Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-07-08


from the Kansas City Star which paper,
by the way, is taking the proper stand
on irrigation for Kansas even though
it may be off on the financial ques-
ton.
In the census of 1890 only eleven
states figured on the list of those EN-.
ploying irrigation and Kansas was not
among them. Should a census be care
fully taken now the number of states
would be nearly doubled and Kansas
would figure prominently in the returns.
N Notwithstanding the incompleteness
q of the figures of 1890 considerable in
formation can be deducted therefrom
which is of value and interest to-day.
This applies more especially to the
cost of water per acre, the consequent
increase in value of the land and the
amaFket returns from this irrigated
ground.
with million acres under water. Col
orado came next with goo, 200. Mon
tana had $50, 900, Utah, Nevada and
Idaho over 200, 900 acres each and the
others considerably less.
The total original cost of the dams,
bitches and reservoirs necessary to IT.
rigate this land is not given as it would
be difficult to ascertain with any de-
gree of accuracy. 1t may easily be
estimated to have run into the Millions
however, but put it at the most extrav
agant possible and still the reputed cost
ofwater per acre is small. The cost
to the owners of the 8, 564,4 4I6 acres of
land, for the first watering, was about
SS per acre. The estimated value of
the land before irrigation was possibly
$3.50 per acre. The sworn value Of
the land after this Ss8 expenditure was
S83 an acre. The products of the
land without irrigation were practically
nothing. With irrigation they averaged
S33 an acre annually. while in many
cases the land yielded cash rental of
$50 an acre to the owner who possessed
a water right.
This statement of acreage is of
course only the land actually under
cultivation with water. Every irrigated
farm has nearly as much land made
valuable and useful by the irrigated
portion. The first cost of the water is
estimated to have been S8 an acre, but
3 the average annual cost for succeeding
years is only 81 an acre, or a little
over I per cent of the cash value of the
land. This low average cost is due to
the figures from individual and mutual
bitches where the cost of operating is
divided pro rata among the farmers
using the water. If all bitches were
owned by companies and the water
rented or sold the average would be
much higher, possibly S. an acre. The
highest acreage cost is found in Cali.
fornia and Utah owing to the number
of bitches from which water is taken
at stated rental. The lowest is in
Wyoming where private and mutual
ownership is more common.
The average size of the irrigated
farm in 1890, was sixty seven acres.
The large number of small fruit tracts
in California, Utah, New Mexico and
Colorado bring down this average, for
in Wyoming the average is us acres,
where the farming is of a more exten-
sive character. It is also worthy to
note that while it costs the landowner
but SIS an acre to put this water on the
land the first time, he values this
water right at an average figure of
about SI3 per acre when it comes to a
selling proposition.
In the census of 1900 Kansas should
figure largely in the irrigation tables.
A movement is on which is already
bringing great results. Watching for
rain in the western part of the state
has given way to study of the water
supply. The surface supply will first
be utilized, then the storage possibili-
ties and the rest underfow, which is a
peculiarity of that section of the
country. Irrigation is no hap hazard
matter. 1t is a recognized science.
Given certain conditions and definite
results can be obtained. The flow O