Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-02-25
ARID LANDS.
Information Regarding the Government
Irrigation Scheme.

AHiofindtioH hoSaruinS the government
Irrigation Scheme.
WASHINGTON, February 24th.-Numerous
letters from California and all parts of the
country requiring irrigation are daily re-
ceived by Senators Stewart, Stanford and
Others, inquiring as to the exact status of
legislation already had and what is pro-
posed to be done with regard to irrigation
Stewart, in conversation with your cor
respondent to-day, said: "If you will pub
lish the following for the information of
the people, you will crafty them and re-
heve US of much labor in replying to their
letters. At the last session of Congress a
law was passed for the purpose of investi-
eating the extent to which the arid region
of the United States can be redeemed by
the irrigation and segregation of irrigable
lands in such arid regions, and for
the selection of sites for reservoirs
and other hydraulic works neces-
sary for the storage and utilization
of water for irrigation and the prevention
of floods and oyerfiows and to make the
necessary maps, including the pay of en-
pioyes in the field and in the office, the
cost OF all instruments, apparatus and ma
terIa!s and all other necessary expenses
connected Herewith, the work to be per-
formed by the Geological SURVEY, under
the direction of the Secretary of the In
terror. The sum of 100000. or so much
thereof as may be necessary, and all lands
which may hereafter be designated or Sc
lected by such surveys for sites for reser-
voirs, bitches or canals for irrigation pur-
poses, and all lands made susceptible of
irrigation by such reservoirs, bitches or
canals are from this time henceforth hereby
reserved from sale rs property of the
United States, and shall not be subject.
after the passage of this Act, to entry, set
tement or occupation until further pro-
vided by law; provided, that the President
may at any time, in his discretion by proc
lamation, open any portion or all of the
lands reserved by this revision to settle
ment under the homestead laws
AS the bill passed the Senate, the reser-
va.ion only extended to reservoir sites and
rights of way for bitches and canals, but
the bill was amended in the House so as to
ext,nl the reservation to all lands to be
irrigated by the proposed hydraulic works
1t will be observed that no title can now be
acquired to either reservoir sites, rights of
way for ditcbes or canals, or lands sus-
ceptible of irrigation thereby, unless the
President shall open such lands to home
stead settlement. 1t was not intended by
the Senate to reserve anything but reser-
voir sites and rights OF way for bitches
and canals, and this reservation ought
to have been made years ago. The
reservation Of other lands, by amend
ments in the House, is wrong
and prevents the acquisition of title until
it can be amended. For the purpose of
proper legislation for system of irrigation
and the disposition of irrigated lands,
select committee. consisting of Senators
Stewart, Allison, Plumb, Hiscock, German,
Reagan and Jones of Arkansas, has been
appointed to visit the arid region and re-
port in December next, the necessary legis-
lation. An appropriation Of $3.50. 600 has
been made at this session of Congress to
continue the exploration and surveys pro-
vided for in the law above quoted"