The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-15
ARE 4 ON A new TACK
Efforts to Promote Legislation
So for Irrigation.
RIVER AND HARBOR BILL
The Arid Land Measure Will Be Added
lt to It in the Senate-The Proposed
s Reservoirs Would Do Wonders
for Agriculture.
Washington Bureau of the Standard,
No, 1145 G Street N w.

IL
No. 1145 G Street N. w. I
Washington, Feb 11-Several of the
Western senators have taken a new
tack in the effort to promote the irriga-
ton of the arid lands of the West. Their
idea is that appropriations for this pur-
pose should form part Of the river and
harbor appropriation bills, and, headed
by Senator Warren of Wyoming, they
are now endeavoring to amend the cur
rent bill along these lines. Senator War
rem is trying to secure an appropriation
of quarter of a million dollars for res
ervoirs on the headwaters of the Mis-
souri,. He tells the Standard that the
idea of making irrigation legislation
part of the river and harbor bills first
occurred TO him while he was member
of the house. That year there were four
Western mountain states that were
omitted from the river and harbor bill.
Montana was only mentioned in small
appropriations, and Wyoming, Utah,
Colorado and Nevada were omitted al
together. Senator Warren says: at
seems to me that it Is only fair and just
that the great national works for irri-
cation should be on the same footing as
those for river and harbor improve
ments. If the senators from the arid
tdllu states Will set together ana llSnt
it out on this line it will not be long be-
fore we can and do win out
Senator Mantle also has very progress
Give ideas as to the manner in which
the irrigation appropriations can best
be obtained He believes that the
building of great reservoirs along the
upper courses of the Missouri and its
tributaries will actually reduce the size
of appropriations for river and harbors
9 for many years. mot only will these
j reservoirs do wonders for the agricul-
tural development of the arid land re-
gion," says Senator Mantle to the
Standard, but they will save millions
OF dollars by preventing disastrous
Washouts on the lower Mississippi. If
as much money were expended in StOr
Ing water on the upper reaches of the
great Missouri Mississippi riveras there
1 Is in levees and entertainments along it's
& lower courses there would be a saving
of millions to the government and to
farmers and planters"
'a The following are the exact terms of
the Warren amendment for reservoirs
a the Missouri headWaters: For the
construction along Piney creek, Wyom-
ing, of three reservoirs in accordance
with the recommendations submitted
by Hiram M. Chittenden, captain of en-
gineers U. S. A, 100000; provided, that
the secretary of war may enter into a
contract or contracts for such work and
materials as may be necessary for the
completion of such reservoirs, to be
paid for as appropriations may from
. time to time be made by law, not to eX-
coed in the aggregate $4,000. exclusive
of the amount herein appropriated. For
construction on the South Platte river,
in Colorado, of a reservoir in accord
ance with the recommendations sub
mitted by Hiram M. Chittenden, cap
Of on OF n
There now seems every prospect that
the long delayed Butte public building
bill will at last become a law at the
present session Of congress- 1t is still
uncertain whether the appropriation
will stand at 100000 as it passed the
senate or 5000, 900 as it has passed the
house. The great battle, however, was
won when the bill passed the house,
and there is little doubt that it will re-
ceive the presidents signature before
March 4th. 1t will interest readers to
know exactly what the bill provides a s
1t passed the house. This undoubt-
edly affords minimum statement
of the measure as it will become
a law. AS before stated, the bill
carries an appropriation of 100000. Pro-
posals for the sale of land suitable for
the site must be invited by public adj
vertisement in one or more of the news
papers of Butte for at least IA days
prior to the date specified in the adver-
tisement for opening the proposals. The
proposals made in response to the pub
lie advertisement, at the time named in
the advertisement or within 10 days
subsequent thereto, shall be received,
opened and considered by a commission
OF three persons, who are to be APP
pointed by the secretary of the treas
ury, and it shall be the duty of the
commissioners to forward to the secre-
tary of the treasury, within 40 days from
the date named in the advertisement
for opening the proposals, written re-
port, with the original proposals, maps
and so forth, and to definitely state in
said report the site selected by them,
and their selection of the site shall be
final. Each commissioner will be al
lowed a compensation for his services
of an amount within the discretion of
the secretary of the treasury, this COM
pensation, however, not to exceed 5000
and actual travelling expenses to each
commissioner. The building must be
uneXposed to danger from fire by an
open space of at least 40 feet on each
side, including streets and alleys"
If the bill passes it will become the
duty, under the practice, for the sena-
tors and congressman from Montana to
recommend the three site commission
ers to the secretary of the treasury. He
may or may not approve the names
suggested. but this course is probable.
The treasury department has deter
mined that while a mining syndicate, or
other association, issuing certificates of
stock in company organized by it is
not required to pay special tax as
broker therefor, a manager or other
person employed by it to sell such GER
tificates on commission is a broker
within the meaning of the second para
graph of section of the Dingley law,
and is required to pay special tax ac-
cordingly. This decision is covered by
a letter written by Acting Commission
err of Internal Revenue George w. Will
son to Collector Dunno at Portland
This was in response to a letter receiv-
ed from Dunno inclosed a letter ad-
dressed to him by the president of the
Washington, COOPERATIVE Mining syndi-
cate of Tacoma, containing a statement
of the mode in which this syndicate
does business in the distribution of