The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1897-03-19
ON ITS OWN BOTTOM.
Irrigation in Kansas Must stand AIon
FroFu Now I'm

lature was to put an end to the state
irrigation board, from which so much
was hoped and expected two years ago
when it was created. The board was
the outcome of demand from the
western part of the state for a practi-
cal test of the underfow of which so
much has been said. The legislature
appropriated $4,000 for the two years
work, and expected to add as much
more for the two years succeeding, but
when the report of the board came be-
fore the people there was not so much
to show for the money as was sntici-
pated. The task before the board was
one of the hardest, and it went to work
in a very sensible manner to accOmp-
fish its purpose. The western third of
the state is now so we'll understood
that there can be no doubt as to its
possibilities, and the stations that
have been started at the states expense
are of practical benefit to the set
tiers in many ways. The work of the
board may be considered to be the end
of such experiments, and will be an
authority for the future on the subject
1t is a very new thing, irrigation in
| this prairie state. The board found
that only "a plants had been in oper-
alton up to 1889. After that date they
had increased rapidly until 1893, when
106 plants were started. In the follow
! lug year go began, and the next year
ESQ., Then the number fell to 100,
making total for the state of 1856
plants, irrigating 1888 acres. OF
these plants over 800 used the wind
that is forever restlessly drifting over
the plains as a motive power to pump
water to the parched lands. The farm
ers found that there was only one way
in which they could get to the water
cheaply, and that was by Harvesting
the breezes. The state in its work did
not have to do this, but in many sta
/ tons used the more expensive engines
and made the supply more uniform,
The work done at the stations was only
in the nature of showing how the water
might be raised to the surface, and did
not include the raising of crops. The
plants we're located in Hamilton, Gray
Grant, Sherman, Logan, Lane, Haskell
RaWlins, Rocks, Ford, Seward, Hodge
man and Wallace counties, the parts
Of the state where there was need oil
some way out of the difficulty in which
the settlers found themselves. 1t was
that way out or none. tt meant thai
| the irrigation experiments should b.
the salvation of the western third Of
the state. The plants cost about 81, 5Ol
each, and are the property of the state
What it will do with them nobody
knows. The object for which they
were purchased is ended, and there j,
sure to be a great loss on the invest
ment.
The survey of the waters of the state
as to the amount that flows through
the principal river beds was one of the
most expensive of the boards tests. L
shows that the total run-off of the
states rivers is in round numbers
1,226,000 feet of water year. It is est
mated that Il inches of water is suf1
cient to irrigate land in addition to The
natural rainfall that is now given tt
the principal part of the state. Wes
of the ninety eighth meridian, which il
the semisrid region of Kansas, ther,
are 1900 square miles. If the run-Of
waters could be distributed over thi
would irrigate IS of the acres in eacl
section threin. As to the adjacent bot
tom lands to the draws and river bot
toms are the most accessible it is cas-!
to see what are the limits to irrigation
as a plan to save the whole of western
Kansas. It is simply an impossibility
aud is st recognized by the board ant
the surveyors. The surveyor report
that the indications are that with tn
increase Of water used in Colorado th
entire water supply of the Arksnsa
river will soon be taken out before
reaches the state line except the laFg
floods. This means the extinction o
some expensive and important invest
ments in the way of bitches that hav
been the cope of that portion of tn
state.
On the whole, the outlook for iFrigs
ton in the state is far more promising
than it was two years ago, and nue.
more is known of its limitations AM
possibilities. The board has done tina
and has made the actual condition s
plain that there need be no more Of th
wild statements that have been so fire.
quent. The state can and will do nue.
along that line, but it will be by ind
vidual effort, and in small plans Wher
there is the skill and patience to deYel
Op the possibilities of local conditions
The state has on its hands a very elab
crate and expensive collection of sta
tons with pumps and reservoirs Rher
no one can use them to advantage Tn
appliances viii probably be sold an
the irrigation experiment Of the CON
monBealbh closed upstate Jo1rna
Wanted, eight clear quarters in town
ship 8, range 39.-B. F. Brown.