The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1889-10-25

was certainly startling novelty in interstate
policy: hut it was only the beginning, and
the general government will doubtless have
to fix Il general rule There are enthusiasts
who say that all the waters of the Platte and
many other atiilients of thu upper Missouri,
will in Il few years be shut OFF and soaked uE
by the arid lands; that they will in const-
quence roll no more mud aud sand into the
Missouri, and so it will contribute no more To
the Mississippi, and hence that stream will
have uniform channel III the far south and
cease to do damage. For every acre re
claimed Oh the Platte Arkansas and Yellow
stone" snys one enthusiastic prophet Of irri-
CATION, "anothcr acre will be reclaimed in
Louisiana"
President Grant was earnestly besought tc
begin his administration with request OF
congress to enter on the preliminary work
for a comprehensive system Of irrigation;
but he unfortunately went little too far
and recommended plan which ELECTED
feeble smile from far western men. There
was enough good land still III the rainy
regions, and 50 the matter rested near nine
teen years, when the congressman of the far
west combined md xecurel an appropriation
late In September, 1855 100000 to pay for
surveying and locating storage reservoirs at
the head waters of stream. west Of the Tooth
meridian" for the purposes of irrigation. 1t
was tri1e, but it committed the government
to the policy, and Maj. Powell, director Of
the geological survey, soon entered on the
work
He now estimates the arid area at 400, 600
square miles, or four-tenths of the United
p States, excluding Alaska. OF this area he
regards one-fifth MS too rocky and rugged for
cultivation, but nenrly all other observers
make the rugged area much larger, including
in 1t. of course, those mountain top plateaus
which are too elevated to produce grain. His
estimate of 100000 square miles of land
needing only water to make it productive"
is nearer the fact, but probably still too
large In 1850 less than per cent. Of this
vast area had been redeemed, and with the
most expensive and elaborate works not more
than 20 per cent. can ever be redeemed by
any process now known to man, says Direc.
tor Powell Nevertheless, il but Is per cent.
be redeemed, or $50, 900 square miles, this in
creases the cultivated lands of the United
States by nearly ore-hnlf, and at $50 per
acre adds $3.50, 100000 to the national
wealth.
Meanwhile the committee presided over by
Senator Stewart, of Nevada, has completed
two months tour, travelling some l4,o0d
miles, examining witnesses and viewing the
sites for proposed canals and storage reser
yoirs, and 2, 500 square miles of alleged irriga.
bic land have been carefully surveyed by the
engineers and the line of proposed canals plot
ted So the work has become truly national at
last and must continue for many years to be-
come matter of increasing governmental con.
cern, and Of course fruitful source Of pollti-
cal agitation, charges and counter charges,
North Platte, Neb, ID set down by the COM
mittee as the most eastern point Mt which any
irrigation enterprise is now under way. Cali
fornia Colorado and Utah are the fields
In which most has been done, and the two
former present tho greatest schemes Of engi-
neering.. Among these is the plan for grand
canal to follow out the so called tdivide, and
maintain good level far down into Kansas
In California about 100000 acres are
under irrigation, and the highest estimate Of
land capable of being thus watered does not
exceed 100000 acres. The average price
of the reclaimed land is put at $40 per acre,
while in its former state, used only for pas
ture, it was worth but 81. There is always
something startling about California figures,
and when you read that the late Charles
Croker and his partner expended 81 SOC, 900
on one series OF dams, bitches and storage
reservoirs, it is to be regarded as only
commonplace ''private enterpri-e' for that
state But there, as elsewhere, the COM
munity will find way to compel united
action and the ownership OF all irrigation
works by the state,