The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-07-01
sHoJLD IRRIGATE.
Thomas kearns' Scheme to Benefit
Kansas and Nebraska.
fian tc Bring Nebraska Delegation r.
Utah to Investigate Our System
Nebraskans Interested.

Inc depreciation in silver and the con-
sequent decentralization of mining in this
region is turning the attention of men
ana capital interested in that great in
uustry in other directions. Thomas
hearns of Park City is one of the mine
owners who accepts the situation philo-
sophlcaily, and although he is firmly con-
Vlnced that the white metal will eventu-
ally win, he is casting about for some
thing else to occupy his attention during
the temporary depression. The gentle
man returned this week from visit to his
olu home IN Holt county, Nebraska, and
is very enthusiastic on the subject of ir-
rIgation, which he thinks will be given a
great deal OF attention in Utah in the
immediate future. While in Nebraska
ne was deeply impressed with the bene-
TITS which would accrue to that state and
TO regions similarly situated.
Inc people with whom he
talked manifested SO much interest in it
that Mr.. Kearns formulated plan for
county IN the state to Utah and other
places where extensive systems OF irriga-
ton are successfully employed this sum-
1ner TO study up the question.
ITO the people of Nebraska said
Mr.. Kearns to a HERALD man, 'sirriga-
ton would prove great help. Eighteen
and twenty years ago saw men settle on
land there who have worked hard
ever since and are as poor now as the
day they settled. Owing to the drought
and hot winds only one crop in three is a
success, and from my observation | am
satisfied that irrigation would preclude
failure. | have visited all the states
where irrigation is employed, and have
reached the conclusion that its adoption
= ~
braska and other states where the same
conditions prevail. My plan for intro
ducing 1t there is to interest the officials
and public men IN the matter and get
each county in the state to appro-
pirate sufficient money to send delegate
TO Utah and the west to investigate.
Will meet them and show them the Bear
River canal, which cost four millions,
and is q complete success. Also the syS-
tens in Idaho and the Fresno Desert in
California, which a few years ago was
known as Death Desert. In those days a
swallow couldn't fly across it, rattle
snake couldn't live there, and there was
not sign of vegetation to De seen.
Then was conceived the idea of arti-
fetal irrigation. They tunneled through
the mountains and brought the river
from the other side. at an expense that
averaged $40 foot. Now streams OF
water run down every section line, the
desert has been transformed into beau
full and productive land. Vineyards
end orchards are seen everywhere,
and men are making an independent
living off of ten acres of land. Pick up a
handful of the soil and put it in the sun
to dry, and you will find that it consists
of sand and gravel, made fertile and pro-
ductive with water. Should the people
OF Nebraska follow that example, and
turn the water now running to waste in
their rivers upon the soil, which is from
eight to ten feet deep, they can
produce anything in the shape OF
Grain and vegetables. We are not abreast
Jecs ourselves, but the Nebraska people
are away behind US. Ask the farmer
there what he thinks about irrigation,
and he will tell you it cannot be made a
success. One will say, 1.-THE water will
all sink in the ground;" while another
will tell you that it would be impossib o
to sprinkle the big corn fields. They
do not understand the system,
and want their representatives
TO see it applied. The road
supervisors there are besieged with re-
quests from rain sharps for an appropri-
ton of $500 with which to buy dynamite
to enable them to produce rain by con-
cussion and the prayers of the farmers.
If the welfare of those same farmers de-
will be able to bless them with, then
crops will be just as limited in the future
as they have been for the past
twenty years. Nebraska is beautifully
situated for the employment of irrigation,
Prom the northwestern boundary line to
the southern line, there is difference oil
1000 feet, on a rough estimate, in ele-
walton, which will give plenty of fall to
take the wafer anywhere. Yes, those
men are wasting the labor of life time
in not taking advantage of this oppor-
tunity to utilize the waters from these
beautiful rivers. look to see irrigation
applied TIC all of that great region.
1t is, of course, western question, and
there may be a hard fight ahead, but
when their representatives make known
their case in Congress, and ask for ap-
preparations, they will sure find some
friends from the great soul bern states
which have asked for millions to builC
walls along the Mississippi to keep the
floods from drowning out the people,
TO stand by them, because the way
to tame the Mississippi is t.
divert water for irrigation from the head
waters. In the great region of which
am speaking, men who are now just able
to exc out an existence on a section can,
with irrigation, make an easier and indie
pendent living from twenty acres, anc
the benefit will not be confined to then
alone, but will be felt among all classes.
Agriculture is one OF the most impor.
tant industries in our region, and i'll
future development is bound up in irrI.
cation. We are, perhaps, the pioneers il
the business, and it is to be hoped tina
interest in it win increase -