Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-05-13

waters of the district can be used to the
best advantage and where water rights
can be permanently maintained. Such
districts have been Professionally planned
and mapped by the director of the geo.
logical survey.
"a. Irrigation districts should be COM
posed of compact bodies of irrigable
lands, with the pasture and timber lands
of the catchment area about them, and
the farmers on the irrigable lands should
control the catohment areas with all their
values.
%. Interstate complications make It
necessary for the general government to
provide solution of the problems; and
the United States and the several states
are interested in the waters and lands;
hence the United States and the several
states must alike make concessions and
reach an agreement.
&c. The population In each of the irri-
cation districts planned seems usually to
be sufficient to take charge of the interest
involved in such district IN relation to the
use of waters, forests and pastures. The
district with the smallest population is
that OF Bill Williams fork in Arizona.
The district with the largest population
is that of the upper South Platte, which
includes the city of Denver, and prob
ably has population of more than 142 =
600 people.
81. The solution of the foregoing prob
lem is very simple. 1t consists in organ
izing natural irrigation districts through
the agency of q survey by the general
government and necessary legislation by
the states, and in turning over the prob
lens of irrigation to such districts.
Nhn
performing its duties in compliance with
law and in an efficient and thorough
manner, and the work under it should
proceed at a reasonable rate of progress
until it is finished. It is estimated that
the irrigation survey will cost 81 900 200,
but that in making the maps it will save
81 900 200 to the geological survey. Thus
the real cost of the irrigation survey is
but So 600 200 over and above the cost of
the geological survey. The work per-
formed in two years demonstrates that
this estimate was reasonable.
The survey needed for the sub
humed region Of the great plains is purely
geological survey based on topography.
1t should be made as rapidly as possible
in order to serve the wants of the farm
ers of that region who are already suf-
fering by reason of their neglect of irri-
cation. Another reason for its prompt
completion is to give to new settlers in
these regions necessary information of
the conditions under which success and
prosperity may be secured.
90. To accomplish the solution of the
| problems by the method proposed a bill
has been drafted which is printed with
this report.
30. The analysis of the bill is made by
sections and the effect of each section
| pointed out. The sections may here be
characterized summarily. Section l of
the bill provides for survey of the arid
lands into natural irrigation districts.
Section of the bill provides for the seq
regation of the irugable lands. Section
8 of the bill provides that lands already
irrigated shall be declared irrigable for
the purposes contemplated in the bill.
Section of the bill provides that certain
of the irrigation works shall be con-
struoted only on sites designated and re-
served Therefor in order TO protect water
rights and to conserve the waters for
beneficial purposes. Section of the bill
provides for the division of the waters
among the districts. Section 6 of the bill
provides for the organization of districts
situated in two or more states or terri
tories. Section of the bill provides
that the non-irrigable lsnds shall remain