Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-06-19
WASHINGTON LETTER.
4 icEeme 10 Pre- yens Mississippi Floods
and 10 iTrigate the Arid Lands
Of the West.
Peopls Wondering How The Two soEs Of
she Lac Portugese Minister Man
eGe TO Maintain 1hemEelrea,
Correspondence Of the Gazette.

Correspondence OF the Gazette.
WASHINGTON, JuEe 14.-Congress has
beer asked ier an appropriation Of $3.50,
coo TO pay for the preliminary wo.k q
demmlrg up the csnons Of the Rocky
mountains from the Dominion line into
Mexico, and thus forming vast reservoirs
OF wa'er to be used in the irrigation oil
arid lands, and preventing the disastrous
foods in The lower Mississippi The
arsa OF ard land in the United
States is about 1900 600 square
miles; and Msj1- Powell, director OF the
e oirg ical survey estimates that at least
l50, 600 square miles Of this might be re-
Claimed territory excee ding IN extent
| one-hslf CT ell the land cultivated in the
Uaited States. TIE plan Is to build dams
across eli ih5 canoGs IN the mountains,
lsrge enough sDd strong enough to hold
| back the foods from heavy rains aud
melting SHOWS and then to let tie water
down Is it may be needed upon tbs lands
that would be reclaimed.
The preliminary work for which the
money is asked Is TO psy for surveys 10
determine the sites and locations for the
dRns, reservoirs, canals and irrigation
areas; the total volume of water eusceD-
uble Of storage and the loss through
evaporation and seepGge in the reservoirs
and canals; the area OF land to be served
by unit Of water; the value Cf the re-
deemed land for the growth OF the crops
adapted 10 the climate ana soil; the eX-
pense Of constructing the dams and canals
and tAe expense of maintaining then
and Whist vested riehts, II any, exist. |
With ample appropriations, st least two
years will be required for this prelimin-
sry work. Nj n Powell, VINO hiss prob ,,
ably studied the RaCky Mountain and arid |
region more carefully than any one else,
declares that the scheme Ia perfectly |
feasible one, and that the cost, though |
very CREST, will be but small fraction of |
the vslue Of the land reclaimed. While |
the western portion Of the United States |
is not yet crowded when compared with |
Europe, or even with other parts OF our !
OWE country, it is 10 longer true that !
Uncle Sam Is 7 ch enough 10 give US ell q |
farm. Bus If $50 600 susre miles OF the |
sris lands Ct the Ualted Sts,es could be
reclaimed. the Limits Of cur agricultural
development would De enormously tx
sanded.
People in this city sle wondering how
the two sOns OF the lste Portuguese Minis
Ter, Visc1Gnt das NCguelras, who recently
lied in this city, manage to live. They
lsve no visible means OF support. The
smIly while the father was sIive wss al
ways in straighteLed circumstances, and
here are continually cropping out Few
accounts Of certain financial transcc-
ion in which tht daughter figured here
some years ago. a concert YVES given
lnder the suise Of "chsrity" which
letted quite nice little sum. Miss
Jogueiras, who has good voice and
ONE stage talent, assisted, and when the
oncert WAS over quietly poCketed
he funds, paying none OF
he expenses, and skipped
o Europe, whence che has just returned. Il
he boys (!wC) continue to live here ali
lie OF plea ure and elegant leisure. ThetI !
re seen st every party, they visit the
hestre auc attend the concerts, aud they
re, to Gil intents and purposes part and
arcel Of Washington dsndydom and !
udeism. How long Will they be able to i
eep this thirg ur? IS GsEed on every 6
ide. One OF the lsds has been paving
,arked attention 10 Mrs. PadeltOrd
Gee OTdway), who is al Isremely
retty woman, and she Accepts MS at
entions without 8 chsperone. They are
cen constantly at the theatre, and ct all
thsr pieces OF summer amusement, on
be rsee track, at the boat houses, in the
rand stand at tina baseball games, and
indeed where no;f The other deY the cid
r Of these two e1qaisites told the dasgh-
or Of prominent army ofleisl, 50 IN
suslly clever young woman, tEst he ]
lwsys slept in gloves, because It nIde
is hands SO soft. "Do you sleep ia yOEr
at too, for the same reason," srtIessly
lquired the JouEg id1msel. There was
o reply, and the diplomatic dude reSlly
that the young lady 1ss oat Of
er mind.