Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-04-20

CncnEO RECORD says:
Secretary Wilson intends 10 sreud
his summer vacation in making per-
sonal investigation of the irrigation
problem In the West. Both the Interior
and the Agricultural Departments are
now ut work in that direction. The
former, through the division Of hydro
graphy OF the Geological Survey, is
making detailed examination of the
fiuvinl system west of the Missouri riv-
er, for the purpose of ascertaining. all
the facts that can be learned In regard
to the quantity and the value of the
rainfall, the water from the melting
SHOWS, the courses and habits of the
streams. the area of arid lands which
may be irrigated by them, the best
methods OF distribution, and Is making
a photographic map of the arid region
for the use of the government when IT
attempts to utilize the waters for agri-
culture.
The Agricultural Department.
through Elwood w. Mead, an eminent
Irrigation engineer of Wyoming, who
has his headquarters Mt Denver, has at
tackled the problem from another
standpoint. He is making experiments
to ascertain the amount of water ne
cessary for the cultivation of different
crops In various sections of the arid
region. is analyzing the soils and test
ing the various grains, grasses, yege-
tables and fruits which thrive best un-
der irrigation. At the same time, In
the irrigated states, he is teaching the
farmers how to use water to secure the
best results, and communicating the re-
suits of his experiments and investign-
tiOns through the regularly published
bulletins OF the Agricultural Depart
ment. In other words, he Is treating
the problem from the practical side,
while the Geological Survey people
are treating it from the technical, side.
He works as farmer, they rs engi-
neers.
Secretary Wilson is going out espe-
cially to satisfy himself as to the prac-
tIcabllity Of the reservoir system.
There nre said to he 600 O0O, 600 acres
Of land In the western country, now
useless because of the absence OF Wa
ter, which may pc made productive by
irrigation, and provision was sought in
the last river and harbor bill for the
construction OF three experimental res
ervoirs along Piney creek. Wyoming.
for the purpose OF demonstrating the
feasibility Of storing the spring floods
for use In the dry season. Scientists
who have studied the subject maintain
that there Is plenty of water In the
arid regions, but II runs away before
1t Is needed, and the proposition. Is to
contrive some means by which the
melting SHOWS and the heavy rainfall
In the spring months may be detained
until the dry season and distributed
where II will do the most good. 1t has
been proposed to construct the three
reservoirs named as an experiment for
n practical study of the question. bur
Notwithstanding the efforts OF Semi
tor Warren. Senator Carter and other
representatives of the arid states, the
Item wns knocked out OF the appropria-'
tion bill Oh the last night of the ses-
sion. The subject is likely TO come up
aguin. however. in the next Congress,
and Secretary Wilson wants to educate
himself by personal investigation, so
that he may discuss II intelligcnty.
Several Nice questions are involved In
the Irrigation problem. Some people
contend that Its solution should be left
to private enterprise or TO the nutliori-
Ties Of the Individual states; but when
n stream Of water flows through more
than one state the general government
must control 1t. 1t Is also contended
TINT Uncle Sam has no right to go Into
wyoming or Utah and build reser-
volrs for the benefit of the people OF
those states with money from the pub
lie treasury. The answer to this Is thai
IL II Is right for the government to
build dikes and dams and jetties to
protect the people of the Mississippi
valley from floods. 1t is equally right
to build dams and furnish water TO the
arid regions Of the west.
1t Is estimated that the annual loss
by the overflow of the Missouri river
alone would build all over the north
t..l, t.aU n la
the flow of the spring rainfall and
snow-melt so as 10 prevent such de-
struction. According 10 the theory OF
the engineers, the reservoir system, II
introduced In the upper Missouri val
ley, will obviate and future dGs.gcr
from floods along the Mississippi. The
spring rise of the Missouri Is Just rs
certain as the annual rise of the Nile.
md the army of engineers hnvo data
by which they determine that rcser-
voir seven miles long. eight miles in
width and thirty-onc feet deep would
keep the river ut SiouS City below
danger point.
Captain Chittcnden of the engineer
corps has prepared plans for reser-
voir forty-seven miles square and thir.
ty-one feet deep. which he claims Will
control the grcntest flood that has ever
been known on the Missouri river, and
1t is argued that IL money cnn be prop.
erly voted TO protect the towns and
plantations along the Missouri and
Mississippi rivers from danger that al-
ways threatens them. and to relieve
people who are distressed thereby, II
Is equally proper to vote money to
make that danger impossible. II is al.
so argued that If 1t is constitutional
to dig out rivers and harbors In aid
of commerce. II Is equally constitu
tionnl TO build reservoirs for the bene
fit of agriculture. Senator Warren as
serts that the amount of money that
has been expended upon the Fox and
wisconsin rivers in the course of The
last twenty years would be sufficient
to build reservoir systems at the head
waters Of the Mississippi and Missouri