The record-union., 1893-12-25
IRRIGATION IN THIS STATE.
Work Outlined by the California Com
miSSionerS.
Address to the Public by Chairman
ELI II. Murray-Work for the
Next Legislature.

The following address has been issued
by General Eli II. Murray of San Diego:
To the People Of the State Of California:
The State Board of Commissioners of the
National Irrigation Congress has in
structed me to.present to you the objects
OF the labor which has been intrusted TO
1t.
It is self-evident proposition that the
prosperity of California is founded upon
Irrigation, and that the more perfect our
irrigation laws the more easily can our
arid lands be reclaimed and the more
prosperous will be our agricultural and
horticultural population, and hence the
more PROSPEROUS will be all classes of our
people.
AS result of the late International
Irrigation Congress, held in Los Angeles
last October, a systematic investigation
of the arid land and irrigation questions
is being made throughout the arid States
and Territories. This investigation is
being conducted in each State and Terri
tory by an irrigation commission Of five,
and the Chairmen of these commissions
form the National Irrigation Executive
Committee.
The commission OF this State consists
of the Hon. G. G.. Wright of Modesto,
author of the irrigation district law, Hon.
VIII S. Green of Colusa and l.. NJ. Holt
and j. A. Pirtle of Los Angeles and the
undersigned, Chairman. This commits
sion has outlined vast amount Of work,
which viii be vigorously prosecuted II
properly supported and assisted by the
public. Its work is outlined under the
following topics:
First-Fo compile information relative
to the various streams in the State and
their water sheds, amount ofwater that can
be used for irrigation purposes, and the
land subject to irrigation.
Second-To ascertain what amend
ments should be made to perfect the
present Irrigation District Laws and
other Irrigation Laws of the State.
Third-What legislation is necessary to
assist in reclaiming the arid lands of the
State now owned by the Government
lands which cannot be settled until
irrigated. Also the extent of such arid
government land that can be irrigated.
Fourth-The area of lands now irrigated
in the State.
Fifth-The area of lands that are capa-
bic Of irrigation.
Sixth-The development of irrigation
water by means of aTtesian wells, saving
the underfow Of streams and the storage
OF water in reservoirs.
Seventh-HoW should the waters of
interstate streams be utilized.
Here is vast amount of work to be
performed, and the value of that work
will depend not only upon the energy
and ability of the commission, but the CO.
operation and assistance of those inter-
ested,in these great questions in offering
suggestions and furnishing information.
The first work of the commission
will be to compile information relative
to the streams of the State and irrigable
land. To facilitate this work the State
has. been divided into five districts and
each Commissioner has undertaken to
compile the desired information in one
district.
The first district includes the counties
of San Diego, Riverside and Orange, and
the work has been assigned to the Chair
man of the commission.
The second district consists of San
Bernardino, InyO, Mono and Alpine
Counties, and the work has been assigned
to l.. NJ. Holt of Los Angeles.
The third district consists of Los An
geles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis
Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, Santa
Cruz, Santa Clara and San Mateo Coun-
ties, and the work has been assigned to
j. A. Pirtle of Los Angeles.
The fourth district consists of the San
Joaquin Valley and all that portion of the
State south Of San Francisco Bay and in
Guiding the counties of San Joaquin and
Ell Dorado, and the work has been as
signed to Hon. G. G. Wright of Modesto.
The fifth district consists of Sacramento
Valley and the remaining portions of
Northern California, and the work has
been assigned to Hon. Win S. Green of
COlusa.
Any assistance which the friends of
irrigation can give relative to this COM
pilation of information will be thank
fully received.
One of the important features of our
work will be an attempt to perfect as far
as possible the present irrigation district
laws and the presentation of our plans to
In nrr1-l -laN,V
need the advice of those who have had
experience with the district system.
There are vast tracts of Government
land in this State that are to-day worth
less because they are arid, and which can
be made valuable by being brought
under irrigation systems. Our present
laws are entirely inadequate to the
reclamation of these lands, because no
one can live upon them until they are
irrigated, and hence there are no voters
to form districts, and If the districts were
formed there are no lands to tax to sup
port them, as the lands all belong to the
Government. In some instances rail-
road companies own the odd sections.
Some plans must be adopted by the State
and General Government for the reclama-
ton of these lands. There are probably
from one to two million acres of these
lands which are capable of being re-
claimed. If this vast area was reclaimed
II WOulu duO nuDOT6QS OF Hl1i1OQS TO our
wealth and hundreds of thousands to our
population.
We believe the people of the State,
when all the facts and reliable data are
laid before them touching these import
ant questions, will act promptly and in
telligently to advance the common good,
and that Congress will cooperate with
the authorities in the arid States and
Territories to the end that wise system
of laws NAV be adODted for reclaimino
the great arid wastes in this Great West
ern Empire.
This commission asks the support of
the people and the press, the backing and
encouragement of State and county Off
Gals, the assistance of water companies
and corporations having direct interest
in settling I'D and enriching this great
State. If such support is given, we be-
lieve that untold good will result from
our work and deliberations.
There are similar commissions at work