The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-04-22

BY enterprising merchants In the neigh
boring community OF Garden City; but
the new institution began and ended
with a mill race. Before the building
and machinery were required, the
wheat crop had surrendered to dry air
and hot winds. The semi-arid char
aeter OF the great plains west OF the
hundredth meridian. long known to
stockmen and Indians. but denied by
greedy land agents and discredlted by
eager and hopeful settlers. had again
asserted itself with unmlstakable em-
phasls. Not an acre Of the crop was
harvested. The prairie-schooners set
sail and steered for other parts. Towns
dwlndled to mere hamlets All the
nebulous lndustrial educational. and
railroad projects suddenly descended
from the sublime to the ridiculous, And
yet the bllghted seed was destined to
bear another and far more fateful crop.
and the forgotten mill-race on the
banks OF the Arkansas to grind grist
that would prove historic.
A few settlers remained 20 rake amid
the ashes Of their ruined hopes. Among
them was a man who had learned the
methods OF irrigation while living In
California and Colorado. II happened
that his land adioined the abandoned
mill-race. and he readily obtained the
right to turn the water upon a part OF
his farm. The result. though not sur
prlslng to the practlsed irrlgator. was
a revelation TO his thoroughly dis
heartened neighbors.
The soil which had produced nothing
In the previous summer responded 10
the new method OF cultivation with
enormous crops Of all varieties Of prod
uots In quality they surpassed any
thing previously grown in that region.
As these facts became known new
hope arose. like n star In the night,
against the dark background Of past
dlscouragcments. The Garden City
experiment became the Mecca OF stu
dents Of irrigation throughout the
Wide regions devastated by the drought,
The ruined crop Of the previous year,
and the useless mill-race. gave birth to
an influence which In fifteen years has
assumed far-reaching proportions. This
influence, by revealing the need OF IT.
rlgation in n territory which had hith-
erto depended entirely upon the rain
fall. extended the known limits OF arid
America hundreds Of miles to the east
ward and more than one thousand miles
north and south. thus adding to the
empire OF irrigation all the western
portions Of the Dakotas. Nebraska
Kansas. Oklahoma, and Texas. together
with eastern Colorado.
In this vast district Il has begun Ia
revolutlonlze both the industrial and
social life Of the people, II has com.
PEELED the attention OF legislatures
created new laws and administrative
systems In several states. wrung few
meagre appropriations from congress
and set on foot various industrial and
educational undertakings The prob
lens OF the semi-arid region are pecu'
liarly Us own. differing materially from
those OF the desert states west OF tn,
continental divide. The movement
which has wrought these momentou,
changes alike In public sentiment ant
IN methods OF industry has found Ia
warmest championship In Kansas
where Il has been reduced to perfec
, organization through the Instrumental
ity OF press and platform. Throughout
the seml-arid region. but particularly
In Kansas. there are effective state
county. and township associations urg
Ing the adoption OF irrigation as IN,
nriee OF prosperity, and extending, b!
means Of conventions and popular ~
efGture, the common knowledge OF IL
practical aspects Ways and Meani
IN Arid America" by william L
smyth. In the Century.
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