Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-03-24


the most wonderful artificial storage basin
in the world. A valley of about IL miles
long and of varying width, lying at an ele-
walton of $500 feet, is utilized by the con-
struction of dam 60 feet high, making a
water plane six miles long and covering
$500 acres. This was built at trifiing cost
of SIS 900, and the immense mass of water
81, 1879 100000 gallons-is held by masonry
built in the form of horizontal arch. The
Sweetwater dam of San Diego county,
which cost a round million, stores only
about a quarter of the above, yet has proved
a splendid investment. These and similar
reservoirs in California show how easily
complete irrigatng method may be perfect
ed in mountainous region.
English capital always on the alert for
good outlets of Investment, has gone large
~ into these ventures, and our own eastern
capitalists, it is said, are getting awake on
the subject. The fact that lands in them
selves nearly worthless, though otherwise
we'll located, jump to prices of from 300 to
$500 per acre instantly that they are open
to irrigating facilities in southern Califor-
MIA is more suggestive than volumes of
comment. Indeed the vast vineyard and
fruit industry of the Golden State, already
more valuable than its mines of precious
metals, would have been impossible with
out scientific irrigation. So, too, Colorado,
the industry of which has been so long sup
posed by many to depend on its under
ground resources, has, with the use of ade-
nuate irrigation methods, within II few
years shown remarkable results in orchards
and grain tillage. Experts who have stud
led the question think that the now barren
wSstes of Arizona, with the development
of a good system of irrigation, will prove a
second California in it's growth of subtrop-
ical fruits.
A Blessing to Farmers.
The irrigable regions vary widely in their
natural conditions, of course, and the plans
to be adopted to make these deserts bloom
like the rose must vary. Science has been
studying the questions involved, and these
interstate congresses, by keeping she public
mind keenly alive to the advantages to be
derived and the difficulties to be overcome
in the pursuit of the great aim to be
reached, are of great value. Omaha will
do everything to honor an occasion so close
ly associated with the welfare of Nebraska
and its sister states of the far west. Such
conventions as these are worthy of the most
interested attention from all parts of the
country, for what affects the west affects
the east. The day is rapidly going by when
one section can afford an Indifferent atti-
tions. There is a national irrigation COM
mission under control of the interior de-
partment, and each of the states specially
interested has also n bureau. To bring
these into close relation with each other
and with public sentiment is of much i'm
portance.
Those who have examined the question
most deeply claim that with good irriga
ton those regions which rely on this meth
cd of water distribution have greatly the
advantage over such sections as depend on
what is regarded as an cquable rainfall.
In the case of the latter there are periods
every year of temporary drought or of too
much rain. In the regions of irrigation
the farmer receives exactly what his crops
need-no more, no less. 1t will be curious
if it is shown that in this way science can
transmute a natural defect into a great
| blessing. SILEx.