The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-11-30
Gigantic Irrigation Scheme
Started in Dakota.
Company Organized and Capt.
taIized at $5O,OOO,OOO
TO LAY PIPE LINE
From Dakota to the Panhandle
of Texas.
VIII Take Water From the
Missouri River.

Denver. Colo, Nov. 3o-If the Pipe Line
Irrigation and Land Improvement Com
pany succeeds in selling bonds enough for
money enough; if the scheme announced
proves feasible; if all the contingencies
turn out favorable to the company, then
the arid regions lying east of the Rocky
mountains between Dakota and Texas
will become a vast garden. capable of sup
porting millions of people.
The Pipe Line Irrigation and Land I'M
provement company is a concern incor-
porated under the laws of South Dakota
by some young men in Chicago, who
frankly admit they have neither money
nor backing. It was launched on the
troubled seas of existence with great
flourish of trumpets some weeks ago.
With it's vast capital of $50, 900, 900 the COM
pany was to do all the irrigation really
worth doing.
A P. Charles the president of the
company is a real estate agent who
lives a 1888 Yale avenue, Englewood, Chi
cago- Arthur P. Cutter, the secretary. is
a commercial traveller at 6S31 Union ave-
nue., Chicago. The company's offices are
in the Ashland block, Clark and Ran
dolph streets, Chicago.
The principle offices are at Pierre s.
d. DR.. F. c. Walsh, third vice president,
recently moved from Pierre to Chicago.
The other officers and directors, T. P.
Estes, w. G. Yates, Louis d. Biel and
NJ. ]: Lissberger, are said to be citizens
of Pierre. Robert c. Sturgeon of Chica>
go is general attorney of the company
and L. K Davis of Davis and Mead, the
general contractor for the scheme.
When asked about the pipe line scheme
Mr.. Sturgeon referred the inquirer to L.
K. Davis, who has a desk in the same Of
flee. Mr.. Davis is an entertaining talker
and full of ideas. He frankly confessed
that the company had no financial back
ing, but expects to enlist the support OF
moneyed men who have heartily ap-
proved the plans
I'VE intend to lay pipe line fromSouth
Dakota, through Nebraska, Colorado. Kan>
sas, Oklahoma and Texas he said. AT
intervals reservoirs will be erected for ir-
rigation purposes. Our line will tap many
rivers. We propose to turn millions of
acres of barren land into fertile farm
ing tracts and raise the prices, that are
now not much more than 81 an acre, to
$40 or more.
1.-THE open irrigation ditch is a failure.
1t is impossible to convey sufficiently
large body of water any great distance by
the open ditch without losing by alb
sorption and evaporation such percentage
as to virtually defeat the ends for which
bitches are constructed. The pipe line sys-
tenn utilizes every available drop of water
and the source of supply, the Missouri
river, is practically fnexhaustible.
1.-The feasibility OF the enterprise is ma
teriaIly enhanced by the opinions of the
most expert engineers and the solid back
ing of the company.
This will cost money, but the residents
of the states will realize the inestimable
value of this project and its entire feasi>
bility and we will have no difficulty in
raising enough money to justify our cap
itaIization at 100000 600. We have just
been informed by our foreign agent that
our bonds will be placed in the London
market early next spring.
1.-The bond issue will be one of the larg-
est ever foated by an irrigation company,
being $4,000 900, or 40 per cent of the capi>
talization of this company. We are push>
ing the right of way work We will Sc
cure agents in every county that our line
will pass through and the residents will
be interested at once. Funds will then be
forthcoming. In fact, even now we have
the support of many great finan-
ciers and hope to start the work at the
time originally scheduled.
THAT time will be May 1 next. The
erection of reservoirs and the laying of
the line will be pushed rapidly. We have
to use pipe of cement and the
makers give US easy terms. For the rest,
our scheme is taking like wildfire.
I'VE have made but little effort to push
the scheme until now, but we in
tend TO do so later. Secretary Of Ag-
riclilture Wilson has Endorsed the scheme
and so has all other government officials
Our idea is to lay pipe line from Dakota
20 the Panhandle of Texas, taking water
from the rivers and wells which We dig.
Then we will sell the water to land own
ers 1t is a big undertaking and is a good
scheme, both from a money standpoint
and for the farmers"