, 1891-05-08

In commenting upon this table Engiu.
Ger Mead said:
The valley Of the Green and the Big
Horn rivers offer today the best on
p%ortunity for the construction OF
of a system of irrigation works, according
to a prearranged plan, of any section with
which | am familiar. To a large water
supply there is added the total absence of
vested rights to interfere with the con-
struction of works which shall utilize the
available water to the best advantage and
least expense. 1t may be added that the
valleys of nearly all our important streams
present favorable opportunities for the
construction of large bitches, the magni-
tude and cost of which has prevented
their being undertaken by the pioneers in
this work. The plateaus bordering on
the North Platte, near SARATOGA, the val
ley Of the Sweetwater and of a number of
streams flowing east from the Big Horn
mountains are destined to undergo a mar
velous transformation within the next few
years, when the increase in transportation
facilities through the territory makes
these sections known to the world as they
are to thoss who have examined them"
CHAN ZINC ASPECTS OF THE CATTLE
INDUSTRY.
The cattle industry dominated the agri-
culture of Wyoming until a few years ago.
1t was at once the source of the states
prosperity and the cause of the
extreme backwardness in the develop
ment of its rich resources. 1t deprecated
irrigation because it saw 10 the elevation of
the small farm the inevitable passing away
ofthe extensive range. While the cSttle
interests t1ourlshed and p~rospered it was
able to render irrigation practically WORTH
less as a force in developing agriculture.
But since the conditions of that business
radically changed in 1887, agriculture has
been coming to the front, irrigation has
begun to take its place as the most power
tul force in promoting the settlement and
solid prosperity of the state. aud a new
era has dawned upon Wyoming.
Wyoming will continue to be a cattle
country of vast proportions, but the stock
range will become the stock farm and irn-
cation will be an indispensable part of it.
Stock will be iattened on the products of
the irrigated farm and will 20 from
Wyoming directly to market. The state
is most fortunately situated for the
development OF thus new form of agri-
culture. When all its water has been
utilized there will still remain an ample
area for range purposes. Meanwhile, the
extension OF irrigation will not only pro-
vide winter feed for cattle, but supply the
large and growing home market with
products now imported from states to the
east. The cattle industry is now under
going this change. 1t will gain in pros
perity thereby. and their can be no ques-
ton about the beneficial effects on other
interests in this new state. Thus irri-
CATION and the cattle iuterests-two
hitherto opposing forces-march side by
side down the avenue oil Wyoming's
future.
LARGE WORKS OF IRRIGATION.
The finest irrigation works in the state,
and among the finest on the continent,
are those of the Wyoming Development
company on the Laramie river. This
system waters from $4,000 to 60, 900 acres
oil the richest land and was built at a cost
OF $3.50 1t has a unique engineer
ing feature in the shape Of a tunnel
1850 feet long through a mountain. which
empties the water into a stream running
parallel to the river from which it is di-
verted. The canal is 100 miles in length
and, though completed in 1878, has never
been utilized, owing to complications con-
corning land TITLES. 1t is capable of sus-
tanning an immense population and con-
trbuting vastly to the development of the
state. 1t is therefore to be hoped that a
way will soon be found to utilize it and
realize the possibilities that now lie idle
IN the rich acres covered by the costly
canal.
The Pioneer canal waters 5O,O 0 acres
on the Laramie plains. 1t is the property
OF the Wyoming Land and Improvement
company. The canal is thirty five miles
long, fourteen feet on the bottom, TWEEN
tY-two feet on the top, four feet deep and
carries a volume of BOG cubic feet per
second.
Another enterprise on the plains is the
Bonghton canal, of which f. S. r.
BouRhton is the chief owner, 1t is TWEEN
half feet on the bottom and TWEEN
tY two feet on the top. Consider
able progress toward settlement has been
made under this ditch.
The Lobach canal, another fine piece Of
work, has Just been completed on the
plains.
A large number of important new works
are projected this spring. Among them
is a eighty-foot canal which will be taken
out of the North Platte twenty miles
above Casper and water an immense ter
ritory on the high table lands. DeForest
Richards of Douglas is at the head of this
enterprise and he has a large surveying
party in the field at this time.
The Douglas and Platte River Ditch
company, of which w. F. Hamilton Is
the manager, is surveying for another