The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1889-09-05
np,a.-,ox NJ r.rsAa.

AAANaDa AS@N - @A%S~eN
In an exhaustive article relative
20 the wonderful results from sys-
tematic irrigation In various coun-
tries, the 6an Francisco Chronicle
has the following statement Of the
condition Of irrigation in this state:
That irrigation II praetieed rs far
east as Kansas upon large aud sys-
female scale is perhaps not Eener-
ally known. The absence Of suffi-
Client rainfsll led In lSs0 10 .he dis
eussion Of the feasibility OF lrrigs-
| ton In southwestern Kansas and In
that year q small canal was dug In
Finney county. IL was % success
full that others were at once pro-
ieeted and now there are i've large
canals in operation, none OF which
were finished before 1885. These
canals have on aggregate length OF
main line Of 336 miles and conduct
water from the ArkansAs river, by
which some 10000 acres OF lard
have been made productive where
before the scantiest OF crops were
raised. Other canals are also now
under construction, which will
make farming a certainty upon q
still larger area. Irrigation has Sc
cured a strong foothOld In Kansas
and IL gradually but surely coming
into favor still further east, wher-
ever the rainfall IL precartOus and
and there are availal lie streams.
The Kansas City Times adds the
following:
Kansas has indeed, made won
derful strides In artificial irrigation
Of arid lands, and in localities I'm
which the rainfall, although fair,
was not quite sufficient TO meet the
needs OF the crops raised. The
Times Of the 4th ultinIO contained
an interesting article covering irri-
CATION In Kansas. IL was shown
that the artesIan we'll system does
not find much favor among the Kan
sans Of the southwestern part Of the
state; that they rather prefer the
more extensive reservoir system,
which in the long rum however,
proves cheaper 10 the water con-
sumner. The irrigatlng operations
Of Kansas are reaching astonishing
magnitude, and the good work IL
lust we'll on its feet. The big Eure-
ka canal, 100 miles long, recently
passed into the hands Of an English
syndicate who will forthwith extend
the system. Besides this, two COM
pAnies with n combined capital Of
nearly 81, 900, 600 will begin work Mt
once on irrigating plants ON both
sides Of the Arkansas river.
From the New York Times we
clip the following very interesting
information:
But the strangest fact In cOnnec-
ton with the Arkansas Is thls-but
a small part of the water coming
down the river runs above ground.
The sandy bed Of the stream II but
an exposed strip Of q wide and deep
bed OF sand and gravel underlying
the country. reaching out for many
miles on each side. Through this
vast filter there slowly PereOlates q
a grand body of water compared
with which the Arkansas river above
ground II but rivulet In size. IL IL,
OF course impossible to give the ex-
act proportion Of this vast, sluggish
underground stream, but enough II
known to warrant the assertion that
here lies the solution Of the irrlga-
ton problem Of the plains.
Practically, the same facts apply
TO the Platte river as to the ATkau-
sas II | am rightly informed, and /
have little doubt that the same con-
ditions exist to q considerable eX-
tent on other streams. II is not
probable that the underground cur
rent of water II Of d uniform volume,
as IL the case with the river. II II
probable that the variations Of bed
rock and surroundings are such that
IL IL more In the form Of great |
bowls or basins with narrower or
shallower connections. Now, to
utilize this great known water sup
ply no costly, tedious, and hope |
destroying delays are necessary for
the purpose Of making preliminary |
surveys. Every one OF the thou |
sands Of wells put down by the rail- |
roads, by towns and by individuals |
throughout the southwest, IL q field |
note Of n wide and thorough survey
already made. The river valley IL
one practical and plainly indicated
"catehment basin.h Even when the |
river bed is dry the water beneath
always lies within a few inches Of |
the surface OF the sand, and IL,
therefore, never more than five feet |
below the average level Of the best |
bottom lands. Our irrigating canals,
rs ut present constructed are cut |
down to a depth OF four feet and
opened into the river. Suppose they |
were not opened into the river at all, |
but simply extended up the valley |
gradually deepening rs they went. |
They would soon tap the under
ground stream, and without the
expense of dams or head |
gates have a constant supply Of
water.