, 1889-10-17
FOR MILLIONS.
Engineer Hinton Thinks That
Number Can Be Reclaimed by
Systematic Irrigation.
A Summing UP of the Work Ac-
complished by the Senate
Committee.
Twelve Million Acres in Eastern
Washington Can Be Reclaimed
by Skillful Engineering.

Colonel r. J. Hinton, engineer to the
senate committee on irrigation, con-
tributes TO the Chicago Inter Ocean an
interesting summary of the committees
work and forecast on probable legisla-
ton on this all important subject. We
give such portions Of the article as will
have peculiar interest here.
The field session of the senate commit
tee on irrigation and the arid area closed
at North Platte, Neb., on the Dist ult.
The work of the irrigation survey proper
for the present year is also near its ter.
mination. Prof. Thompson, chief OF
that division of the survey, was in Colo
RADIO few days before the committee
adjourned, engaged in closing up the
work ofhis field parties. Captain SUIT
ton, the chief engineer, is at this writing
investigating the plans proposed by Col
onel Lyman Bridges, engineer In charge
of the district which includes Nevada
and Eastern California, for the purpose
tain lakes on the slopes of the Sierra, in
order 10 secure the reclamation of some
2,50o,0OO Of acres in Western Nevada.
During the present years work in the
irrigation survey about 2500 square miles
have been surveyed by the typographical
division alone. Tie waters of the
great river system of tho Northwest,
also that of the Platte, Rio Grande,
Green, Wind and other streams within
mountain regions have been gauged and
otherwise noted by the neurological en-.
ginecrs. No work has been done in Ari-
zona, Southern Nevada, Western Colo
RADIO, or In the eastern parts of Oregon
and Washington. Engineer Wilson of
Montana has confined his observations
and work largely to the valley of the
Yellowstone, that of the Upper Missouri
I and the Judith basin. Engineer Foote
in Idaho has had all he could do in his
reconnaissance in the great Snake valley
regions and the table-lands connected
Herewith. The work of Engineers Net
tleton in the Rocky mountains and
Hamilton Hall in the California division
has been one almost wholly of super
vision. On the east side of the conti-
mental ranges, the abundant waters that
supply and make up the Missouri and
Mississippi all take up their rise and
flow through Montana. There is enough
water In them to easily reclaim 40, 600, :
600 acres OF fertile land, now entirely
idle. The stream beds flow from $50 to
500 feet below the surface of the great
table lands. There are large, valley
| nj ala hat x.tI
prove as good farming land us that of
the plains above. Good engineering,
however, will be required to SO impound
the waters Of these streams as to enable
them to be turned from their beds for
the irrigation of the table lands.
In Montana at the present moment
only about G5O,OO0 acres are under cult
walton by irrigation. Bozeman is the
center OF the largest irrigated grain sec
, tion. Missoula, In the extreme north.
west portion of the state, promises TO be
the best orchard and small grain region.
Irrigation, however, only exists i'll Mon
tana in Its crudest form, and the farmers
who use 1t have not got over their old
school prejudice against the same.
In East Washington the Columbia
river valley and It's tributaries offer
with skillful engineering, an abundance
OF water for the reclaiming of at least
I12,O000 900 acres. A portion of this be.
, longs like that of the Dakotas, to what
the engineers term the subhumid area
that Is, the region in which the rainfall
is much larger than in the arid section
but is not quite enough for the security
of agriculture. Turning to Southwest
Arizona, Mexico and the Rio GrandC
section of Texas. and the conditions o
Southern California are reprod uced, as
to fertility of soil and warmth of eli
mate. At Yuma, on the Colorado
| river, where the rainfall is but three
inches per year the committee held one
of It's best sessions Arriving at sunrise
| testimony was taken before breakfast ii
the open air and sun amid the luxurinnl
evidences Of the rich plant life of the
very small, but its results arc
most prolific. All fruits of the semi
tropical region, with cotton, sugar rice
etc., were shown to the commit ttee
, Canal projects are under way which will
{ irrigute some 300,0 acres. This section
: is regarded as the widest and weirdes
: portion of our national domain, yet Il
, promises to become one of the most fer
$ tile and attractive. Another session wa.
where some $500 acres are under water
about 25,0O0 being cultivated. The pric,
! OF land In that valley ranges from S25 Il
, $3.50 per acre. Water rights are sold b,
the Arizona Canal Company AT $125t
, each. The cost of the canal system ha,
been $500, ,OO0 and the water right covers
eighty acres. The company have nettet
. from that source alone about 500, 600
their actual income from the rent of tn,
water is above 1926, 900, making a ne
profit annually of at least IA per cent. II
, the present position of the water cor
poration and land owners, what Il
. termed q permanent water right, Is afte
4 all but loyalty on the privilege of pay
t ing an actual rental of water on thei
@ land This question of water control |
t one that disturbs all irrigators ron
D to California. Agitation in the latte
Q state has been carried so far that larg
: body OF farmers demand that the stat
i shall purchase and own the main irriga
: ton bitches and Herewith convey waite
$ for farming purposes.
n The net passed last October, by whicl
i irrigation reservoirs and districts are l.
n be withdrawn from settlement, hu
s caused great antagonism among tn
areas Of our public lands. The cattl
ranch regions visited by the senate com
mittee illustrated this propensity. Mon
tana, Wyoming and Arizona are espt
s cially aroused over the,idea that sectio
# of land was no longer at the disposal c
= any one who could swear fast enough
,f make the general land office believe tina
s . well or ditch will irrigate 6iO acres {
J. land.
d In nclosing let me say briefly that
r have no doubt the senate committee wi
n report that in all elements of fertilit
d and as regards the future of agrlcultul
70 the region from the ninety.eighth mer
Is dian west to the Pacific ocean, if watt
). can be obtained, will be the very be.
), part Of the United States. II Is mo.
% probable also that they will report ths
% water can be obtained in sutiicicncy onl
y by an extensive system of storage an
IS distribution, made extensive enough I
'e reclaim land to make IN the near futuI