, 1890-05-22

srhis includes three ditch systems EN-
brscing 2O7 miles. incomplctgd when tho
visit OF The coinmitteo was made.
srhe sixteen dliehes given % not insfn1cr nsfn1lcr
tho lnterala A. An average estimate otioy
gcres per ditch. tne mileage would be over
!, iK.,ims,ed on ,hs basis Of ,,yc mile. pee
enough FOR an approximate; below rather
than above tho facts. -.
Srhc thirty-foar tillcs arc tho dchntte
lcngtss given u now ditch systems; the
balance l. an cstmate
The foregoing table shows some
notable facts. The counties where
In are found the largest irrigated
areas, ~ well as the great nurnoer
Of bitches with the smallest service
TO each. are those In which so largo
q number of Mormon citizens have
settled. In Idaho, US also In Arb
zona, whore there Ia likewise con-
siderable body of this peculiar peo-
pie. they reproduce, as they
have done In Utah, somo
Of the physical and mate
rial facts OF the Orient, from which
they have also derived their peculiar
rcllgious-social faith and practices.
The smalIness OF the ditch es con-
strucred indicate the limited area ctil-
tiynted by each individual or family.
IL IL, however, always sufficient -
support them In that primitive
plenty which constitutes their
standard Of life. The location ~
well as the length OF the irrigation
bitches seems also to instinctiveIy
f.lt..... tl.<. ...atns aud ban I.ftz ~ the
Orient. The petty wurbs, the care
ftl observance OF water rights, the
economy of water observed, and the
co-opcntlyc instinct, rather than
plans, which mark their dealings
with reclamation from aridity arc
all fruits that may bo found ~ char
ncterlstics of Mohamnedan or other
Eastern countries, where . strong
sacerdotal regime HIS not only dom.
mated the character but directed
the daily pursuits OF the people
under II. The primary. nature q
this work can bo seen when an estls
mate Ii made Of the cost per acre.
In Bear Lake county the total
cost for the q, 500 acres trrignted n
given ut $72,500, or fraction over
$3.50 per acre. The bitches Of ths
northern portion OF bingham
county cost $i35 900, or = cost per
acre Of $l,775. Small M this pflco
appears 10 be 1t is necessarily COSTLY
because wasteiul. As the water In
sight Is absorbed storage becomes o
necessity, and the result is the
abandonment, finally, Of tho small
dItches and the reconstruction Of
service work Cd u larger aud, Of
necessity, costlicr Tat the outset)
scale. Taking the medium between
the two rates given, and tho cost per
acre of irrigation In Idaho may be
set Mt S2.G8 per ncre, or total Tor
7i5, 500 acres Of 81, l67. 900
The extensive river system ron
dcrs tho reclamation OF IT. arid
lands n very interesting problem:
The need OF storage was insisted
upon by all witnesses and In nll the
reports offered. A majority APP
peal to the general government for
aid, and all are urgent for complete
photographic survey directed main
ly to utilitarian results. The iIn-
portance OF the river system Of Ida-
ho can hardly he exaggerated from
the stand d-point OF reclamation; the
number and volume OF minor mount
ain streams must also be considered.
some slight idea OF the water sup
ply may be obtained by the prescn-
tntion OF few OF the estimates made
in the testimony:
Cubic feet
per second
u,o.r -, a,.ko ,tver fat yaaie Roek1 q Doo