Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-04-18

The question o' irriHnjN2 tine s,-calIGC
arid lands in western kau-as, western
Nebraska, Colorado New Mrxico, Ar4o.
na Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and Calilor
MIA is attracting great deal OF attention
among scientists and statesmen. The
principal newspapers of the country are
taking the question MP and are discussing
1t, Among others "p copy from the
Chicago Inter Ocean upon Ibis to New
Mexico all important sabiert
The rush toward Oklahoma is new proof
OF the growing scarcity OF rich lands open
to the homestpad-making people OF the
republic. Within the last twenty-five
years areas large enough for empires have
, been prC-empted or taken under the tim
Der claim or homestead laws Excepting
in Oklahoma and the Indian territory,
and the Indian reservations in Dakota
and other portions OF the northwest, the
best forest and prairie lands have passed
from the control OF the national govern
ment and have become private property
What is TO be the lot of the euigrant from
Europe or the eastern states who seeks
the broad west when the comparatively
lew remaining acres of wild woodland or
prairie have been settled? 1t il our
cheap land that has made Us What we
are.
Fortunately we have great and untricd
resources OF agriculture awaiting develop
ment. The so-called arid region of the
United States covers 200 900 square
miles, and is estimated bya recent author
to be equal to tie combined areas Of Great
Britain and Ireland, Belgium, Denmark,
Norway and Sweden, France, Germany.
Italy, Holland and AuStrO-flungary The
rainfall OF this region is inadequate to the
successful pursuit of agriculture; but other
regions equally arid have been brought
into cultivation by irrigation. British
India, as is remarked by writer in the
current number of the Forum, from whom
most of the statistics here made use of are
derived, has an area less by one-third
than that OF the arid region of the United
States, and it supports a population Of
100000, 900 OF the most oppressively taxed /
people in the world, and mainly by irriga- !
ton. Were the Hindoos capable Of sell .
government, or were they not paving
taxes to Ilquldate the blunders and extray- /
agance OF alien rulers past and present,
they would be among the most prosper
Gus people Of the world.
The granaries OF the world long were in /
districts where the rainfall was insufficient
for fertilization Of the soil Egypt, Persia.
India, and Ceylon in ancient times raised
vast SURPRISES Of food on soils artifciallv
watered. When England possessed her /
self OF the ludian province of Madras she !
found $4,000 reservoirs, $4,000 miles of
aqueduCts, and 800 900 separate masonry
works, consisting Of sluiCes and waste
welrs. - In our own country the land nov
cultivated by irrigation is estimated at s.
1000 acres, varying in value from $40 |
to 500 per acre and yielding q net income
8quel to the interest on q much larger sum |
than It's valuation" Lieut.. Srhwatka yes
terday told the readers OF The Inter Ocean
of his visit to little farm Of twenty-five
acres, reclaimed by irrigation from the
waste OF sage brush, and now valued at
$50 900. And this not because of its prox-
unity to any city or because Of any other
extrlnslc advantages, but simply because
Its produce pays a handsome profit on Il
capital OF $50 900. 1t is doubtful ifthe like
can be said OF any twenty-five acres re-
claimed from woodland or prairie.
Congress during its last two sessions
has appropriated $3.50, 900 for the COM
menCenent OF survey Of reservoirs.
bitches and canals for the irrigation of
arid lands, and a special committee OF the
senate is to report in December next as
to what legislation is neediu for their re-
clamation. 1t is certain that the extent
OF what once was called the Nesert region"