Rocky Ford enterprise., 1896-03-05
A BIG ENTERPRISE.
Importance Of the Propo,cd PAwnco rass
Irrigation System.


United States commissioner OF irrlsa-
tion. arrived In Denver yesterday from
his home In New York city, says the
Republican. His mission here Is TO
inspect In the interest of Eastern capi-
miists the site of the proposed Pawnee
tass reservoir In Morgan and Logan
counties, ana go over the 200,00O acres
Of barren land Its bitches will bring
under cultivation. Should the report
lie has to make be favorable one.
nnd everything indicates 1t will be.
Mt least half million dollars, nearly
NIL Eastern capital. will be expended
on the mammoth irrigation enterprise.
Colonel Hinton IL consulting cngii-
Ger for the syndicate which promises
to put up the money that will be cx-
pended on the Pawnee Pass reservoir.
West & Garfield OF Greeley are the
Colorado agents for the company.
which is still rather loose -jointed or
ganizatlon. To their efforts more than
any Others Is due the prospect of the
projected reservoir soon becoming
reality.
In the first plat they filed with the
state engineer the plans proposed for
constructing the reservoir with Its I'M
mense system of canals and laterals
involved the outlay of S2.000O00. The
largeness of the amount tended to dis
courage capitalists from putting their
money into the scheme. so West &
Camilcld went to work and amend
cd the first plat. BY this amendment
three reservoirs are to be constructed,
Instead Of one. rs arranged for by the
original plan, and other economical
notifications made so rs to reduce the
cost Of the entire irrigation system to
S5OO0OO
The 100000 acres OF land to be wat
cred will be homcstcaded and re-
claimed under the provisions of the
Carey act. Water will be supplied by
the Pawnce Pass Reservoir company
10 nil settlers taking up land within
the territory to be reclaimed. the
charge to be fixed by the state. Ms pro-
vitled by law. The one condition the
settler has TO comply with is that he
buy water from the reservoir COM
pany.
Recently the civil engineer of the
Union Pacific, Denver 4 Gulf Railway
company made II tour of inspection
of the reservoir right of way. and the
territory 1t will water. His report was
NEST favorable. While the Gulf is not
financially Interested In the pending
Improvement. It is SO In other ways,
as its line runs through that section
of Colorado and will find traffic there
when the land becomes fertile and
populous. The Burlington & Missouri
is also indirectly concerned In the sue
cess of the scheme.
A supply of water is to be drawn
from the Platte river near Pawnec
Pass through feeder sixty feet wide
and five feet deep. One large reservoir
will be constructed at his point. to con-
meet by bitches with two less capa-
cious ones. The third reservoir will
have Its water supply augmented by
a second connecting ditch with the
Platte.
Rules specifically setting forth the
terms on which the land can be ac-
quired by intending settlers are now
in course of preparation by the men,
bers of the State Land board, State
Engineer Sumner and Attorney Gen
eral Carr. 1t is probable that as soon
as Colonel Hinton gets back to New
York with his report on the reservoir
proposition active work in digging the
Logan and Morgan counties canals
and bitches will be started.
In connection with the Pawnee Pass
and other public land reclamation ell
terpriscs in Colorado several coloniza-
tion schemes arc contemplated. More
than one set of prospective colonizcrs
have already communicated with
state Irrigation Superintendent
Emigh on the subject of Colorado's
water supply. Some doubt has recent
ly been expressed about the supply
for 1896 being adequate, on account of
the light snowfall up to date.
Speaking of the matter yesterday.
Superintendent Emigh said that at
present there was no snow on the
plains and not much among the noun
tairs, except early snow in the timber.
At the headwaters of the Poudre riv-
er, an elevation of 11,000 feet. there
is from three to five feet of snow in
the timber, and the same conditions
prevail further south on the range Re-
ports to Mr.. Emigh show that the res
eryoirs on the plains are better filed
MT this time of the year than ever be-
fore in the history of the state A
large surplus of water from last years
supply accounts for this encouraging
state of affairs In the prairie sources
of irrigation.
Superintendent Emigh reports ngri-
cultural lands generally to be in good
shape for ploughing and cultivating.
owing to the early SHOWS and rain
moisture of last fall. While there is
not. generally speaking, an abundant
supply of snow this year. conditions
for farming are more favorable than
they were at this season n year ago.
There is still time for the apparent
snow shortage TO be made good, and
everything indicates more rain and
snow before the opening of spring. On
the whole Mr.. Euigh believes that
colorado will do well in the matter Of
Irrigation during the year 1906.
Fad for Grnsshoppcr Eggs.
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