The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-26
Views of Some Farmers of Salt Lake
County.

The need of radical change IN the sys
tenn of irrigation that now exists in Salt
Lake county seems to be agitating the
minds of the farmers in the various pre-
c-ncts OF the county. and before long a
meeting Will be called to take the subject
into consideration, and draft an irriga lion
Dill with the view of having it presented
ana. II possible, acted upon by the legis-
lature now in session. A Herald repre-
sentative had a conversation Yesterday
with prominent farmer from Butler
precinct. and from him it was learned
that there is strong feeling amongst the
farmers to have the state control the i'm
portant matter of irrigation. In Salt Lake
county, he said. there are thousands of
acres of the finest bench land at present
right, that could be brought under cult
walton if the waters from the canyons
saw Big and Little Cottonwood-could be
made available. 1t appears That the can
yon waters are, at present, principally
owned. through prior right, by men
whose lands are located in the valley, and
the grievance is that the water they OBJ
tain from the canyons runs past the valu-
GSlo bench land referred 10. To obviate
this IL is maintained that the men owning
tscse prior water rights, and the land
in the valley could irrigate every foot of
their land from the Utah lake through the
present canals. or if these canals are not
large enough they could be made larger
to carry an abundance of water. and this
- a manner $50 far as expense is con-
cc--e0 that would be satisfactory TO all
concerned Then the canyon waters could
be utilized for the bench lands. upon
---.ch could be raised the very choicest
of fruits The old channels in which
TIE canyon waters run today, for miles
the ground is very loose and sandy, and
rs a consequence the water sinks and
springs up again away down near the
Jordan river, where il is of no earthly use
to anybody. These old channels. il is
argued. could be done away with. new
channels could be made on figher ground.
So that in the course of a year or two
the land adjoining the new channel would
became capable of cultivation. and would
not require near the amount OF water II
does at present. Furthermore. the water
that soaked away in the old channel
would have the same chance in the new,
and thus help the land for miles below II.
If this system were adopted the present
would have TO pay smaller assessments;
because those owning land on the bench,
who now pay nothing. would be called
upon to pay their share at whatever as
sessment or tax might be fixed upon BIZ
those interested. The Butler farmer also
said that he had been informed by other
settlers that there are reservoirs both IN
Big and Little Cottonwood canyons which
could very easily. at the low water mark
Of the season, be tapped at very little ex-
pense, thus ensurinS an abundance or
water at a time when il is most needed
the low season. 1t will be interesting TO
hear of the result of the proposed meet
inc of the farmers of Salt Lake county
if il should end in the DreSen-
Iation of a comprehensive irrigation Dill
to the state legislature. The vexatious
aw suits over water rights. where there
4 n bill became law, be brought 10 an
and