The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-29
Kansas vs.. Colorado

nalf of the state. The elevation of the
ped OF the river through the state of
Kansas is from 1850 feet above the llyel
OF the sea, at the Colorado line. to LOCO
teet above said level at the point where
1t enters Oklahoma. The rainfall IN The
drainage area OF said river in the west
ern half of the state Of Kansas is Wy
light, and, by reason OF the poroas Ia
tUre of the soil through .dt said drama ge
area, the greater portion of he water
so falling sinks into the cath, ii hut
a small portion thereof finds its way TO
said river, except in the event of severe
and unusual storms. The ordinary and
usual rainfall IN the major portion of the
valley of said river in the state IF an
sas is utterly inadequate to the growing
and maturing of cultivated crops Ut any
kind, because, first, the precipitati0n is
very scant; and, second, it does let fall
during the growing season of he yesr
The said river in its entire course
through the state of Kansas has a natu-
raj fall Of about seven and three-tenths
feet per mile. The valley OF the river
IS composed of sand, covered with a1u-
vial soil, and the river and the surface
soil OF the bottom lands in the state of
Kansas are all underIaid with sand and
gravel, through which the waters Of said
river have flowed from time immemorial,
extending in width under the entire valley
for its whole length through the state
of Kansas is in and beneath the bed
thereof and beneath the surface of the
bottom lands of the entire valley and
said river. That portion of the river
which flows beneath the surface through
the sand and gravel is called the under
fow." The "underflow' is confined to
the valley Of the river and is co-exten-
sive with the valley and varies in volume
with the amount of water in discharge
in the river. The water which flows in
the river from the state Of CoIora do into
the state of Kansas furnishes the princi
pal and almost the entire supply of water
for the underfow in the valley of said
river, and at its normal height the said
uuderflow is of great and lasting benefit
to the said bottom lands. both as to those
which abut upon said river and as to
those which do not: and is of great pen-
eft TO the people owning and occupying
such lands, for that it furnishes mois-
ture sufficient TO grow ordinary farming
crops in the absence of rainfall. and fur
nishes water at a moderate depth Eelow
the surface for domestic use and for the
watering of animals. The flow of water
in the river-bed is also OF great value
to the people in the vicinity by reason
Of the fact that the evaporation from said
river tends to cool and moisten the sur
rounding atmosphere, thereby greatly
promoting the growth of all vegetation
the value of lands in that vi
cinity and conducting directly and mater
tally to the public health and making the
locality habitable. Owing to the dryuess
OF the climate, the clcIdlessness If the
sky, the high elevation and the prevail
Ing winds, evaporation is rapid and great,
being about sixty inches Fer annum at
the east end of the river valley in Kan
5as, and ninety inches at the wes- line
IF the state.
Outside of said valley in the western
half OF the state of Kansas are several
million acres of arid land and plataal
Ipon which grows sparse but valuable
grass, upon which cattle feed and upon
which they have, in times past, in vast
been fed and fattened. but the
,att,e so fed must have watering nlaeas,
md such watering places must be in the
liver valley. And the availability and
Use of the said arid lands and the pros
Derity of the business of cattle feeding
thereon depends entirly upon the water,
Is convenince, depth and supply, and if
he surface flow of water in the bed of
said river be wholly cut off from the state
Il Kansas, then the underfiow will grad
lally diminish and run out, and the val
ey of the Arkansas river viii become
Is arid and uninhabtable as is the up
and and plateau along it's course, since
without said underhow the valley land
will be unfit for cultivation and the arid
ands unavailable for grazing.
The bottom lands in the valley of the |
river in the state of Kansas are
practically level and rise from six to tif-
cen feet above the water bed of the river
md are such as are ordinarily termed and |
viii be herein referred to as bottom |
ands" Nearly all Of said bottom lands, |
those which are adjacent to the |
BED of said river, are fertile and produc- |
i've, valuable for farming purposes, and |
we'll adapted to the growing of corn, |
NAANetNr eAtAN'A-SAt - NtSAilNoNiN anu VIM
grasses. orchards, fruits. vegetables and |
IL ike crops, grains and grasses usually |
crown in that latitude of the United |
states. In addition thereto all of said |
ands are valuable for grazing purposes |
md well adapted TO the support of vast /
numbers of cattle, horses. sheep and hogs |
Nearly all of the bottom lands Of the |
aid Arkansas valley. including those up- /
n the banks of said river, are now owned. |
Ield and occupied by persons engaged |
n agricultural pursuits, and more than
hree-fourJhs of the bottom lands of SAT- |
alley in the state of Kansas were and /
re occupied by persons owning or leasing |
aid lands and residing thereon with their
antilles. More than two-fifths Of said !
,ottom lands so situate in said valley in
he state OF Kansas. including more than !
wo-ffths of those upon the banks OF
aid river are in state of actual cult
alton, and have been for many years 1
asst; and said lands now have outside OF
ne cities, an agricultural population of |
acre than 5o,0e0 persons. The inhabitants
+ said valley are now and have been /
ince the first settlement thereof. as here
natter set forth. engaged in the raising
( corn, wheat, rye. alfalfa hay, frui s.
vegetables. cattle. horses. sheep and hogs
nd other products common 10 the lati-
ude and climate
Situated upon the banks of the said
liver in the state of Kansas are numer-
Us cities. towns ana villages. and among
he cities 50 situated are Syracuse. Gar
en- City. Cimarron, Dodge City, Kins'ey.
armed. Great Bend. Sterling. Hutchin-
on. Wichita and Arkansas City. all OF /
hitch cities, except the one last named.
re county seats. and have an agsresate
opulation OF over 50,ooo persons, whose