People's voice., 1897-07-22
Facts for lrrigatOrS.
Stste Journal.

other source. This source is the enOr.
nous volume of water stored in un.
derlying previous soils, easily accessi-
BILE by wells aud deep trenches. The
existence OF the sub-surface waters Of
the river valleys of western Kansas
has long heen known. 1t is one of
the most important Of the natural ad.
Vantages Of the state and upon which
the foundations of prosperity must be
carefully laid."-PrOf. F. H. Newell,
Chief Hydrographer, United States
Geological Survey.
The aggregated herds Of the So
called "small" cattle men constitute
after all by far the largest part Of the
cattle supply Of the west. So it is
with irrigation. Much noise is made
about great ditch which irrigates
twenty thousand acres OF land from
one headgate and but little over the
thousand headgateS which may irri-
gate just as much land even more
effeCtually and in way more Condu-
Give to the prosperity Of a semi-arid
area. Yet these smaller irrigation
schemes constitute by far the greater
portion Of the progress which has
been made in this direction.
As shown by Prof. Newell, Kansas
is particularly fortunate in the con-
ditiOns existing fOr small, cheap irri-
CATION plants. Many of these are
now in operation. Many more are in
process of construction and there is
hardly limit to the number which
may yet be devised. Water is OBJ
tained for irrigation from existing
sources by two methods, natural grav-
ity and an artifCially created
gravity. The land owneri is fortunate
when he can tap his water supply at
point higher than the land to be
irrigated, but there is a vast tract of
country in the middle west where
this cannot be done. 1t follows then
that after discovering water under
such conditions it must be raised in
sufficient quantities to a point where
gravity flow may be obtained upon
the land to be irrigated.
The usual way of doing this is by
pumping. This system has been in
use for ages, for the earliest traces of
human handiwOrk on all the cOnti-
nents include some form of the utili-
zation Of water by raising it to an
artificial level. American inventive
genius has striven to improve upon
the methods of the ancients, and for
some time the water raising plants
upon the market were of a compli-
Gated and expensive character. This
has changed of recent years, and the
machine of today is simple and mex
pensive, operated upon the same prin.
ciples which were utilized by the Per.
SLAMS of old.
The Investigations of the hydro.
grapherS of the United States govern.
ment have shown that in the end
pumping is the cheapest and most
satisfactory way of putting water
upon land. This is contrary to the
popular belief, but the actual figures
furnished are convincing. The aver.
age first cost Of water from gravity
canals in the United States has been
about 1918 per acre irrigated. This
first cost is followed by an annual
charge ranging between 81 and 81 for
each acre irrigated. Windmill pump
ing plants can be built at a first cost
OF about $40 per acre irrigated, while
the subsequent cost represented by
the bill for maintenance is practically
nothing. The advantages possessed
oy the landowners of the Semi.arid
west In this country, with the shallow
wells and porous soils, is better real
lied when conditions in other coun.
tries are considered. In India, be.
tween the Ganges and Jumna canals
there are $4,000 wells, which irrigate
It million acres Of crops, In Madras
2million acres are irrigated by 300, 1000
wells. In another province there are
100000 wells sunk trough rock to
distance of eighty or ninety feet, each
well irrigating from one to four
acres.
There are many crude devices for
raising water, such as the wind en-.
CINE of the early settlers, the water
wheel, which turns with the current
OF the stream, the various forms of
the Persian bucket litter operated bv
water, wind, animal or man power
In these days of cheap machinery,
however, every American land owner
Is able to buy water litter operated
on more scientific and easier methods.
These water lifters are all pumps.
but in infinite variety. Experts
divide them into four classes, lift.
force, rotary and syphon. The power
by which they are operated NAV be
animal, wind, water, hot air, explo.
sive gas or steam. Wind is generally
used TO operate the lift and force
pumps and gas or steam is used for
rotaries, which require a steady mo.
tion.
Tho obniaa ~