The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-08-07
AS TO IRRIGATION.
What the Senatorial Committee Learned
on the Matter in Dakota

i What the Senatorial Committee Learned
on the Matter in Dakota
GLENDIvE, Mont, Aug. 6,-LSpecial to
the independent THE senatorial commit
tee on irrigation arrived from Dakota this
afternoon at 3 O'Clock. The party consists
OF Senators Stewart and Reagan, Col. r.
II. Hinton. secretary, Eugene Davis, dis
bursting clerk, r.. 5. Boswell, stenographer,
Major Powell, director of the geological
survey, Chss. j. Keppler. clerk to Senator
Stewart, Z. G. Warmer. stenogrspher for
Major Powell, and Z. V. Smalley, of the
Northwes MaRs zine.
The committee held sessions at Little
Falls, Huron, Redfeld and Aberdeen, Oak.
The senators were greatly interested in
the artesisn water belt. According
TO the evidence before them. il was
shown TO extend seventy five miles, the en-
tire James rlver valley being underlsid
with water. The evidence OF farmers and
business men tended 10 show that the rain
fall was insufficient for farming. AT
Huron the signal service showed the rain
fall to be % 0S inches per year. Last year
il was IL. 5S inches, and this year it prom
Ises TO be no more. President Maclouth, vf
the agricultural college, appeared before the
committee at Huron and said twenty-eight
inches were necessary for successful agri-
culture. The people seemed possessed of
the conviction that the artesian water
would furnish evaporation enough when
brought TO the surface and stored in The
river and lake beds. This is their theory
and not the committees. The committee
will recommend a thorough survey
of the two Dakotas and probably the
expenditure of money necessary to estab-
lish experimental wells, and to demsn-
strate the extent and depth of the water
bed, so as to show the cost 10 the people OF
the Dakotas of what they wish to- accom-
plish and achieve by combinations of their
own. They have no doubt that in both
the Dakotas the storage of water for dis
tributiou in dry years is absolutely neces-
sary. They were interested in the testi-
mony relating TO the advantages of the
Colaux regions as q place for water stor-
age, and also in relation to the extensive
shallow lake area Of the eastern part of
both Dakotss. In North Dakota the area
fed by the Turtle Mountain range will
probably be found useful and available for
storage purposes.
The committee heard testimony from
320 until O'Clock this afternoon. Samples |
of the cereals raised without and with irri- |
CATION were shown by ranchmen from
Lone Horse prairie and the different parts |
of the valley, which pleased the commit |
tee. At O'Clock carriages were in wait |
ing to drive the committee TO the west side |
of the Yellowstone, where they viewed the |
could be constructed extending from Ferry |
Point to Glendive, distance of thirty five |
miles. at very little cost
public reception was rendered the |
party at the Glendive club rooms this even |
ing. which was largely attended by the |
leading citizens of the town. Angus Brow u |
Senator Reagan in a few well |
chosen remarks. The Senator explained |
the object of the committee in visiting |
Montana and paid high compliment to |
the sheriff and energy displayed by all |
with whom he came in contact and ex-
pressed the wish that the Yellowstone val |
ley would surely be reclaimed by |
irrigating bitches frcm Livingston to the |
lowed by Senator Stewart. The senator
in his remarks fully explained the
duties of the committee, of which ne is /
chairman. and hoped to see the entire val /
ley irrigated on his return TO this beautiful /
paradise. He was followed by Major Pow
ell, who related the old time trips of his |
wonderful voyages up snd down the great |
rivers of the west. Z. V. SmAlley also /
made a few remarks, stating that he was
Of the opinion that the committees visit 10 /
Montana meant prosperity in the near
future for the eastern part of the territory. |
The committee leaves to morrow morning /
for Miles City, where they will remain for
two hours