The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-23
SEATTLE, TUESDAY. APRIL 90.


lie who makes two blades Of grass grow
where only one grew before, IL pro-
nouneed a benefactOr OF bis race. he who
reclairns a desert and converts It into
fruitful fields Is thrice so. and Is desery-
ing the thanks % the nation.
Within the memory OF men who have
not passed the meridian OF life, there was
an unexpiored country whose eastern
boundary was marked by the Missouri.
and whose western boundary vas the Pa
clfic. Ge0graphers marked II the Great
American Desert. covering half the con-
finent a vast and une EXPLORED waste. fl
cRly for the Indians. buffalo and reptiles
generally. Senturesome trappers. hunt
ers and explorers were attracted to this
country and they occasionally found an
oasis In the desert more attrac-
tive. more inviting than those IN
the Sahara. Further explorations re-
vealed mountains. streams and val
leys. whore Il was possible for civili-
zaiIon % exist and fupplant the savages.
Gradually the star OF empire was west
ward to be accelerated by the cess.on OF
California and the discovery Of gold. The
Great American Desert contracted with
successive explorations. Till finally the
space on the Western shores Of Great
Salt lake IN Utah and Nevada. Time and
the transcontinental railways have OBJ
liberated e. while experience and famii-
iarity are converting the sagebrush
plains into productive fields and pleasant
homes.
To the Mornons Is given the credit Of
being the irst white people In America
70 inaugurate the system or irrigation. In
primitive way IL has been resortcd 20
ty the Mcxicans. Indians and Aztecs. the
remains OF the canals Of extinct races
being found in Arizona and New Mexico
After their exodus from Illinois. the
Mormons wiuterei In salt Lake valley
subasting on Wild berries camas ro0ts
FISH and game. Their destination was
San Bernardiao and California was their
promised land. but necessity compelled
shem 30 compromise on Utah. and there
they remained Necessity also compelled
them 10 cultivate and reclaim the desert
and they induntrlousiy dld g. The rich
coll. ticllcd with "a hoe and encouraged by
water diverted from the mountain
streams. brought forth fruit. aud 10 the
saints Il early became a country flowing
with milk and honey. Ia the language OF
their prophet. brigham Young. they TX
orally made the desert blossom as the
rose" and they bulaed better than they
tnew. because tho object lesson they had
given 50 their nelghbors Is bearing fruit
and goo3 results.
irrigation. however. has been a plant
of slow growth, - long as there VAS ter
ritory a settle where nature supplied tho
growing crops without mans assistance
o. ARTIFICIAL AID the aria section Of the
United states where irrigation WAS nee
sss3ry. was neglected. IucTea sing popu-
lation created an overflow. the old bor-
Dr. states no longer Afforded room for
the more ambitions and vcnturoson3e. ami
the territories wtlh the sparse settlements
end expansive piaiur aud rugged peaks
were the last resort Without water thc
land MAS worthless. with water. no land
could b mere productive. The mountains
with taclr snow-eap pca peaks. were the
reservoirs from witch - draw a never
FALLING Supply ~ moisture. ana The az
N~tea streams assured neveF-f8iliug
crops IN or4gr 80 construct irrtEating
canals and dtchcs i1 fhe early srftle-
taents thA ueiEhhor@, formed themselves
inta companies. issuing stock ana paying
ftr q in work en- the canal ere water be-
tue divided according - acreage or stock
hold when the irrlcAtinS season was
en- USUALLY opening IN May or June snd
lasting urgr August or September. each
stockhoi1tr hsi his ;uvn az she water as
signed higa. Il certain number Of miner :
inche~ for - dsetsratei time. weekly OF
sernkweckly. as might Re required
Where the rungsy has been improperly
divided hlooay aaarrels have rssui,esi
and saints have been known - swear
worse than she Dtach IN Flanders.
WITH the Increasing demand for lard
wider areas 90 desert land have 20 ~
brought uuder Water. ana az rssul'
larger companies AMI larger capital IN
tercsted The 'rt'ratle laafs are rsn-
tracea ln California. Oregon. Washing.
tcn. Nevada. Idaho Nonfaaa. Tsah IVY
oniinE. Colorado. New Msxf-a ana Nrt
sona N these great states ana tr-rt
tories shere are millions - a-rrs ot iauh
"a worthless - parchment fs- she Fra
& -fton ~ crcps without irrigation. hut
g. productive as The AI1uv5sl so8 ot ths
Me With water. u Is - these iza&s thA'
the attrntscn Of the eouotry Is uo~ helna
= rested ard campaign 90 eefucatioH
has hsea tnsaEuratsd extending fTau ths
Atlantic ~ ere FNclac. All TIE atyaa.
tAeeS - an tvrtEatinw csuusvy are eel1g
tyuts e3llv SET Forth rs nattonai Rnd STATE
governments and hv r,eu MO have rna1s
the question Use-s Study. Is IS a cues
tson THAT hsS assumed national rapport.
arrN
The sEar fnse-t - ne Carcy las ~ -
eantral Rovrrnaent = n Una wtfS Eats
ThA law gives raeh az thr states en-,
Nfssrtfs ,s.ttsss-s sh~Ir lsss,tfs s.-ss sFrtssa-