The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-04
NEBRASKA'S ARID LANDS.
IRRIGATION SOLVING A PROBLEM
FOR FARMERS AND STOCKMEN
Stock Raising and Agriculture Now Play
Ing Into Each Others Hands-Prosper-
ity Has Come Even Along tho Streams

in tho Bad Lands In Consequence.
LINCOLN. Neb.. juno 1.-Two transforma-
| tions have taken place In western Nebraska
| during the past decade. In tho latter part Of
the eighties the tide OF immigration to the
| West was at It's food. From the cities II over
flowed to the country. and hillside and plain
were In few short years dotted with the
| easily recognizable marks Of the husbandman.
| Then came the years ofdrought. the months Of
| dread. the ptiless beatings down OF the sun,
| the hot breath OF the summer wind that parched
| all In its sweep. With crops an entire failure
with no means Of sustenance during the
coming winter in sight. many fed the land.
The lucky few who could do so rode back
home in vanished cars; the unucky many
packed their all in prairie schooners and head
ell for the homes Of their wives relations.
Prior to ten dozen years ago the wide
region Of country west OF the second principal
| meridian was the paradise OF the stockmen. or
rather Of the big stock companies. for the indi-
vdual holders were few .and their holdings
small in number. AS the settlers attracted by
the broad rolling land in the valleys OF the
Platte and it, tributaries. rushed in they
pushed further and further back toward the
mountains the great herds OF the stock COM
panes. Not all of the available land was taken.
but the amount occupied was great that 10
was not possible to allow tho herds to run at
large the summer through unless in charge OF
cowboys. an expense too great to be borne
proftably. They took refuge in the hills OF
Wyoming and in the hillocky prairie Of Cherry
and Brown counties. broken into small herds
and divided among many owners.
The hcgira of the drought sufferers included
almost every man who had attempted excu-
sive farming in that section. The few who
STAYED were the wise ones who had gathered
about them little herd Of cattle. Then came
the era Of irrigation 1t was light in the
wilderness to the residents OF western Ne
braska To Eastern investors familiar with
conditions in the agricultural West it was held
up as the one hope by which so great terri
tory could be reclaimed. For one year. two
years. 1t was almost craze. Ambitious specu-
lators poured money into wide bitches. heliev-
ing every landowner would eagerly buy the
water at his door. The result was disappoint-
ing to investors. but slowly and surely it Is be-
ing proven that fair return. not the quick and
large profit they expected. Is in sight
With the exodus OF the farmers came the
opportunity Of the stockmen again. Their
herds have once more entered the State. and
from this industry many millions are being
added to the States wealth. But the conditions
are not OF old. Convinced that agriculture
on wide area. where climatic conditions are
not favorable to certain rainfall. can never pay.
the farmers OF that region have taken to the
land adjoining the rivers, where irrigation is
ticaly coded to the stockmen. and one indus
try has become corolIary. an adjunct. to
home market most demands; he does
not rely for his, profits upon the grain
hose Which viii find n ready sae to
stockmen for winter feed. All the summer the
herds range upon the prairie but IN the winter
farmer cannot afford to haul his alfalfa or his
70 Ittf al
supplies OF winter feed are stored. And this
over western Nehrask a to-day. It is how asri-
culture nin is being made to pay; and 1t is what Is
The reclamation Of the arid lands is steadily
d is "ny by the
State, in the famous Bad Lands. the value Of
There the Country Is rongh. hiiiockv. almost
impossible to traverse. 1t is cut into ravines
pon, to another one cannot follow " s Straight
line. He must follow the creeks, or the dry
as either a farming country or stock. country.
but, American grit and determination have
By s aGFS
the settler LAYS out his farm. he constructs a
small IRRIGATION ditch with laterals reaching
and family He has a little, BUNCH Of stock
feds them wifi Tho surplus product Of his
IN other words. his tillable land furnishes him
the means OF subsistence. the hills furnish the
S'8GE o how FfR H two industries
unite is sho IN in the valley Of the Niobrara in
which wild hay is the prnfIipail crop ana the
sible for the farmer to buy stock. and thus
year by year the herds multiply,
The proportion Of irrigated land to tho total
amount in that region gives only slight idea
Of the actual increased wealth thereof. unless
made. The irrigated land Increases because
Of the nearness to winter feed. the va ue OF the
that they afford n home mar ket for irrigated
land products. in turn add to the value OF the
The history OF irrigation in Nebraska ex-
tends over scarcely half a decade. Prior to
that time individuals had appropriated water
rights. but 1t was not until the fearful lesson
Of the drought had taught men the need o! ar
tihcial aid in the distribution OF moisture that
1895 the first board of irrigation was organized.
1t was locked upon largely as an experiment.
The, impetus it gave to agriculture and 10 stock
raising has been so great, however, that at the
bureau. with an adequate force OF engineers
and secretaries was created and ample sums
appropriated for its maintenance.
The state asserts prior right over all streams
In Nebraska, and no appropriation OF water
can be secured unless an application Is first
because OF the limited supply and the neces-
sity OF regulation. The maximum allotment
for irrigation Is one-seventieth of cubic foot
a second for each acre reclaimed. On many Of
the SIN allstreams the areas suscepti BILE OF irri-
CATION are limited to few acres, but in the
majority Of Instances the water will be ample
with proper time distribution.
Irrigation companies furnish the great bulk
Of the water to land owners. The usual charge
IS 81 an acre for each acre cultivated by It's
aid. This price has seemed SO high to strug-
Cling settlers that many OF them hesitate. and
1t is only when "A man sees q neighbours crop
saved or tho yield doubled by irrigation that
he realizes the absolute necessity for it, In
order to overcome the slow growth of opinion
| on the question the companies are now intro
| ducing a new system OF charges, one OF S. or
So an acre for perpetual water rights, with
small annual Zee for maintenance. This re-
| turns to them their original capital and allows
/ Il reasonable profit thereafter
! The one troublesome question Of the day Is
| the copservation OF the water. The North
| Platte is the principal source OF supply. II
| rises in northern Colorado. traverses large
region Of the mountainous country OF Wyoming.
! and sends an immense amount Of water down
| into Nebraska, The South Platte supply is
| mcagrc. because it is Colorado's chief source
| Of water for irrigation, ditches All through
! western Nebraska the North Platte has uni
/ form fall OF six 10 nine feet to the mile. When
! a company or n district desires to run a ditch
! th,. riNrr il tlipI II n n N with