Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-24
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The Ahb Eobts.
S.,e.sss .sa ,krea.sz-. B. e.r
System ofIrrfgafson-
The editor Of The Garden City Sentinel
in q recent art Gle on irrigation in South
west Kansas reaches the following con-
illusions:
rest lack in e6ecting . solution OF the
question of a water supply is 60 be found
IN the cndeIdow or --sheet wateEo As
We have shown before. this il In the Ar
kansas valley. from 20 to 800 feet and
more in depth, from 10 to 50 miles and
more IN width. IL an average Of but three
feet below the surface in tire immediate
river bottoms It il a vast b sdy Of water
flowing slowly eastward. being apparent
1y sufficient in quantity to irrigate all the
irrigabie land for distance OF many
miles on each side of the river. Owing TO
the rapid fall Of the entire valley to the
eastward, and the nearness of the water
to the surface IN the valley, il is an easy
matter TO penetrate this underdow and
run the water out upon the surface Of the
ground -,l.-s ~ t...s.s s.s..s.=.f
The cost of obtaining water by this
means to thoroughly irrigafe large scope
| OF country would seem, from data thus
obtained, % be 50 light as to be exceed
ingIy profitable.
ceded by the best authorities. that the
average yield of irrigated lands is at least
four Tins as great counting one year
with another. as the yield from lands de-
pendent on natural rainfall The GER
tainfy and abundance of crops by irTiga-
tion tend to confine the labors of farmers
! to smaller tracts Of land. thus insuring a
dense agricultural population which. in
| turn. gives emp orment to a dense manu-
featuring population. and the attendant
proportion Of the professional classes,
carriers, etc
Why Governmental management Is
! necessary and will be effective in solving
this problem. We will briefiy show:
In the testimony given by the editor Of
! the Sentinel before the Sen atorial Com
( rnittee On Irrigation to plan for irri-
/ eating the plains this was suggested:
That large main canal should be pro-
vided on the highest ground on each side
of the Arkansas river. reaching from the
mountains. or nearly SO, in Colorado. past
| the one bundredth meridian in Kansas;
these TO be kept upon the highest land and
10 be connec ed with available storage
reservoirs, thus making two grand chains
Of storage canals and iakeieJs. reaching
| clear across the arid region Then open
| supply pools from the underflow and lead
| the " alter to these storage systems, where
! it could be made available for all parts Of
the land needing Irrigation A supply
| once stored, no part of the great pla ma
need ever be without its ample supply of
water right at hand While storm waters.
| surplus from the mountains and the flow
/ of artesian wells would all lend their aid
il must be apparent on the most casual
| observation. that the steady gush of the
| inexbaustible waters of the underhox,
| day and night the year round would b,
| of vastly greater Significance. We only
4
| amount Of water power such q system
| would develop-sufficient to cover the
| land with factories, and heat and light the
homes of the people by electricity. With
| such sy sts M of water supply once de-
| ve.oped this valley OK the American Nile
| will support in comfort 81 600, coo Of people.
| 1t is the duty OF the Government to take
| hold OF this matter at once for host OF
| reasons. Private capital would develop
|! the whole in time, but pieceneal, and in a
1 desultory and unsys.emetic way. S9me
| favored localities would De crossed and
| re-crossed by a superb bundaoc &c of bitches,
crowding and interfering with each other,
| while other portions would be neglected
| wholly or for long years The ost to the
| people in deisy and overcharg-s would be
| more than the entire cost OF the system
/ The Interstate feature can be handled
| only by the National Government
Not only would National assistance in
sure the. speedy and systematic develop
ment of the whole, but il would justify a
/ proper regulation Of the cost OF water to
! the consumers
| 1t would not be necessary that the en-
tire development should take place in a
year or TWO, even if such thing were
| possible; but, so much would be assured
| from the first, that any part whenever
| construc ed. would be in harmony with the
| final whole, and the waste of time. energy
and money be reduced tn the minimum.
II we need irrigation and this or any
other plan will secure it, il is high time
that the people were awaking and be-
stirring themselves We only speak the,
words of truth mildly when we say that
all Southwest Kansas and Southeast Col
orado will need irrigation very much next
season and each season thereafter.
These lands have paid the Government
millions OF dollars The East has received
literally from tbs pafernal store and we
are bat demanding what is just when we
say: Devote to our needs the little that
will be necessary to make our region
habitable-especially when it wilt add to
the wealth of the Nation q hundred fold"
Millions Of private capital are ready TO
| take up the work and carry it on to
most glorious success whenever the Gov
eminent shall open the way, and now is a
far better time than any number of years
hence.
Important Usury Verdict.
ToPEKA Kan, Oct 18.-The last Kansas