The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-06-27

: N TO BILLING
lands to the state. Some progress has been made in this direction under
the Carey act but the results attained are far from encouraging. A large
bonded indebtedness with it's continual burden of interest would be un-
avoidable. The third proposition is the one to which I desire to call
your special attention. 1t is seriously proposed to ask the Federal gov
eminent to construct large canals to conduct the waters Of the streams to
storage reservoirs in the foothills, and on the highlands bordering the
valleys, the waters thu, stored to be taken from the reservoirs or from the
main canals under such laws and regulations as the state legislature may
enact or prescribe. The direct purpose of the construction on the part
Of the general government would be control Of the waters in the lower
Mississippi River. For nearly a century enormous sums OF money have
been appropriated annually to build mud banks or levees to keep that
great stream within bounds during seasons Of high water. The levee
system has proven impotent. Every few years the waters wash the banks
away and inundate the country carrying death and destruction to the low
lands. Hundred Of millions Of property have been destroyed in this way
A small fraction of the enormous sums spent in building levees and in
replacing destroyed property would suffice to impound the waters in the
arid and seniard states. The water which held up here would be a
blessing. becomes a curse when allowed to rush down. to augment floods
in the lower country. Why not spend some money holding it here
rather than continue to use all the appropriation in the futile attempt
10 keep the food within bounds down there? Some effort has been
made in this direction recently and with the help of a united people be-
hind the movement in this western half of the continentl hope to see the
policy adopted at no distant day.
The river and harbor act Of June Bird, 1896 provided For the examine
ton Of sites, and report upon the prscticabiliy and desirabiity OF con-
sructing reservoirs and other hydraulic works necessary for the storage
and utilization of water to prevent floods and overaows, erosion OF river
banks and breaks Of levees, and to reinforce the flow OF streams during
drought and low water seasons, etc"
The examination thus provided for was made by Captain Hiram NJ.
Chutendon a conservative, able and accomplished officer Of the corps OF
engineers Of the United States army. His report is embraced in a pub
lshed volume of 10 pages with ten maps attached for purposes OF Illus
tration. The summary of the report applicable to general conditions
reads rs follows:
W) A genera. system OF reservoirs IN the ard regions uHclen 10
contain the flow Of the streams over what it is possible to draw from
them directly in irrigation would, it is believed, cause some reduction
in the food height Of the Missouri River during the June rise Inc
amount Of this reduction would, of course, depend upon the distance OF
the section of river considered from the points OF storage, and would
diminish rapidly with an increase Of this distance.
() Reservoir construction in the arid regions Of the West is an lnds-
pensable condition to the highest development of that section. 1t can
properly be carried out only through public agencies Private enter
prise can never accomplish the work successfully. AS between State
and nation, it falls more properly under the domain of the latter.
CD Reservoir construction by the General Government need not in
any way involve Government control of irrigation works. These should
ho oft in the hands Of the States and OF private individuals under STATE
() The Government should acquire full title and Jurisdiction to any
site which it might improve, and full right to the water necessary to till
the reservoir. It should build, own, maintain, and operate the works
itself. It should hold the stored waters absolutely free to public use
under local regulations, subject only to the right to close the reservoir
whenever food protection o other emergency should require.
G) The total extent Of a reservoir system in the arid regions which
shall render available the entire flow of the streams will not exceed
1,161, %6oo,oo0Ooo cubic feet. If the construction OF such a system were
to consume a century in time, it would represent an annual storage OF
foot this would cost 81 ,43o,o31 per annum. This amount, distributed
among the seventeen States and Territories of the arid section, gives an
average annual expenditure in each Of $s4.119. The annual value Of
the stored water would return the original cost and maintenance in an
average period Of three years"
While Captain Chittenden believes the storage of water would only
slightly affect flood conditions in the lower Missouri and Mississippi
valleys, he of course concludes the result would prove beneficial in some
measure in that regard. Certainly reservoirs would tend to stay floods
proptionately as well here rs the storage reservoirs constructed years ago
by the government in northern Minnesota and still maintained as an aid
to commerce and navigation on the Mississippi. The construction and
maintenance Of reservoirs in this state would be Is clearly constitutional
rs was like construction in our sister state farther east.
During the last session we called upon congress to provide $4,000
for building reservoirs in Wyoming as recommended by the Chittenden
report and also for an appropriation of $5o.ooo.oo to survey canals and
reservoir sites in other arid and seniard land states. After an exhaustive
discussion. and a full consideration of the subject the senate committee
on Commerce acceded to our demand and incorporated the item in the
River and Harbor bill. After a spirited debate the senate adopted the
amendment. The House Of Representatives disagreed and the subject
was held in conference between the two houses until within a few hours
of the final adjournment of congress. In the House OF Representatives
the friends of the measure were not organized for the fight and as that
body was unyidding in it's opposition the Senate receded rather than
force an extra session of Congress through a failure to pass necessary
appropriation bills in the closing hours Of the session. It was however
then and there distinctly announced that the cause was not to be
abandoned. It's consideration was merely postponed and we are now
called upon to consult and unite every element interested directly or in