The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-03
Chat Of the Capital +,
Washington Gossip. Poiit,cai AMI Other
wise, for this Readers of the Gibbs.
SWNTIXNXE5UN1I/N>yNN

WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 2.-(Spe-
cial.) 1.-The people Of Washington are
making preparations to celebrate, next
December, the Tooth anniversary of the
establishment of the national capital
here. This month the Washington
centennial committee. which has in charge
the plans for the celebration, will give
banquet which, the Washington Post
states, will be the most notable one ever
seen in this city This committee, as is
well known, includes the governors Of all
the states, as well as the two special
committees appointed from the United
States senate, the house of representa-
tives and citizens committee. of which
John B.. Wight, one OF the District of
Columbia commissioners, Is chairman.
The banquet will be given at the Ar
lington hotel, and is in honor of the chief
executives of the various states who will
be in attendance. The Washington board
of trade will be the host. AT the meet
ing mentioned it is expected that these
committees will map out all the plans
for the anniversary celebration. 1t is
said that the prominent feature Of this
celebration will be the laying of the cor
ner stone of the national memorial bridge
across the Potomac. The committee will
draft the resolution urging this improve
ment, and 1t will be presented to the
president LOT MS dCIlOu. II IS SalQ THAT
Maj. Mckinley Is in thorough accord
the plan will be so advanced that the
corner stone of the memorial bridge can
be laid in December.
The department Of agriculture has Is
sued bulletin of great interest to the
people interested In irrigation plans.
This bulletin was written by ]. G. Un-
rich, an irrigation engineer at Denver.
1t describes the agricultural conditions
of the Rocky mountain region, covering
all the states In that particular section
of the country. The bulletin tells all
about the climate, resources and appear
ance of this region and explains how
bitches are built, rights to water estab-
Hshed and the water diverted into the
channels and bitches and applied to the
land The purpose of this Is to instruct
those who are new to the subject and
enable them to avoid costly mistakes
which noviceS in irrigatfng Farming are
apt to make.
The differences between bitches built
and operated by individuals, corporations
or districts are described, as are the
methods of operation. On the latter point
the bulletin makes the following obServa
ton: sg:I'
ssThe owner Of an Individual ditch OPP
crates as he pleaSeS, subject only to the
state laws governing the diversion and
use of water But when several persons
are interested in the same ditch the
necessity Of some system of control
arises. In the case of unincorporated
canals this control Is secured by the Sc
lection of water master. 1t Is on the
large corporation canals, however, that
the necessity for "a careful system of OPP
Grafton is most apparent. Many of these
canals are moro than fifty miles long.
and number their water users by hun
dreds. The Ridenbaugh canal, in the
Boise valley, Idaho, furnished water to
more than 500 farmers. Other canals
furnish water to many hundreds of far
mers." 31A'f
The ditch rider is the official with whom
the farmer comes in most constant con-
tact His duty consists In patrolling the
ditch throughout the season Of actual OPP
Grafton. keeping 1t In repair and superin-
tending the distribution OF water. Where
q ditch does not exceed twelve or fifteen
mites In length one rider patrols the en-
tire length, but where the ditch Is in
an extensive system several riders may
be required to perform this duty. The
length of a division covered by one man
deuends on the character Of his duties,
the amount of repairs, ETC., to be looked
after.
The advantage of reservoirs in the equal
distribution of water Is pointed out as
a good thing.
j. s.. Van Antwerp.