Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1888-07-21
WATER! WATER!


water is louder this year than ever. Last
Winter and Spring it was thought that the
snow that fell in the mountains would keep
the mills on the Carson running until the
middle Of August, but the middle Of July
finds the river almost dry. Ore cause for
the miscalcu lation is that most Of the snow
that fell last Winter settled on the other side
Of Che water shed Of the Sierras. and when
the Summer suns came and melted It the
water flowed into California instead Of com.
ieg this way. Another cause for there being
less water this year is The fact that large
quantity of new land has been taken up
along the head waters Of the river in Cali.
fornia as well as in this State, and consider
able more water has been required for irri
eating.
Next Summer when the water becomes low
IN the river there will be the same vail from
those who need it for rrigating and other
purposes. Las, Summer the cry arose early.
Two years ago it was the same way, and no.
ssdy was any better of after the Legisla
rue had met and pottered around and spent
s6o, 600 and done nothing about irrigation,
OF anything else, that amounted to much
Two years ago there were numerous bills
ssntatives on irrigation. Most Of them were
fer appropriations for making experiments
In sinking artesian wells. The bill that was
passed has 50 far amounted 10 but little, and
in or opinion the art~sian well scheme for
irrigation, while It is good enough as far a.
II goes, will never secure water enough to
rugate all the land that is susceptible of
cultivation in this State. There are some
pieces OF land where wells can be sunk and
. sufficient flow Of water obtained 10 irrigate
q large number Of acres Of ground, butthere
are many more acres OF good land along the
courses Of the Nevada rivers that could and |
would be reclaimed if there was only wafer
enough in the streams.
The only true way TO start an irrigation
boom In this State is fer the State itself to
take hold OF the matter and save the vas
quantity Of water that is every year going I
10 waste in the Spring. This can only be
done by an appropriation OF sufficient
amount of money by the Legislature to
build dams and reservoirs in the canyons al I
the head waters Of our principal streams. II |
will cost such mint OF money, you say.
Admit that it will take 500, 900 or SIso, 600
TO build reservoirs and dams al the head OF
one stream, say the Carson. There are
thousands OF acres of land along this river |
that are now net under cultivation because |
there is no water. If water was to be had |,
on this land II would be taken up and cult |
waited, the population OF our State would in
crease, as would also the taxable property in
the State, the mills along the stream would
not have 10 lie Idle a third Of the time as
they do now, and if such methods were re-
sorted TO at the head OF all The principal
rivers the STATE would soon become prosper
Gus and thrifty. 1t would well be worth
the outlay Of few hundred thousand dol
lars. The reason we would advocate the
State taking the matter in hand is that If she
does not it will net be many years before
corporations will and we do not believe it
would be as advantageous for settlers 10
look to a corporation for rrigauon as it
would for them to be able 10 come here
knowing that they could obtain all the wafer
that was necessary to reclaim what land
they might wish TO take up, Tree Of charge,
Or at a very low rate Of taxation.
The people do not growl much about pay
ing out in the neighborheod Of $50, 900 ev
ery.tws years for a whole lot of worthless
legislation, the half of which is found TO be
Unconstitutional and the other half Of which
is repealed at some future session, but if
there is an appropriation talked Of for any
thing that will do some good and be a'bene
fit to the State they threw up their hands in
horror, and exclaim, "What would the dear
people say il we were to make a sIoo, 900
appropriation" Let them say what they
please. The scheme may be laughed at at
FIRST, and all kinds Of accusations be made
but let this matter be put in the hands Of
the right parties and when success becomes
apparent the tide of public sentiment will
change
Suppose that two weeks session Of the
Legislature Be held instead of two months
enc. and save $4,000 or $4s. 200 in this
manner. A few-years Of this saving would
allsw Of a good big appropriation for irriga-
ton. Would it not be we'll to begin this