Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-22
THE VAST ARIDLANDS
ARE TO BE TURNED INTO 4 VERi-
TABLE PARADISE.
Big RIVERS TO Be HARNESSED.
water supply To lie Provided Ca
pnbIc of supporting Population
ns Large ~ Tint East of the Mis-
sissippi River.

sissippi River.
Mir. +. II. Newell. the photographer OF
the United states Geological Survey. has
just finished an exhaustive examination
of the arid lands OF the West, and will
soon make a report to the government,
explaining lis novel plan FOR retaining
| them. He has consented 20 write for ~
| the following article, outlining his plan:
Correspondence of the DispatchD
SALT LAKE CITY, october l2-for
years plans have been discussed by mem
| hers of the United States Geological Sur
vey. relative TO the retaining OF the vast
/ tracts Of arid land in the West, but not
| tin lately has a plan been made piactlcm
I which will bring the important pIoJec'
within the bounds Of practicamilty' Inc
difficulty has heretofore lain I'm the iael
| that from the Investigations or the IL
vision of photography. most Of the water
! which can easily be taken from perennial
/ streams has already been appropriated
! but that the food waters and the larset
! rivers run mainly to waste. TO cOisei
ard utilize these. works OF considerable
magnitude must be built, requiring lhe
expenditure OF large sums OF money. IN
| perience has shown that great enterprises
! of tins kind have not I'm the past Deei
financially successful 20 the owners. al
/ though Of great value TO the community
where built In other words. the com
| munity gets the benefit while the Investor
/ unwillingly becomes a phiianthropist
| If we are to continue as In the past
| TO transfer the surplus labor Of the East
| 10 the surplus agricultural lands Of the
| West IL must be done by State or ma
! tioual supervision. Private enterprise mas
too often suffered financially 10 continue
! this beneGcent course. , But / have at las1
conceived a plan by which the great rivers
! may be utilized to water this vast region
of fertile country. Ny project calls Ioi
! the construction Of a mammoth system
/ of conduits by the government when VIII
/ abundantly supply the arid territory VIII"
/ moisture.
! OF course. the work of the Geological
! Survey f. primarily that of ascertaining
| the facts and classifying the national
! domain Beyond obtaining and record
! ing these conditions. the survey has re-
J ally nothing to do with the problem OF
! reclamation: for this is matter lot
! Congress TO determine, but as action by
| that body must be based upon intelligent
opinion. all reasonable efforts nave Deeh
made by the geological department To
| lay the facts before the people, IN ofoef
!
| Fully one third Of the area OF the
| United states exclusive Of Alaska. con-
sists Of vacant lands belonging TO the
people OF the United States as a whole'
! and being at the disposal OF congress.
There are. Of course. additional unused
areas belonging 20 individuals and corpo-
rations. but these i'm the aggregate are
small compared to the vast pody OF pun
! lie land open 20 entry ana selllelHe"'
under the homestead and other laws.
| me Greater part of this great extent or
land If vacant not because OF the sleIll-
inv of the soil. but because OF the iact,
| that droughts prevail and the supply OF
moisture is too scanty for the production
of crops valuable 90 man. Wherever lhe
ricb soil is irrigated. it produces bOunu-
fuUy. but i'm ifs natural condilOn very
soantv covering Of desert plants IS an
that can exist.
The ariditv of the region is due not
So much 10 complete absence OIL ""'ol'
AS To the fact that rains occur al HIes-
ular intervals and the torrents pass Oh
,.-idiy to the sea without thoroughly
! ,,aisteuinq the ground. By conserving
/ The water and saving The available sup
! rIy mill the time OF need, many acres
| If land can be reclaimed. The land mus
/ relieved from the curse Oh aHully l'
/ f,uud more productive than that OF lHe
! humid region. and with the continuous
| sunshine of the West several crops can
! be produced during each season !. Is
| thus possible 10 provide "a water sNpiiS
such that a population a. laIso az &c
egst of the Mississippi river can be sup
rortsd in the West provided, that
! wise treatment Is given 10 Ihe use "''0
| distribution Of the water.
| IN. United States Geological survey
! has eiuce its organization, devoted us
energies towards investigating lhe
| sources of the country. and particularly
those Of the West where the great Oouy
of uublic lands il situated, Ondet -
| former eminent director MAJOR d.
Powell. much attention was gwen 10 tne
question OF irrigation, and throush MS
lfCorte The people Of the United tale5
- tbeir hrst accurate knowledge OF
/ tI,s possibilities OF the reclamation or lhe
! s,il re,iou. he instituted the systematic
/ ,.,oppinp of the country, ana laid tuS
! foundation for the exact Work now be5
| Inc brought toward completion by ms
successor. Charles ID. Walcott. lh lAe
| f,u of 1SsS. ne found that the study or
! tho water resources of the country might
ven he specialized from tho more gene
raj work Of mapping or examining IocA9,
| and. therefore, created WHAT Is N', ~,
| as The Division of Hydrography. 1n4s
| b., Leen for ten years under my direc-
! lion and I have carried on measurements
of the principal rivers Of the west az
| well as of many streams OF impOi lance
in water-power development IN the Easl'
In each state and Territory sys'ehla'ic
,neasurements of the flow OF various
rivers have been made and computations
| rrenared. showing the discharge DAY Ny
| dav throughout the year. Reservoir
sites have also been examined ana, "heIS
practicable. have been surveyed anu
| tbeir contents ascertained, and IN many
| ooses the cost Of construction estimated,
| me occurrence or water undeIsrouhu
he's also been matter Of careful STUDY
I and particularly the condition goVeihlns
Artesian flows There has thus Deen
eatbered a mass of detailed intormallo"
| Concerning the availability OF waters
| sncb as 10 render impossible the Know
Iodge of the extent 10 which water can
ne had for irrigation and for power ana
| II is hoped that the government VIII soon
beein active measures for the reciaiiiIAs
Of mis- vast wealth along the Hhes OF the
renort soon To be made by TINS depart
ment. |',Il,,i,..t
Survey.