Arizona silver belt., 1889-08-24

progress of these agricultural comlnu
 mites has been Tn marked contrast
 with the cratic course of mining towns which, as rule, have expe' rienced alternate periods of excite ment and depression. These fact: have impressed themselves upon the reflective mind, and many, doubtless have induiged the dream of the ulti. mate suijugation of the arid region to the purposes of agriculture, and have pictured tc themselves the wondrous beauty of tue Great West when prai, rie, mesa and valley have been clothed in amaranthinc gaYb.
 roo FORMIDABLE TOR PRIVATE UNDER.
 TAKING.
 Tue project of rec.aiming expanses of this vast Wea was viewed, however, even by those who entertained such a hope, Us probematieal and unlikely oi achievement. It was recognized that l private enterprise must soon encoun. ! ter difficulties with which it would be unable successfully to cope. and that tue acreage reclaimed would be in. l tinitc}mRi compared with the immense area which must ever remain sterile, unless some occult power came to the assistance of the husbandman.
 Naturally Government aid sugges. ted itself, and this idea has been crystalNug for years, but not until the first session oF the Filtieth Congress was 1t gwen direction Tn the form of an amendment to the sundry civil ap- preparation blll authorizing
 A rRELlHtyAET EVAPORATION
 by the Geological Survey, with the view of locating and reserying from Immediate sale tbe most advantageous sIes fer reservoirs and canals fer tho impouuding of the surplus water. and irrigation of the arabla lands west ci the tooth meridian, where the rainfall is insufficient, or so uueyenly dis. tributed, as to not allow of the natural cultivation of the soil.
 True, the Geological Sarrey had already performed a part Of ihi, work, bu; is explorations had been of q gen oral character, and over 2 limited area, without special reference to tbe rerla. nation of tbesc greet bodies of desert land. In 1573 a commission was or gauIzed by act of Congress, to examine the great valleys ot California with reference to the construction Of , sys- fem oi reservoirs, but nt thst time, probably, had the opinioa been a5. i yaaced that any considerable portion of the immense stretch of desert land extending from the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains east to tic midGiSof Kansas and Nebraska might eventually be subiugated and made susceptible of bigh cultivation, it would have been viewed as visionary ia inc extreme, and unworthy oi serious consideration. Thc report ci the California commission was puO lishcd in 1874, and the conclusions reached were Favorable both 10 the interference of the National and State governments, and tleir control over tie distribution Of the water.
 But 10 revert to the recent Senate amendment. IL was amended m tbo House 50 as 10 exempt irom entry and occupation inc public lands adjacent to these catcblGent basins, and ayall. able for irrigation, and also 10 pre- serve lie watersheds of the Rocky mountains and parallel ranges. which play 50 important a part in the dis tribuIion Jf inc water supply.
 CONGRESSMAN sYMEs BLUSpEa.
 Hrre 'hc friends of the measure oyershot he mark, by adopting that part Of the amendment (fo:mtslated by Mr. Symes, Of Colorado, segregating and resarying from entry or occupa- ftioa ali !He lands adjaren. 10 or con trolled by these reservoir sites. Tia. clahse of the amendment reads:
 And all the lands which may here. after De designated or selected by such Ubited States surveys for the sites for reservoirs, ditches, CT canals for irri- gation purposes, AND ALL THE LANDS MADE SUSCEPTIBLE OF IRRIGATION hy such reservoirs, dltehes, or canals are from this time heneeforth hereby re. served from sale as the property ot the United States, and shall not be subject after the passage of tbis act to V"'' y. SSittNinVf'O pt VSSupdtiUu uutIl further provided by law, provided that the President may, at any time in his discretion, open any or all lands re- served hy this provision to settlement under lie homestead law"
 The full intent of this portion of the amendment IS shown by the following excerpt from the debate as printed in the Congressional Record, of Septem, ber 18th, 1888:
 Mir. Holman, 1.-the gentleman will allow lne 10 interrupt hlm, l would like 10 ask this question: Does the gentleman intend hereby thata all lands hereafter, at any time hereafter. that may he fonnd upcesearv for tho sitas