Arizona weekly enterprise., 1889-03-02
The Irrigation Bill.

WASHINGTON, February 24-Sena- tor Stewart made the following state ment to the Chronicle correspondent 1 to-day Numerous letters from Cali fornia and all parts of the country re- quiring irrigation are daily received | by myself, Governor Stanford and others, inquiring what is the exact status of the legislation already had and what is proposed to be done with regard to irrigation. If you will pub fish the following for the information
 of the people you will gratify them
 and relieve us of much labor in re-
 plying to their letters At the last
 session of Congress the following law
 was passed:
 | For the purpose of Investigating the
 extent to which the arid region of the
 United States can be redeemed by irri-
 gation, and the segregation of the ir-
 rigable lands in such arid region, and l for the selection of sites for reservoirs
 and other hydraulic work necessary for the storage and utilization of wa
 ter for irrigation and the prevention
 of flood and overfows, and to make
 the necessary maps, including the pay
 of employees in field and in office, the
 cost of all instruments, apparatus and
 ma aterials, and all other necessary ex-
 penses connected herewith, the work
 to be performed by the Geological
 Survey, under the direction of the
 Secretary of the Interior, the sum of
 $100, 900, or so much thereof as may
 be necessary, is appropriated, and the
 directors of the Geological Survey,
 under the supervision of the Secretary
 of the Interior, shall make a report to Congress on the first Monday in De.
 cember of each year, showing in de- , tail how the said money has been ex- pended, the amount used for actua' survey and engineer work in the fieit in locating sites for reservoirs and ar [ itemized account of the expenditure,
 under the appropriation.
 And all the lands which may here | after be designated or selected by such United States surveys for the sites fol ) reservoirs, ditches or canals for irri
 gation purposes, and all the land l made susceptible of irrigation by sucl , reservoirs, ditches or canals are iron i this time henceforth hereby reserved . from sale as the property of the United States. and shall not be subject afte l the passage of this act to entry, set
 tiement or occupation until furthe l provided by law, provided that th' l President may at any time in his dis : cretion, by proclamation, open an, s portion or all of tine lands reserved b, S this provision to settlement under tn = homestead laws.
 }. As'the bill passed the Senate tn l reservation only extended to reservoi s sites and rights of way for ditehes an Il canals, but the bill was amended il ?, the House so as to extend the resel n vation to all lands to be irrigated b l. the proposed hydraulic works. It wi n be observed that no title can now b a acquired to either reservoir sites, right D of way for ditches or canals, or tn d lands susceptible of irrigation thereb
 unless the President shall open sue e lands to homestead settlement. e was not intended by the Senate to It t serve anything but the reservoir site ,r and rights of way for ditches and G IS nals, and this reservation ought 1T have been made years ago. The rese le vation of other lands by the amend e. ment in the House is wrong, and pr,
 vents the acquisition of title until n- can be amended. For the purpose It proper legislation for system of irr is gation and disposition of irrigate r. lands select committee, consisting le Senators Stewart, Allison, Plumb, Hi of cock, German, Began and Jones li7 Arkansas, has been appointed to wis tos tho nritl regions and seff--=.. - ns.s;s or Der next the necessary legislation. \ m appropriation of $250,000 has bee 1T made at this session of Congress
 continue the explorations and surve, le provided for in the law above quote r. It is said that once upon tune of distinguished lawyer of Tucson T 1y ceived letter which had been write e. on typewriter. The lawyer replit in to the letter and at the close caution' si- his correspondent as follows: "It ne not necessary to print your letters.
 can read writing. g."-Nogales Herald.