The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-04-03

4
or 20 feet in diameter TO $50 feet
square. The reservoirs ON the top of
| the ground has its contents run rapidly
over one or two acres. is retilled, and
next time is emptied on other land.
! Where the pump is large. and the wind
engine has been made purp0sely for ir-
rigati0n. the result is also large, and
pecuHiarily successful. Where the
pump and Windmill are what were put
in merely for dOIaeStic purposes. and
only garden-Patch has been irriga5-
ed, the result is also highly satiSfac-
tory. In the dry season of 1894 such
small irrigated gardens were the sus-
tenance Of the family Such examples
! have led 10 a very large increase in the
number of reservoirs put in and strong
wind-IRillS built The state OF Kansas.
by an irrigation commission appointed
last year. is putting in number OF ex-
pertinent stations, using different kinds
of pumps, different motive powers
gasoline, steam and wind-in different
situations. with wells OF different
depths, to carry further the demonstra-
ton already made that a number OF
acres of an upland farm can be irrigat-
ed from the water that is beneath il.
These two questions involved in the
irrigation of the plains uplands are now
practically answered in the affirma-
tive. Can water be lifted 300 feet az
so low a cost that it will pay to irri-
gate with it from that depth: and is
there water enough below the surface
to irrigate any proper proportion of
the large area of the semi-arid upiands;
Saying yes 10 both these queries, IL
may also be said that where wafer Is
even at greater depths enough may be
raised with comparatively small ex-
penSe to irrigate 50 much land as In dry
years will be a material addition 10 the
means of subsistence of the farmers
family.
The writer has no doubt of there be-
ing enough water in the tertiary for
nation previously mentioned 10 irri-
gate > per cent of the land of large
parts of the western plains. The me-
chanical devices for raising the water
are becoming better and cheaper every
year. There was never before such
activity among the manufacturers of
water-lifting appliances as is the case
at the present time. The volume of
water and the means TO lift it being as
sured, the redemption of the plains
from the stigma of aridity is also GER
tain.
''In saying this it must not be under
stood that irrigation OF the uplands
means the irrigation of large bodies of
lands in solid areas. 1t is absolutely
true that under present conditions
family can obtain good living from
three acres of irrigated land. If a
family can within itself supply the
labor for the irrigation of ten acres, or
even hire some help, competence and
comparative wealth will be certain in
a comparative short period. The
owner of 160 acres, irrigsting from
three to eight acres, will always pro
duce living and some surplus. The
rest of his acres for pasture, for timber,
for some grain, will give additional
surplus in the good years, and his fam
lily will always have the means and
leisure TO give attention to mental i'm
provement and be certain of increase Of
home comforts and some of the luxur-
ies of life.
''The position and volume Of the sub
terranean waters point to the desirable i
ity of numerous pumping plants scat
tered over the plains-nOt large ones |
with expensive machinery. Wind IS |
the cheapest motive power 1t is |
abundant on the plains. These facts |
all suggest that small holdings, say the !
standard 160 acres as u maximum, |
worked by the owner and his family, !
are those that will most economically |
operate in the redemption of the plains |
''There is, however, much land Oh the |
plains owned by great corporations
railways, mortgage-loan companies,
TOWNSHIP companies, and by individuals
who have bought the land or specula-
tive purposes. 1t is notorious that |
most of these would be very glad of an |
to unload. The general |
desire to redeem the plains, and the re-
cent Investigations and experiments |
which have demonstrated the POSSIBLE !
ityof the redemption. give these cor
pOrations and individuals the oppor-
tunity they desire They have, how
ever, a dutyin the matter Ii IS their
business on their own lands TO com
plete the demonstration. Let them
show water used for irrigation on one
luarter-section and purchasers VIII not
only offer for that land, but the neigh
boring lands similarly circumstaDced
Thus. from nHcli thus established. irri-
cation areas VIII slowly extend over all
the plains. TX ls only fair To say that
some corporation with enlightened self
interest have begun 10 work in this
direction.
In referring 10 rhe irrigation Of the
plains by water lifted BY mechanical
appliances / have not been unmlndful
)f the desire for obtaining water from
lrJesisn wells. There are areas where
he conditions are favorable. and where
he driIler has been rewarded by a
splendid outflow OF water. In the cen
raj portion Of the DskOgaS there j. an
irea Of ten Or twelve thousand square
niles where. from several hundred feet
zreat pressure and Il enormous volume
-orming permanent lakes. turning