The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-09-14

lands.
Water rights for irrigation in this county
are recognized by date of appropriation ana
use, not by date Of records.
But little, if anything, can be done IN
this county towards storing water to irri-
gate land not already covered by the canals
and bitches now constructed, as all that
could be stored would hardly be sufficient,
such a season as the present one, to lrrl-
gate more than about one-half the land
having water rights, and in the most favor
able seasons not water much If any more
than said Land; the matter of storage seems
all important But most of the land own
ers are hardly able to bear
THE EXPENSE OF COSTLY RESERVOIRS.
Does the government contemplate
assisting such! Would it be any
thing more than simple justice IN
such an act! The farmer or rancher
has to pay Just as much for his land in the
arid region, as those in more favored
localities, as regards moisture or the dews
of heaven, and then go to an expense Of
from three to ten dollars per acre to irri
gate it, and often is unable to do it properly
at that, Certainly a little equalization
would be in order towards encouraging the
tiller of the soil, in region denied to quite
a degree one of natures main blessings.
The pioneer work of settling the said
region, has supplied an important link in
the great national chain, link in the alb
sence o which it would have been broad
expanse of dreary waste.
Therefore the sturdy manhood that led
or took part in the useful work deserves
more recognition and encouragement at the
hands of our national government than has
as yet been bestowed, not perhaps, be
cause of any desire OF the officers of the
government to be unappreciative of the
v,F,4 al4f II
ADVANCING THE INTERESTS
of our common country, but because of not
fully understanding what has been done
and the circumstances under which it has
been accomplished. The characteristic
fairness of the American people would,
think, prompt all learning by experience
what it is to settle an arid region and cause
it to become fruitful the late Commits
sioner Sparks of the general land office
event, to cAeerfully support the govern
ment in dealing generously with the agri-
culturist in the dry belt. But in view of
past experience in this respect, quite a
number of intelligent citizens of an adioin-
ing territory fear that the present move OF
government is quite as likely as otherwise
to operate prejudicial to the interests of the
present settlers, either by way of making
it more difficult Tor them 10 construct res
ervoirs on the public domain, or of acquir-
ing sites for reservoirs, or by government
building reservoirs and selling stored water
from land now needing it.
To prove chat government designs to
foster the interests of the unfortunate
husbandman, struggling with drouth and
low prices of farm products and beef,
would suggest the sinking of a few expert
mental artesian wells in Bear River valley
and in Bear Lake valley and building
storage reservoir in each of said valleys
where such is most needed, or likely to do
the most good, and let the settlers have the
benefits resulting therefrom free of cost.
The narrows on Bear river near the Utah
and Wyoming line, is an excellent place to
try the reservoir experiment, provided, OF
course, Messrs. Boutwell, ~ Co. do not OBJ
iect and prevent government taking such
step on the public domain.
AS regards Bear lake, | would suggest
that government make IT reservoir site,
much as [ suppose has been done with Utah
lake. under such rules and restrictions as
will properly
GUARD THE INTERESTS OF ALL CONCERNED
If any surplus water of Bear River, or
of any other stream, comes where it can
be stolel in Bear lake and uti-
liked to nobody's harm, in
stead of going to waste, all right.
But no individual or company, certainly,
should be allowed to strip, as it were. a por-
ton of the little remaining moisture or sap
in the Bear lake or Bear river regions, and
try to take it to some distant point already
literally supplied, in comparison with
either of said regions, with its natural share
of water.
The citizens of this region cannot but
view with apprehension anything likely to
lead to drawing the little remaining moist
ure out of or from their land, and to start
it to some far away place, much TO be
wasted in evaporation, etc.
Bear lake can well be kept up to high
water mark NO IT of the year but it should
never be drained below low-water mark, as
the land along or near its shores not only
would be dried out thereby, but the drying
up of the wide belt of sand and mud around
the present outer edge of the lake, that
would then be left bare to hot August
sun, would be likely to produce malar-al
fevers and possibly other diseases.
The newspapers make Mr.. Boutwell, say,
if mistake not, that he has filed on
BEAR LAKE AND BEAR RIVER,
according to United States law and the
| territorial statutes of Utah and Idaho.
However thut may be, both bench and bar
of this territory sustaining long
established custom, have long construed
the law, as recognizing rights to water for
I
and actual use only. There would seem to
be difference between appropriating and
using water for years, and making canals
and bitches Of an expensive nature, to use
more when Providence favOrs with an ad
ditional supply, and filing an intention or
notice of storing and taking out and selling
water at some future time. Messrs. Both
well & Co. s recorded filing may hold good
as against any other party or parties trying
to do the same thing they contemplate do
ing, but they can hardly be expected to be
allowed to strip the springs and streams of
! this region, to take, as it were the life blood
out of our soil to enrich themselves. Posi-
bly, they contemplate nothing of the kind
but if not, they would perhaps do well to
instruct their engineers to be a little more
cautious about making iniudicious remarks
while measuring streams long appropriated
and used. AS before indicated, let them
UTILIZE ALL THE SURPLUS WATER
they can without injury to anyone, but no
ShyloCk stripping of streams nor spO lin :
of Bear lake, nor arbitrarily putting settlers
to the trouble and expense of contending
against their boosted millions of money.
In conclusion / would say, that if the
government were to eXpend a small por-
ton of the surplus in the overf1owing ma
| tiOnal treasury towards sinking expert
mental artesian wells and building reser-
voirs in the ar region, for the encourage
ment of the struggling settlers, and assist
in every legitimate way said settlers 20
words constructing reservoirs, the inter
ests of the government and the welfere of
its citizens would be advanced thereby.
Respectfully submitted
w. p. NEBEKER,
Special Irrigation Commissioner, Rich