Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-05-30
KANSAS IRRIGATION WORK.

cry in Practical Use.
Representative Fitzgerald, of Ford
county, looks for marvellous results
from the irrigation experiments now
in progress in western Kansas. He
says the Legislative appropriation of
$50, OO0s will be of great value in the
development of the underflow, but that
the experiments inaugurated by pri-
vate enterprise will be more far-reach-
ing and even more practical IN their
benefits The people are resorting to
all manner OF machinery to pump
water to the surface and natural
gravity does the rest Everywhere in
western Kansas the wind has been
harnessed = windmills of primitive
form, horizontal, vertical or vertical
geared. Steam pumps, gas engines,
hydraulic rams. pumps driven by ami
NAL power. in fact all the known de-
vices for lifting water are now having
experimental tests, and from these val
liable data of the comparative cost and
efficacy of these different motors will
be obtained.
Mr.. Fitzgerald believes that that the
legislative appropriation has stimu-
lated private enterprise to greater ac-
tivity, has proved to the settlers that
the people of the eastern part of the
state are in sympathy with them and
that they will help them to make the
western half of the state fertile and
fruitful, and the experimental tations
will be schools of instruction.
W. B. Sutton, secretary of the state
irrigation commission, believes that
the legislature, in grantin e the appro-
priation of $50, 600, little as it is, has
made a beginning that W i'll result in
the redemption of the western plains
of the state. 1.-The legislature has
done the right thing" he said recently
to your correspondent. I'VE are ow
going to subdue the country out there,
to make it bloom, to blossom and bear
fruit. It has been demonstrated scien-
tifcally that a great body of pure, soft
water underlies very large por-
ton of the westerly half of the
state; bounded on the north by
Nebraska, on the west by Colo
RADIO, on the south by Oklahoma
and on the east by an irregular line
about the goth meridian. This body of
water has of late years been known as
the underf1ow. Its quantity is prac-
tically inexhaustible. Between the
easterly line of this underfiow and the
9sth meridian the rainfall is greater
CIldn W0SC Oh IL. Inc SuD-SOI1 is Olh0T-
ent and the amount of water which
runs off into the water courses and is
lost is very considerable. In addition.
nearly all of the streams within the
territory have independent underhows
which yield enormous quantities of
water.
1.-THE main purposes to be attained
by the commission are: First, a practi-
cal test of the water supply on the up
lands of western Kansas for irrigation
purposes, to demonstrate the best
method of raising the water to the sur
| face and storing it, and to ascertain
| the quantity of the same; to make
measurements and experiments to de-
| termine the quantity of water flowing
annually in the streams; the amount
| of run-om or surface water and the
practica bility of storing the same for
| irrigation purposes, and the probable
cost per acre for applying such water
to the land; to prepare Typographical
map of the territory; to ascertain the
rainfall, evaporation and percolation;
to investigates far as their means
may allow-the artesian waters of the
state The bill specifically directs
that twenty more pumping
| stations shall be erected. Up to
| this time the board has 1oca ted
and is preparing to erect thirteen
pumping stations; one in Hamilton
county, one in Gray county, one in
Grant county, one in Sherman county.
one in Logan county, one in Wichita
county, one in Greeley county, one in
Lane county, one in Haskell county,
one in Trego county, one in Rawlins
county, one in Rocks county and one
| in Ford county.
1.-The board has opened negotiations
| with the director of the United States
geological survey and arrangements
have been completed by which the
state and federal governments will CO.
operate in the measurement of
the water annually flowing in
the streams. For this purpose
| there has been esta bliShed a
gauging station near Beloit, for the
| measurement of the Solomon river; at
Beverly, Lincoln county, for the
measurement of the Saline river; at
| Ellsworth, for the measurement of the
Smoky Hill; at Hutchinson, for the
measurement of the Arkansas; and
near the state line for the measure
ment of the Medicine creek
and also for the measurement
mated that the amount of work
which will be done by the general gov
eminent in aid of the commission
would have cost the commission as
much as its entire appropriation. Ne
gotiations have also been opened with
the director of the United States