The Goodland republic., 1896-05-08
TIE SAVING OF THE PLAIHS.
The People VIII Never Again Emigrate frOm
ths FFairies Of Western Kansas.
viii Be Populated by Millions If the
Lines Laid Down by the Late Prof
Hay are Followed.


Under the caption, Redemption of
the Plains" Harper's Weekly publishes
a lengthy and exhaustive article from
the pen of the late Robert Hay Of
Junction City, Kansas, on the possibil-
ity and practicability Of the recIama-
ton of arid and semi-arid portions of
that extensive region commonly known
as the plains.
A map accompanies the article show
ing the annual rainfall between the
Mississippi river and the Rocky noun
tains. The problem of how to render
this section not only pro6tabIy, but
permanently habitsble by irrigation
has been long under discussion, the
surface supply of water for extensive
operations being insufficient.
The writer starts out by telling US
that, "a part of the United States
amounting to nearly one-f1fth of the
whole area is very imperfectly under
stood in other parts of the country. It
is that region east of the Rocky noun
tains, stretching to the eastern frontier
of the Dakotas, east central Nebraska,
Kansas and Oklahoma, and including a
large part of Texas.
THE SEMI-ARID REGION.
at forms the greater part-of the slope
of the western part of the Mississippi
valley, and has parts of the gulf and
arctic slopes. A large proportion of this
great area is deficient in rainfall and
so the whole has been condemned as
an arid desert OF semi arid waste good
only for pasturage. If to be arid
means that there is less than than ten
inches of average annual rainfall, then
no part of this region is arid. But
much of it comes near that definition.
In eastern Colorado, New Mixico and
Wyoming tho annual rainfall is, in
large areas, from II to IA inches, while
further east there are limited areas
where in 1928 there were not three in
ches in l3months and in 1894, from four
to seven inches in nine months. That
there are such great deficiencies some
times, and yet that the average keeps
we'll in the teens; and in some parts
west of the Tooth meridian exceeds 20
inches, indicates that some years there
is much greater amount. Thus IA
years. average at Dodge City, Kan,
was a fraction over 20 inches, but the
range in those years was from over 80
to below II inches.
"The terms semi-arid may be proper
ly allowed, then, to describe this re-
gion, and as the deficient years are
more numerous than those of excessive
rainfall, as a matter Of time it may be
conceded that the region is more than
half arid. But this is more than ought
to be said of the whole region. 1t will
be mainly true west of the 1OOth meri-
dian, but east of the 99th neither as a
matter of time nor Of area is it correct
to say that it is semi-arid.
"Crops of some kind can there be had
three years in five with ordinary farm
ing. The agricultural experiment sta
tions are showing that some crops are
better than maize and wheat, and when
the lesson has been well learned the
strip between 81 and 100 will cease to
be considered as part of the arid region
in any sense. In this paper general ex-
pressions will not include anything east
of the 99th meridian, though to some
areas always, and to other areas some
times, the points made may be appli-
cable.
"The region under discussion in its
widest dimensions, is, as already men
toned, nearly one-tifth of the area of
the United States. With our constant
ly increasing population it cannot be
seriously contemplated that this vast
area shall be used only for a pecarious
pastoral industry, which will be as dis
astriously affected by the irregular rain
fall as would agriculture. In 1880, and
again in 1894, cattle we're driven over
100 miles to obtain the grass due to
local showers. The semi-arid region is
a fighting ground. The white race is
here having a contest with nature. The
years of abundant rainfall have shown
that the soil, in color and texture un-
like the soils of other regions, is of IN
limited fertility, yielding as much as
55 bushels of wheat to the acre on the
1Olst meridian. and other crops in pro-
portion, according to length of season
and the altitude Of various parts. To
the writer the issue of this contest is
in no way doubtful. The white man
will winl The road may be devious and
strewn with the fallen, buta knowledge
of the conditions Of the struggle and
perseverance inits application viii make
the victory sure and that at no distant
date"
TIE MIGHTY UNDERFLOW.
DIR. Hay says that it will be useless