Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-09-18

Montana. 10 600. 900
Idaho. Observation-Disclosures. 1900 0G0
East Washington. MISREPRESENTATION 900, 0OD
Oregon. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 900. 900
Utah. 2,000,0
Nevada ................ 500. 900
California Observation-Disclosures 5000, 900
Arizona 5000 900
New Mexico 5000, 600
Western Texas .............50 500, 600
At least 100000, 900 more can be reach
ed by the larger system of storage which
has loomed up SO greatly during this in
inquiry. 1t has been universally con-
coded by all the witnesses that land I'M
der irrigation produces from four to ten
times as much as ordinary farm land
does in the humid areas; also that the
application of water to the so-calle desert
arid land brings its value from nearly or
quite nothing per acre up to sums rang
ing from $25 to 800 for the same. It
has also been demonstrated that the lrri-
cation farmer finds more profit and COM
fort in twenty acres than the ordinary
agriculturist does in 200 acres. This Is
not my dictum, but the opinion of sew
eral hundred representative witnesses.
From all the facts so far presented the
committee seems to be clear in conclud-
ing, besides the judgments arrived at in
the matter Of water supply and reclaim
able areas. that there must by unity by
legislation of the water and land: that
there is room for such changes in the
land laws as will make the arenble home
stead settlements smaller in size and in
crease the community use and access to
pasture and timber; that there must be
change in the law relating to timber on
the public lands, as it Is essential that
our remaining forests be carefully and
rigidly protected.
There has been a systematic explana-
ton made to the people by the senators
at every session held that no intention
exists of now recommending the appro
priations for the construction of storage
and distributing irrigation works. It is
quite possible, however, that special
appropriation Will be asked for thor
ough explanation of the regions IN which
artesian and other subteranean waters
are now found, and possibly also for the
establishment of experimental wells and
other such appliances. 1shall deal with
this matter more directly when we have
passed over the staked plains here and
the valley of the Arkansas III Kansas.
W nat Uds D&Sn IUdue CIcdf ds 10 lsSls-
latiye and governmental action gensral-
" is this: That the United States has
definitely decided. finding its public
lands almost exhausted within the
humid are, TO take account of stock Of
its remaining land area; that IN doing SO
it begins by recognizing that new land
policy will be necessary, and so 1t IN
forms the people that until the nature Of
the policy is decided upon al who seek
credits upon this portion of the public
domain must do so at their own risk CT
having their selections reserved as part
of q storage site and irrigation district.
The real and important legislative
work will be 70 get liberal appropriations
for carrying forward rapidly the great
work of the triplicate survey authorized
by the last congress and known SIS The
Irrigation Survey The work is neces-
sariiy arranged IN thrse gres, divisions,
to-wit: The Topographic or land and
surface survey, having TO do with
sources and streams, climatic conditions
and the Astrological facts II any give.
districts, such as volume. variability,
how. velocity. ETC.: finally the engineer