The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-19
THE GREAT STORAGE RESERVOIRS.

scientific corps Of agents, whose duty II
viii be 10 gather data as to the causes OF
failure Of irrigation enterprises IN the
West. The bill provides for fhe appoint
nens II this commission by the secretary
Of agriculture. who viii outline the work
and report their findings for final action
ta congress. The selection OF this corps
vii! be men of the IVES; who are thor
oueisfy acquainted with irrigation and the
general construction and workings OF
reservoirs
Senator Francis e Warren. Of Wyo-
ming chairman OF the committee on irri-
Cation. and Senator ". A. Harris. Of Kan
sas, also a member Of this committee. botn
worked day and night during the session
for the success of this great and impor-
tant project
Judge James s. Emery. OF Lawrence,
Kan. lecturer for the National Irrigation
congress, did some good missionary work
toward the passage Of the Warren bsil-
Judge Emery has for the past seven years
travelled through seventeen states ana
territories in the interest of irrigation in
the arid West. and his knowledge on this
subject has been most valuable 10 con-
gress In an interview Judge Emery said:
1.-The irrigation Of the great plains : the
most important Of any question now before
the people OF the United States csilsNe
irrigation Is the only salvation for me vast
les practically uEs.Sea0ped and lfl<sel'lSu-
The United States Is Sill the owner OK one
third Of its whole area, exclusive " AiaStAa
An area three times az great as tiie
thirteen original states This territory EN-
braces the arid region and contains, as Is
estimated. over ino.tssltst acres OF itnu
that could be converted into ulao.e eoI
and thus furnish homes and Occupations
for the millions Of young men now com
PEELED annually 10 drift 10 the cites. Inc
impoundsng In reservoirs AT tae heaI-
-Y.A vfsr
try would not only perform the vital rune
ton Of irrigation but would result IN the
prevention OF Hoods and Overflow OF the
Mississippi and ether large rivers
1.-THE most formidable evils arising from
fIo1as are that they occur only AZ times
when there Ia least need OF water. anu Eot
infreauentiy bring with them appalling d-s-
asters Among the most calamitous OF
natural yisitat.oTES, considering iflSlr lrs-
euency and geteril distribution. they ho.d
the record even above earthquakes anu
storms They mark the history or nearly
every stream. great or small and the loss
OF life and property from this cause IN the
history OF the past transcends calculation.
millions of dollars are annually sXpen3
ed 10 make up for the deficiency Of water
in seasons OF drouth, and like sums To pre-
vent or alleviate the evils OF excessive flow.
Singtslarly. the measures adopted nave heN-
er been OF Il method 10 remove the cause.
Scarcely anywhere ~ the effort made In
prevent the occurrenc or either hlgn or
low water. 1t would naturally follow, Ii
OF streams. the primary and fundamental
object should be 10 correct them and make
this flow uniform.
whether or not this object il possible
OF realization is. therefore. one Of the first
questions which should be settled. fnaS
much as human agencycan exercise no APP
preckable influence upon the climatic condi-
tions. upon which variations OF stream flow
depend such as the precipitation of noiS-
ture and the melting OF snow, Il Is evident
that the ultimate cause Of The evil condi-
tons just described must ever e.ude the
efforts OF man 10 control them. The sources
OF streams are clearly destined To remain
as variable in the future in the past.
The only possible method by which uni
fcrmity of flow can be secured must there
FORE he by storing the surplus waters in
seasons OF food and releasing them in sta-
sons OF drouth by Use of artificial reser-
voirs
1T Is estimated that reservoirs aggregat-
ing ar area Of 16.eU square miles. thirty
one feet deep. constructed ~ the head of
tae Mississippi river systems In the Rocky
mountains, VIII forever prevent that river
frcm flood or overflow
Hon. T.. X. Moses. Of Great Bend Kan
chairman OF the transmsSsiss!ppi CONNER
cal congress. ard Hon. George Maxwell OF
California. also "A member Of that commit
Zee. were both In Washington representing
that congress.