The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-28
WONDERS OF IRRIGATION.


The results OF irrigation In southern
California are we'll known. says Mr.. James
Wood in the Country Gentleman. The pro
duction Of citrus fruits and many other
valuable products Is almost entirely de-
pendent upon II. The achievements OF less
than q quarter of a century excite our
wonder and admiration. But great AZ these
are. they are not 50 striking and impress
i've az are the results obtained within q
very few years in The territory OF Arizona
where the desert has truly been made 60
blossom with roseN, and the strange and
vicious cacti have given place to tho
choicest fruits and most precious crops
produced from the sol in any quarter OF
the earth.
The desert Of Arizona Ia vas,
and in Itself most forbidding
Extending north and south near
ly through It's central position 10 q
great whale back rise OF land that reaches
100 or sea feet In height. and through
which the Colorado river hss cut the TIM
mensa canyon that surpasseo In extent
and depth and wonder all others of the
world. This high hand catches the currents
OF air from the Pacific. and. extracting
their moisture. has az a result grow tbs Of
grass and forests OF pine But here are
tho only native trees In the territory
worthy of the name. All elxe are but
brush or struggling specimens by the feeb-
lie water courses.
Through tho southern portion of the ter
ritory. south of the highlands described.
In its hottest and most arid district. flow
the Salt and CHA rivers. fed from the
melting SHOWS of high mountains. and
which unite aua empty into tho Colorado.
Here the Pima and Maracopa Indians have
lived and grown limited crops OF wheat
and barley by a rude and very limited
system of irrigation. Long before them a
prehistoric race. OF whom We know moth
ing whatever except In the traces OF their
work that still remain. and whom for tho
want OF a trucr name We call Aztea. r-
rigzted these valleys on an extensive scale.
Their great canals boar witness to their
skill In hydraulic engineering. and the
ruins OF their towns and villages tell OF
their great numbers. Lieut. Cushing csti-
mates that q population OF at least 3o.poo
eouls once resided here. They were prob
ably the same people az the cliff and cave
dweliers, whose deserted houses 80 excite
our wonder today.
The development OF Irrigation In the
Salt river valley IN q few years 10 Illus
trated by the growth OF the town OF Phoe-
nix to the proportions OF q city. Water has
done IL A number OF small canals were
consolidated by the Arizona Improvement
Company, which now supplies tho water
through . complete system that irrigates
SOmefmrE ike tutsHs3 aNIrs oA tett1s 1UH
surface of the ground In perfectly adapted
to convenient Irrigation. II has Just the
uniform slope that permits the water TO
flow TO every portion with ths velocity
that gives rapid distribution without wash
ing. II water IL discharged Al the north
east corner OF any tract. however large
or small. It can be easily conducted every
where upon IL. This il n most important
matter for economical management
Ths conditions OF the Salt river valley
are almost Identical with those Of the val
lev OF the Nile The climate is almost ex-
actly that OF Egypt and every foot OF
ground is Desert. except where wafer per-
forms It's magic work. Here 10 no annual
humiliation. as along the Stie. but almost
the same result, Is obtained oy copous
winter Irrigation, whisA 30 completely
Nlls the col with water that evaporation
and seepaga do not exhaust X through
out the season But as along the Nile, the
greatest results are obtained BY sippse-
rnanffug this with ADDITIONAL water
throughout the year: 50 Ike treatment
produces fne same result here. bat here ~
IL done much more easily and cheapiy
than Ia Egypt. where expensive pumping
plants are required. Nowhere IN Egypt
have I seen such astonishing results from
irrigation az 10 the Salt river valley, ann
nowhere else in TIE world have l seen
such abundant crops grown.