The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-24
TO MAKE A BIG LAKE.
All or the Kansas Lakes Have Dried %,
and the People Want One.
Prom the Chicago Record.

Prom tho Chicago Record.
GREAT BEND, Kan. Jan. 1s.-To turn hunt
ing ground into wat,r course 10 something
new. but such is tho gigantic plan that is to
bo carried ont by CAPITALISTS OF this sect OF
Kansas. Tho Arkansas River. when at its
flood in tho early spring. will be partly d.
vertei from its course and made TO tran Storm
tho famous Cheyenne bottoms-where the
American Coursing Club used to chase jack
rabbts-.nto an inland lake. A ditch so feet
wide, 20 feet deep. and 10 miles long is pro-
tected, which Will carry tho water TO the vast
basin and incidentally furnish an irrigation
+. b. Keon. a Colorado irrigation ditch'con-
tractor. Is In charge. and Great Bend capital
lists are backing him. Evidently the Cheyenne
bottoms were once the bed OF . lake. The
land is six miles north OF Great-Bend and was
once the favori,e hunting::.round OF the Chey-
roaaded by blum. and hi Without s an out sSt
II is fifteen miles long by six wide and cont
posed mostly OF gumbo. II is worthless except
for grazing; The gumbo makes an ideal bot.
ment. 80 far as seepage Is concerned. AT PRES
ent II is fenced and three small houses are on
the land. which Is owned by Eastern mortgage
companies and which may be purchased cheap.
Tho farmers who have granted the right of
way VIII receive water for less Than It costs I,
keeptho bitches In repair, but this ditch Is
simply starter. and IL will DO only a few years
until western Kansas will be u net work OF
reservoirs for the storage OF storm waters.
However. l want !" be first. and shall begin
work as soon as ! receive the options on the
ditch will pass can easily be worked, and in
Dry Walnut Valley the creek bed is available
slightly Increased width and depth.
The prc poscd ditch viii run In north
ea,terly direction for sixteen mics, and will
enter the bottoms over bluh, falling thirty
feet through a sluice dam. The n erage fall
Of the ditch VIII ;e one foot TO the mile. Al.
ground. intersecting the santa F6 tracks Just
west OF Dundee and the Missouri Pacific
tracks at n point four miles north OF e rcat
the Dry Wnlnut aud the Wet Walnut valleys.
Owing to the peculiar Topography OF this see
nut fifteen miles from the creeks mouth. or
ten miles below the ditch and five above. Tho
area thus TO DC reached covers 10000 acres.
Just before the valley of the Wet Walnut
Is reached there Is n large slough. which, ~ n
dam at the lower end can be made u reservoir
can be kept for use during the dry months.
This reservoir and similar one On the north
side OF the creek viii hold enough water to IT.
With body OF water of this size II Will be
possible to irrigate in several directions, aside
from the land contiguous to the ditch. The
into tho bottoms NJ the western side and can
be irrigated for distance OF six miles. THIS
has an average width OF two miles. making
twelve sections OF fine farming land ready
for watering. On the north side is Paradise
Nalley WIN o,uuU acres OF splendid farming
Land that will give great crops II watered For
fur years crops have failed in the valley. and
the farmers want 10 change the name Para
disc" II they cannot make crops surer tam
they are. On the east the area open for iri-
cation 10 equally promising. Four miles.awRy,
near Ellinwood, is anoIh"r depression that can
DO made into a storage basin, which will help
out when the riv n dries up IN July and August
The residents OF Great Bend are enthusia alto
over the plan. They think that u lake OF so
900 acres in the valley will molslcn the at
mosphcre and make ra fall more frequently
They want TO stop the hot winds and they
think this will do II. When the lake shall have
become a reality sportsmen anticipate fine
small pond. shooting Is not 30 bad. and II
ought Tn be line II the lake is made. II will
also be stocked with fish. The Arkansas
River 10 n vast bed OF sand most OF The ycnr.
and H. will I'LL the lake In a few dave
A COMMITTEES. consisting OF tn" County Sur
yeyor, the County Superintendent, the lead
inE capitalists and ot.er- In this citv. have bu.
gun operations. The route has been survt yed
from Pawneee Rock bridge across country
and optiOnt are ready OF. n large amount OF
the land. The ditch will be ready for the mex /
risa In the river II the work Is not hndcrcd
by some obstinate capitalist, for teams will
begin turning dirt ms soon as the weather
warns In the spring.
ThHn the lake may become n summer resort.
for the prospect OF "A vast lake of this size in
attractive and hundreds OF letters are coming
IN asking about II. IL Il certain THAI II viii
be the most interesting sEot N the state after
the depression Is filled, for there viii DO
nothing like Il this side OF thu Mississippi
Now Kansas has not even a good sized pond,
for all the one-tlme water bodies OF this de-
soription have gone out OF busihess during
the years OF dry weather. A lake OF the size
S 81 ihss AZ wl w! Il novelty practices"