The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-01-21
ROMANCE OF IRRIGATION.
Transformation of an Arid Waste
Into Fields of Plenty.
(Kansas city Star)

kansas City Starr
There is a romantic side to the irriga-
ton of land which can only be appre-
ciated by those VINO have, through
their labor, caused the arid plain 10
burst into greenery. flower and fruit.
1t must have been upon the irrigator-
upon him who caused two blades Of
grass to grow where one grew before
| that the blessing was called down, for
it is he who aeconplishes this miracle
more than the man who spends his
time in dry weather praying for rain
and in wet weather praying that the
rain may cease.
In the western arid and semi-arid
country the few streams flow hurriedly.
as though to escape the heat and dust
about them and 10 quickly reach the
sea, or mOister climates, where the
suns rays are not so greedy Of the
river beds precious burden. On either
side the rolling land stretches away
for countless miles. It's vegetation is
spare and harsh. Great reaches OF
bare ground tell of the unsuccessful
struggle OF life against the deadly
drouth. The sky is always blue and
clear, with a sueely CLINT which gives
no intimation Of pity. the nights come
cold and deWy. but the gentle moisture
of the darkness is but a rehabilitation
for at the first peep Of the bTazen sun
above the low horizon it is gone, and
by noon even the meadow lark and the
grasshOpper sUccumb TO its discoun-
! tenancing stare and give no sign Of
vitality
In the winter the cold + sharp, the
driven snow finds no lOdgm,nt and rus
| ties over the ground with the noise of
dead leaves stirred by the wind. From
the north there is no refuge and on the
arid plains Of the great west the fierce
I blasts of winter have full scope for
their terrible play All life is gone It
I is a world apparently dead.
From over the edge Of that low east
ern horizon comes a canvas-cOvered
wagon on one of the early spring days
1t is dragged along by wearied horses
that have lost all ambition except to
reach a camping place 1t is driven BY
man whose face is drawn IN anxious
but determined lines, and his glance is
always far ahead along the road he is
making for himself. IN the wagon is a
tired woman whose dream is of a home.
a place to stay for more than one night
With her are the children with curiOs-
ity and hope in their sUnburned faces
and with little thought that they. in
years 20 come. viii hold the hOnOred
place Of pioneers in the minds of the
neighbOrs yet to come.
The wagon reaches the low bank Of
the swiftly moving river. The mans
face lights up with eageTness 1t is
here he will build for himself and
those with him. He looks not to the
sky above him for the water, for there
it is in the river before him. He needs
but a glance at the river bank to tell
him the story of the deep and fertile
loan and the splendid subsoil. He
strips the harness from his horses. I'M
loads his family from the wagon and
says: 1T is here we stay" And he or
his children are still there, but with
what a difference
With sturdy arm he turned the river
from it's bed. He carried its waters
broadcast upon the drouth-stricken
land until it cried enough for fear Of
drowning. The grain, the grass. the
trees sprang up as if by magic In the
midst of all there came a home such as
the wife had dreamed of. About this
home came others, then churches.
schools, Libraries, and then they called
it a town. Then came the railroad but
in all this prosperous hurry and busIle
there was no such real JOY as when the
hardy and adventurous founder OF that
town first saw the waters Of that river
slowly spreading over the scorched
earth and filling each crack and Granny
until il ran over into the next one. for
this all came from the labor of his
hand, and the result was beautiful 10
look upon.