The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1896-05-15

by enterpriBing merchants In the neigh
boring community OF Garden City; but
the new institution began and ended
with n mill race. Before the building
and machinery were required. the
wheat crop had surrendered to dry air
and hot winds. Tho somi-arld char
actcr OF the great plains west Of the
hundrcdth meridian. long known to
stockmen and Indians. but denied by
greedy land agents and dlscrcditcd by
eager and hopeful settlers. had again
asserted itself with unmistakable om-
phaalH. Not an acre Of the crop was
harvested. The prairle-schoonor set
sail and stored for other parts. Towns
dwlndled TO nero hamlots All the
nebulous industrial. educational, and
railroad projects suddenly descended
from tho sublime to the ridiculous. And
yet the blightcd seed was destined to
bear another and far more fatoful crop.
and the forgotten mill-raco on the
banks Of the Arkansas TO grind a grist
that would prove historic.
A few settlers remained to rake amid
the ashes OF their ruined hopes. Among
thCm was a man who had learned the
methods OF irrigation while LIVING In
| California and Colorado. II happened
/ that his land ndIolned the abandoned
mili-racc. and no readily obtained tho
| right to turn the water upon part o.
hls farm. The result. though not sur
prlslng to the practiaed irrlgntor. was
a revelation to his thoroughly dis
hoartcnod nelghbors.
The soil which had produced nothing
In the previous summer responded to
tho now method Of cultivation with
enormous crops OF all varieties OF prod
ucts. In quality they surpassed any
thing previously grown In that region.
AH these facts became known new
hope arose. like n star In the night,
against the dark background OF past
ANNOUNCEMENTS. The Garden City
experiment" became the Mecca OF stu
dents OF irrigation throughout tho
wide regions devastated by the drought
The ruined crop OF the previous year
and the useless mlll-rncc. gave birth IA
an influence which In fifteen years has
assumed far-rcaching proportions. Thii
influence. by revealing the need Of IT.
rlgatlon In n territory which had hlth'
crto depended entirely upon the rain
fall. extended the known limits OF arid
America hundreds Of miles TO the east
ward and moro than ono thousand milci
north and south. thus adding TO IN,
empire OF irrigation all the western
portions OF the Dakotas. Nebraska
Kansas. Oklahoma, ana Texas, together
With eastern Colorado.
In this vast district II has begun I,
royolutlonlzo both the Industrial ant
social life OF the people. II has com
PEELED tho attention OF legislatures
created new laws and adminlatratiy,
systems In several states, wrung few
moagro appropriations from congress
and set on foot various industrial ant
educational undertaking. The prob
lens OF the seml-arld region are pecu
liarly It's own. differing materially from
those OF the desert states west OF IN
continental divide. The moyomon
which has wrought these momentum
, changes alike In public sentiment an
In methods OF Industry has found It
warmest championship In Kansai
whore It has been reduced to perfec
organization through the instrumental
ny OF press and platform. Throughout
, the semi-arid region. but particular
IN Kansas. there are effective stat,
o county. and township associations urf
] Ing the adoption OF irrigation as IA
1 price OF prosperity, and extending b
d means Of conventions and popular III
otGture. the common knowledge OF 4,
, practical aspects Ways and Mean
, IN Arid America by william i
smyth. In the Century