Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-06-22

Arkansas river. 1t will be three and
half miles long, and the fall is SO
great that at distance of 1000 feet
from the mouth it is a level with the
surface. While at Garden City the
river has been absolutely dry, about a
mile above ditch the water comes to
the surface, and at the head enough
water has flowed by to irrigate 200
acres easily. There are several thouS-
and acres for others to irrigate in tie
same manner if they can utilize the
underfiow. a rock or hardpan shelf
crosses the rivers course is supposed
! to act as kind of a dam, bringing the
underfiOw to the surface, and it is not
difficult to see how this can be made
to come of practical accounts.
Two ditch companies have spent
! $12, 900 this spring cleaning out their
bitches, in western Kansas, the drift
ed sand and rubbish. Then they
found that the high winds were filling
them again, and have been kept busy
for two months preserving them in
fair condition. But they have faith
in the prospect, and if the Arkansas
gives the usual June abundance OF
water the alfalfa fields will be rich
with the Succulent product when
harvest time comes.
appropriation for irrigation tests rap
idly and August l will see it nearly
all paid out on the wells now being
put down and their attendant feat
ureS. The main purposes to be at
tanned by the commission are: a praC-
tical test of the water supply OF the
uplands of western Kansas for irriga-
tiUn purposes; to demonstrate the
best methods of raising the water to
the surface and storing it, and to as
certain it's quantity; to find the
quantity and rapidity Of all streams
of the state and the ''run-Off" or sur
face drainage, and the practicability
for storing the same, with the prOba-
BILE cost Of applying the same to the
land, to prepare Typographical map
Of the state; to ascertain the rainfall
and evaporation and test the artesian
we'll outlook
The bill specifically states that
twenty or more pumping stations
shall be located. Up to this time the
board has arranged for thirteen.
which, by June 10 will be in running
order; one each in Hamilton, Gray,
Grant, Sherman, Logan, Wichita
Greeley, Lane, Haskell, 1'rego, Raw
Inns. Rocks and Ford counties. The
irrigation commissioners have opened
negotiations with the United States
geological survey, and the state and
federal governments will cooperate
in securing an accurate measurement
Of the streams. A gauging station
has been established on each of the
following rivers: Solomon, Saline,
Smoky Hill, Arkansas, Medicine
| Creek and CimarrOn. Ii is estimated
that the general governments work
will cost $50, 900 itself, making $50, 900
/ being spent in Kansas alone. In adj
ditiOn the weather bureau is using it's
machinery to add to the other infOr-
nation full details on passing meteor
! illogical phenomena by the establish
ment of new stations and the addi-
tiOn of new reports.
SOME IMMENSE UNDERTAKINGS.
The organization of the irrigation
! board and the individual undertakings
have not caused any cessation in the
work Of the large companies and syn
! dicateS. In Seward county, filings
/ have been made for 1000 inches con-
tinuOuS flow from the Cimarron to ir-
rigate the 1900 acre NJ ranch, for
which the CimarrOn Valley Irrigation
company is negotiating. The Cimar-
ron is a neyer-failing stream, and has
plenty of water for all other plants.
Perhaps the largest plant known in
! the west is the Alamo ditch, the first
/ to tap the Arkansas east of the Colo
RADIO line. 1t has capacity of 10000
acres. Alfalfa is the main crop raised
along the ditch. Three crops of hay
and one of seed can be raised every
year. Sometimes the profits are $50
an acre, and several farmers have 300
to 500 acres out this spring.
/ the mort horn IInla CayvQr1
! lawsuits between millerS and irriga-
tiOnists are pending, the latter tax
! ing SO much of the streams as to stop
the mills. Says one of the irrigation
board: Ten acres is enough for any
| farmer. If he has 160 acres and is
! losing money, let him take S400 and
and irrigate ten acres, and he is indie
pendent for life. He can support his
| family, and the remaining $50 acres
will all profit"
1t is too much to hope that this
season alone, even with all the gov
eminent and state aid, will accom-
pliSh enough to demonstrate exactly
how much may be accomplished in
western Kansas and Nebraska by irri-
CATION. 1t will be shown, however,
that the conditions may be much
ameliorated, and the settlers may
come to such position at to be re-
lieved from the necessity of asking
aid, as was done last winter The
seed grain furnished by the state will
raise nothing this year, or next TIC
nothing, and the census now being
taken will show decrease in pOpula-
tion that will be astounding to many.
| Twenty western counties, with a pop
ulotiun of 107 900 in 1888, had last year
$4,000, and this year it will be much
less. Climatic conditions caused it.
1t may be changed if the water now
wasted can be conserved and utilized