Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-06-23

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HOME OF SALVATION ARMY IRRIGATIoNIsTs
| IN COLORADO.
miles of irrigating canals have been
constructed and over $50 miles of tele-
phone wires laid. Any desired quantity
of water can be conveyed to any part of
the tract.
The largest canal, called the Amity,
carries water from the Arkansas river
to distance of 10 miles. The canal is
33 feet wide on the bottom, so feet at
the top and 6 feet inches deep. The
basins used for storing the water have
an area of over so square miles and a
capacity of over 1900, 600, 900 cubic
feet of water.
The farmers in this locality are pros
porous. Celery, cantaloupes, caulifiow-
-ers and other products raised here find
ready market in the Atlantic coast
cities. Cattle thrive here The farms
average from 90 to 40 acres in size. and
the communities are very compact.
West of the Mississippi there are said
to be over 500, 600, 900 acres of land.
now barren, which only needs water to
make it fertile.
Thesstory of the transformation Of a
desert into a garden is fascinating, yet
the social experiment being tried here
by BoothTucker is of still greater in
terest. The commander of the Salvation
Army has long believed that one of the
most important problems of the age is
how to get the poor and unemployed
out of the cities and induce them to
occupy vacant land and engage in agri-
cultural pursuits. Booth-Tucker decid-
ed to locate his first colony here after
several sites were considered. A tract
comprising $40 acres was bought, and
an addition of 800 acres purchased. The
next step was the selection of colonists.
Chicago was chosen as a recruiting
station, and over SEQ families offered to
emigrate to this land of promise. Only
26 families. or about 100 persons, were
accepted. Upon reaching here each fam
lily was allotted ten acre farm. The
price was placed at S2250 per acre,
with period of l. years to complete
the payment
The people are not given anything
outright, but must pay for all they get
Tools, wagons and implements are fur
nished to the colonists, and they pay
for these on the installment plan. The
men have to build their own homes
There are some carpenters in this party,
and they are of great assistance. Colo
mel Holland of the Salvation Army is
in charge of the settlement, and he 'oc-
cupies one of the cottages.
The success of the Salvation Army
project is said to be assured. The re-
suits have so surprised and delighted
Booth Tucker that he is now proposing
the formation of a 100000, 900 fund,
and with this immense sum of money
he would like to secure enough vacant
land to support 1000, 600 persons.
This whole subject of irrigation and
the occupation of land which is now
arid is of especial concern to our west
ern people. The art of making fertile
the waste places of the earth was known
and practiced by the Oldest of civiliza-
tions. The people of Peru were experts
in this line. In our own country the
results of irrigation have been witnessed
in many states. Arizona, Idaho, Mon
tana. California and many other states
can testify to the benefits TO be derived
from an artificial supply Of water.
The advantages of irrigation are
many. The system makes the supply of
water regular and certain, and the
fear of droughts is done away with.
Failure of crops is not feared. Diversity |
of crops is permitted, and farmers can
raise such products as would otherwise |
have to be purchased away from home.
One of the great objections to farming |
life is its lonesomeness. Irrigation farms
are closer together, for the reason that |
a much smaller amount of space is re-
quired to yield given quantity of
produce.
The late Roswell P. Flower, whose
knowledge of railroad properties and
their development was recognized by
nil. said that an increase yearly of 10
per cent of population along the line of
a railroad was sufficient to build up
any property The great transconti-
mental railways pass through miles and
miles of unproductive territory. Sup
pose that this unoccupied land was
colonized and peopled with farmers. 1t
would mean the shipping of more pro-
duce. Revenue from railroad stocks
would increase and the value of these
securities would rapidly improve.
Irrigation will help the live stock
business. More land will be opened for
grazing. Herds in the future are likely
to be smaller, yet the uncertainties of
the business will become less Cattle
will not have to be sent to another sec
tion of the country in order to avoid
as.1..al lslat tlSS &c AZ.