The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-12-26
ARID LAND COMMISSION
1t Files It's Annual Report With
the Governor.
PROBLEMS OF IRRIGATION
It Treats at Length of the Possibilities
OF the Use of Water on Arid
Land-The Work Now in
Progress Near Billings.

Special Dispatch to the Standard.
Helena Dec. 25.-The state arid land
commission has filed its report with the
governor. 1t is signed by Vice President
Donald Bradford, and goes at length
into the possibilities of irrigation as well
the work outlined by the board during
the year The report is as follows:
Your commission respectfully makes re-
port. as required by law, of its work COW
erfng the period beginning April Z and
ending Dec. J. 1887, and in so doing UNI
dertakes TO give information concerning
District No. / that may aid materially
to develop IL. AS each district is adj
vanced its advantages will be officially
mentioned to enable intending occupants
of our lands to come prepared for actual
conditions. To this end all reference to
other locations is made in the general re-
port herewith.
District No. 1 comprises 106 $50 acres of
land, with canal in contemplation, to
be constructed by this commission undo
authority of law. This canal will convey
an additional quantity of water sufficient
to supply about 1000 acres of railroad
lands and about 5000 acres of private
lands. aggregating about 5000 acres.
The Carey Act.
The general purpose of the Carey act
and our resultant state law Is to develop
dormant lands by building canals and
reservoirs and selling the lands with a
water right at practically the cost of
waterways and incidental expenses at
tendant. And after completion 10 operate
and maintain them for settles at ac-
tual cost. With this intended end the
work herein described was undertake n
with the belief that only the greatest sue
cess will result, for the good reason that
the fruits of the farm will. to a much
lesser degree, take fight as blood mon, v
TO the profit of the promoter and the
distended bond monger. To aid those
whom We invite to partake with us of
the best gifts from our maker TO partial
ly realize what is offered, we deem it
quite essential that that which follows
be told
When a Montanan wishes to impress
himself as well his auditors. with a
realizing sense of the immensely of his
beloved state he may possibly say: Just
imagine Montana an island in the broad
ocean. with inlets and bays. with CULTS
with adjacent isles and splendid harbors
then draw for your minds eye a picture
of majestic river, our own river the
muddy waters of the mountains. leaving
the brine of the sea TO wind itself into
the heart of nature and the hearts of
men. spreading Its arms to embrace the
hills; and lay at the feet OF human ty
power to grind and power TO dig. Then
see before you the veins of gold, silver
copper, lead, of coal: see the great for
ests and the great plains covered by the
focks and herds. the valleys flecked with
homes and hamlets; delicious fruits and
melons, every variety of vegetable. of for
age and of grain. See the great mountains
in staid combat with the clouds great
Ycenters of industry creating comforts
and luxuries for the people; then see tho
ships of commerce conveying to the lands
without our surplus OF good things. and
you will only have a faint conception of
the wealth God has placed at our com
mand to enjoy as we will
And then abe Montanan will not have
told the half of il. While we have not
the sea to lap in rage or lave the feet of
our commonwealth, four great railroad
systems, the Northern Pacific, the Bur-
ungton & Missouri River Great Northern
and the Union Pacific railroads furnish
transportation to all portions of the state
at prices relatively as cheap as other
sections of the country possess, and con-
meet us with the great lakes the two
oceans and the Gulf of Mexico And WI lie
the distance to any coast, and consequent
freight charges largely prohibit the ex-
port of our possible surplus products. IL
should, through proper legislative enact
ment, serve as stimulus To a complete
home production and supply of our wants
Montana's mining Industries create a
demand simply marvellous. which IS now
almost wholly met by imports from other
states. with resulting high prices hence
the settlers who come are guaranteed
homes and water supply without interme-
date profits to any one a splendid and
unlimited market for properly diversified
products of the farm and freedom FRI m
monopoly, except i'm transportation "a cen
dition existent everywhere, and that sxill
eventually be corrected).
AS the Montanan has said the Missouri
river extends into and drains all that
portion of the state east of the Rocky
mountain divide by numerous forks and
branches, and to the principal one of
these We desire to call attention at this
time.
Yellowstone River and Valley.
The Yellowstone river divides with the
Snake river of Idaho and the Madison riy-
er the work of draining the famous yell
lowstone National park the Snake doing
duty on the western slope. emptying into
Columbia river. the Madison the north
western portion and the Yellowstone the
northern and largest portion, together
with the high snow-capped mountains
thereto adjacent The river, as II leaves
q