, 1889-12-12
MAJOR P0WELL'SPLAN
Best Method OF Reolaiming
Arid Lands.
COMPREHENSIVE IRRIGATION.
An Interesting Paper Read Before
the New York Chamber of
Commerce.

NEW YoRK, Dec. 5.--Major Powell,
chief of the federal commission to report
upon the best method Of tho irrigation o T
the arid lands of the country, read Al pa
per upon the subject before the chamber
OF commerce this afternoon.
He began with the statement that
about half tho lands Of the United
states, exclusive Of Alaska, are arid
These lands, 20 far as they can be
brought under cultivation by irrigation,
are the best lands in the country, be
cause the crops are certain, not being
subject to tn" chances OF extreme wet
and extreme dry seasons, as is the case
of lands dependent upon rains. OF tho
l, 200, 0000 acres of arid lands in the
United States, about 5000, 900 are now
under cultivation by irrigation, and
about 100, 00O, 900 altogether can be rem
dered arabic by that method.
Major Powell estimates that the con-
struotion of reservoirs, canals and other
work necessary will cost at the rate of
$40 per acre. Assuming that 000c0, 600
acres are TO be redeemed In this way, the
cost will aggregate VI, 1,00o00o,00O.
"For the purpose carrying out of the
work a change in the land laws" he
says, sis necessary. Where irrigation
is necessary, land is cultivated by priv
ate enterprise, each farmer being able to
raise his crop in entire independence of
his nciyhbors. In the arid countries,
cooperation for the distribution of water
from its source Is essential. In humid
countries the tendency is toward small
holdings, willie in arid countries IL is to-
hnl1tnUg nd
small steains run through the arid belt,
but the amount of water obtainable Is
not large enough to irrigutc all Of the
arid lands which they traverse, and the
question arises, What portions OF them
are entitled to the use Of the water2"
Mayor Powell holds that 1t should be
used at the point where the most good
would be done. This point" he says,
lis where the stream turns from rushing,
crystal mountain torrent to a lowland
stream. Ii taken above that point IL
would be where the chilly atmosphere
of the high altitude would make II less
useful In the production OF crops. If
taken below that point, the water would
be too much evaporated and wasted ON
the way. Thus, taking the Arkansas
river as an example, water enough to
irrigato million acres in Colorado
would be reduced to only enough to irri-
gate one or two hundred thousand across
the line In Kansas. The same rule ap-
plies To the waters ofthc upper Missouri,
Colorado, Rio Grandc, Del Norte and
Columbia rivers. j would estimate the
aggregate value of the waters of all these
rivers at 6,0O0, 10000. The forests at
the head waters of these rivers serve as
catch basins, and must be preserved.
Provision also must be made for con.
trolling and protecting the large body of
pasture lands not suitable for cultlva-
ton. In addition to these there are vast
tracts of mineral lands which should be
held by the government until the min
erals have been disCoyeIed, when they
should be parcellcd out in quantities
only large enough for economical work
ing. When the storage reservoirs and
irrigating canals are completed, vast
water powers will have been created,
suitable for manufacturing purposes.
This Will exist at points on the canals
higher up than those ut which the waters
are to be taken for irrigation"
Major Powell continues: "The gov
eminent should not TIC allowed to fur.
nish any money for the completion of
this great system of work. For the
preservation of tile forests and the par
ceiling out of the water, great many
thousands Of men would he necessary,
and to put the matter in the hands OF
the government would be to build up a
bureaucracy and an army of otiicialism
The only thing the government should
do is tlds, furnish WISE laws to control
the operations. For, this work in hand,
the people would naturally combine by
photographic basins, that is, in the terri
tory covered 10y a single stream and its
tributaries with q single watershed.
The courts should be established to
adjudicate upon all questions arising
from this condition OF affairs, although
the government itself should apportion
the water among the different states in
such districts"
for tarrving ont stbsse gr,.at ,c .ihcmnSSs 'hS
might he raised by the issuance of com.
munity bonds or other similar methods