The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-01-02
FROM THE PEOPLE.
A Few Sensible suggestions About Irri-
... CATION.

A Few Sensible suggestions About 1rri-
-..- cation.
To The INDEPENDENT: The writer. "a
rancher and irrigator Of twenty-five years.
experience in Montana, was pleased with
the letters of Gov. Toole and Mr.. Gregory,
in late issueG of YOU paper, on irrigation,
but sorry that the commissioner of our
several counties had not selected moro men
of practical knowledge as delegates; men
who have suffered the loss of their crops by
the natural streams drying up when water
was most needed.
not have the same opportunities of hearing
lectures or getting books from libraries as
"city folks" but many of them are we'll
supplied with books. papers and magazines;
arc close observers, and. on the whole, are
probably as we'll informed as the average
American, and far more SO on this subject
of irrigation, on which his we'll doing SO
much depends.
1t is also true that much of our large
state is composed of mountains, bad lands
and roor, rough, grazing country, that
water cannot often be placed on, and would
not do much good if it could, but there is
probably enough bottom and good bench
lands to use all tho water that can be saved
in reservoirs. or taken out of our never
failing streams, like the Big and Warm
Spring creeks, in this county, IN which
crops can be raised by irrigation that would
astonish eastern farmers, always provided.
however, that we can get all the unsold
lands in the state from the general govern
ment for che purpose of building dams.
making bitches. reservoirs, ETC., and
that the work be done and man
aged afterwards with such skill
and economy that the user can afford to
pay for the use of the water. Another
thing, the settlers are fencing in the
springs and live watsr, leaving large bodies
of grazing land on which the water dries
up in the fall and late summer and freezes
up during winter. During the fall cattle
have to go 50 far from what little water
there is to get feed that they lose flesh and
do no winter SO we'll; and steers from the
same cause not being in prime condition
when taken to market bring a low price.
In winter when there is no snow o Il the
ground stock die, and are dying now. for
want of water, or from drinking too much
when they reach it. They are drowned by
breaking through the ice on the Missouri
river trying to reach airholes. From this
and wolves and other causes not quite G5
per cent of the steer calves branded have
been found when gathering them up for
market on the Moccasin range in this
county during the past ten years. The
losses have been heavier among female
stock, entailine heavy losses not only tc
the owners, but to the state. Flowing ar
tesian walls, or even wells operated by
pumps propelled by windmiils, if properly
managed (the water being pumped into
c~isterns during the night and allowed te
run through a series of trouehs during the
day.. would utilize much unused grazing
land and save the lives of thousands of cat.
tie.
| would therefore recommend TO the stat
irrlRating convention. when petitionin!
congress- to convey all unsold lands to th,
state for the purpose of retaining our arls
lands. to include-if i'll their wisdom the,
think it best-by dams, bitches, reservoirs
a~rtesian or other wells, Il.
Fort Maginnis, Dec. %, 1891.