The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-25

-
- &. Uirich tells the amazing story of
" development Of irrigation from the
. .s,,sr,s ditch TO the gigantic corporation
-sal hundred miles long.
- Individual ditch appeals 10 the in
s.-.,ed preludices and habits which the
.s,s,er brings with him. Even II II costs
..vs he often prefers II to the enforced
srhr,ssson 10 regulations which depend
80 on partnership bitches or canals In
relvek, hence on each stream the loea-
,orx FOR such bitches are early sought.
,rheo those In the main valley are gone
,arsfors look higher UP in the mountain
s,i,~vs and along the rivulets which go
| !. make up the main stream. These OPP
Il ,evtunitles still exist In some parts Of the
| sountry. but they are rare and hard to
srs The pioneer makes use OF all such
s.oortunitiea, and they are now 70 be
Ss,.nd only along water courses remote
|fsyom the centers OF population, where all
~ drawbacks Of the frontier must be en-
o,pn,ered The gain in first cost is thus
+ ,our Unbalanced by the attendant disad-
xleidual ditcaes IS therefore largely a
A. Of the past.
4&rpuxhout all parts Of the arid region
tls are found areas OF superior land in
~ form OF high plateaus. or mesas, To-
rraed sometimes al long distances from
- more important streams. usually oc-
e.pyipg positions OF great elevation above
~ latter, and frequently separated there
(een By high rocky buns or ranges OF
I(I1s and mountains. The exceptional fer
diiy Of many OF these lands, together
vnh their wonderful Uniformity OF sur
ftc>. render them especially attractive to
a. lrrixator. rhey are the best lands,
~ their location Is frequently such that
10 secure the proper elevation. dams have
IA b .hlilt 10 raise tee water at the head.
- the canal must wind Its way for many
~ through rocky canyons and along
voDclbitous cliffs, and be carried across
nStnes and chasms IN pipes or fumes.
whose design and construction require the
INT engineering talent and experience.
ne expense thus Incident to the construc-
Inn Of the works Is frequently so great
shot neither tho individual nor the com
mpnty can successfully undertake It's ex-
seaticn; hence they await the coming OF
sufporate capital or state aid. The agen-
n through which many OF these com
pshensive. difficult and expensive works
a Irrigation have been accomplished IL
~ institution known as the land and ir-
H9ation corporation, which has been the
successor 10 the individual and commun-
III enterprises In the development OF the
agricultural resources of the arid West
wire obtaining a system OF works for tho
frixaton OF given area OF land is what
Is known aa the district irrigation sys-
iem" The law under which this system
Il carried out originated In California and
9lhough It's general features have been
copied into the statutes OF some other
states. the operations under the system
have been almost wholly confined to tho
~! mentioned state This district law
4 designed TO secure the ownership aud
control OF the water rights and canal sys-
lens BY the people OF the districts organ
is<d under iis provisions.
The two most common and generally
Rsd methods OF applying tho water TO the
Nii 10 be irrigated are the flooding aud
Mrrow" syste1ns.
Under the ilooding system small parallel
aicheE ARE constructed every hundred feet
rso. according 10 the slope of the ground
sprh diicaes are usually simply burrows
nsde with heavy plow, and. being cut
q conyenlent points allow the water TO
nm out and spread over the adjacent
and. The water thus released at once
higgins 10 follow the lines OF quickest do
rsh'. and In so doing spreads out over
ue kfound as u proceeds. dividing into
hsnsefons branches or rilis as II increases
- distance from the opening In the ditch.
70 thereugh application TO every portion
e the surface the irrigator follows it's
sesrse, and by meaons OF long handled
novel guides u 10 every portion of tho
eNa This guiding In done by moving "A
wv shoyelfuln OF earth here and there.
tpa nus separating the various small ribs
~ starting the branches Ia different d.
wcsions, In this way the irrlgator follows
70 water through the field and prevents
~ collecting IN the iepresslona leading
vut npen such points as would without
~ assistance be missed by the water
wAsre only one operator ~ at work he
s~alt does not make many openings
sac aitch AT one time. since 20 do 50
~, result not only In a waste OF water
MReafh lis concentration into larger
sfsans which rapidly escape 20 lower
u~ina' whore Il may not be Needed. but
consultation for hong periods tn the
sstsnssi"ns OF the surface Il likely
f-foesn ovsfsafurati0u. to damage the
rp AZ those places when the area which
b Irrigated conveniently from the
.sT'lasa thus made has been sun GENTLY
-a'nsn'a sae latter are closed hy throw
- % Tow Hhovelfuis Of earth, and sim
4 eseaiAss are made az other points.
!. - seaae process being there repeated. and
-. veui the ifrigatlcn OF the whole
saasf this system au experienced irri
van coNee from ter 10 twenty acres
nc afua depending upon the eharae.
-. eeH taild surface and ihe volume az
a his disposal For anoh crnps as
s'A.h Alfalfa, clover ara the various
sr"F-Fo~ everything To- fact which Is
Z sHssdcss' and Is distributed unifurn-
sses TIE sgrfsca--tho flooding system IS
20, and Turntables the best. IN a7,na
-. ne enN. pyaetioah}e method u an
fs9ag TIE water
es'fs TIE myyaw method paraitcl ar
Ase ploNed leading from the ditch
$3.50 ne hsld between the rows u the
80 = BE- irrisa,ed A small apenlrs :
- W TIE ditch 90 lot thc water into
tsrf0w A darn % canvas 90 earth
t.aesd " tAe tltch iast hoI5w tae low.
i8TaE Into which water Ia hrtns run
~ uaar. hus holaiDs ere water nearly
m thsi para of ;Nr ditch ffesn vi i,h
tslus afYwn- When, the slope eft the
sss~.a Is excessive these flrloWs mus; -
0Nsonally az irgesriar,y ln order 90
,su1Ss taeir srade and thua prevent erp-
- y tsc saB
ne esrc u fraj; lrees Il usually j. de-
1e's dlrsns hot weather 20 prevent yhc
- from coming into actual contact
49, we trees. because ~ tna danger cs
sans. FIosding the surface a'sa re~ilts
A,a'e se1ls. tn baking and cosnpaciug
\. fAftt ehcui fhe trunks ana rants 81
~ sFses. To avoid these cansequercas nns