. He is preparing a report to con-
gress, when it is believed that a large ap-
preparation will be made.
After their interview Maj. Powell as
sured Wyoming's representatives that
this territory would receive proper
attention early next spring. He is
convinced that within the borders
of Wyoming is a great field for
his department. There is sui.
fcient water to irrigate all OF the arabic
land if it can be brought under control.
To make it a valued servant is the object
of the geological survey. All the fluid
which now runs to waste will under the
new regime be stored until needed and at
ioodtide the overflow of streams will be
diverted into bitches leading to the stor-
age reservoirs.
Both Mr.. Gilchrist' and Mr.. Johnston
are very enthusiastic in their praises of
Mr.. Mead, the territorv's young hydrau-
lie engineer. He stands at the very head
of his profession, and by his u~nassuming
manners and gentlemanly conduct made a
very favorable impression at the
consultation. All of the engineers
present soon recognized in Mr.. Mead a
man Of experience and ability, and were
anxious to obtain an expression of opin-
ion from him. There are few men in the
territory who know more Of its capabilities
and needs than Mr.. Mead, and all has
been learned by actual observation.
Following is an excerpt from a Denver
Netos interview with Maj. Powell:
How much territory do you estimate
requires irrigation?"
About l,250,OO square miles, in
cluded in the states and territories Of
Montana, a portion of Dakota, Wyoming,
a portion Of Nebraska, Colorado, a por-
ton of Kansas, New Mexico, a portion
of the Indian Territory, portions of Texas,
Arizona, portions of California, Nevada,
part of Oregon. part of Washington Ter.
ritory and Utah. This territory is more
than one-thirG of the United States. OF
this there are about Is. 0 900 acres
under irrigation.
Flow much of the whole area can be
irrigated"
About 1850, 900 square miles can be
irrigated. That area is equal to one-half
OF the cultivated land of the United
States; that Is one. half of all the land
now under the plow."
Then the question is one oflvery great
interest to the country
Eyes; it is the largest industrial prob
lem of America"
is the present appropriation anywhere
near adequate for the work?''
ut is not intended to be anything like
the amount necessary for this work. 1t
was simply a start. The whole work will
require several millions Of dollars. With
small appropriations the work will be
postponed for a length of time, but it ia
expected that the appropriations will be
increased from year to year until the work
can be carried on SO as to meet the wants
OF the country. A great deal depends in
this direction on what the public do and
whether they help the matter before con-
gress. The demand for the work comes
from the people who five in the country
which requires irrigation and who want
the information, and they must not let