Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-11-30
ANCIENT IRRIGATION.

Judge W. T. Orr of waco Texas.
furnishes O contribution TO the dis
cusslon on the Irrigation question,
which is of interest because the judge
contends that artificial watering Of the
land was common thousands Of years
ago. HE also believes that the early ir-
rgatlou works In this country were
constructed by people familiar with the
ways OF the ancient Egyptians and
Assyriaus
The judge is quoted in the El Paso
Herald as follows:
"Tbe eminent men now discussing
irrigation VIII no doubt succeed Ia IN
uucug the present generation to re-
sumo methods which existed 1000
years ago, not only IN the western hem
Ispherc, lut IN the world Ny theory
is that the ancient reservoirs and ca
mans OF the western world. out OF use
and partly enaced except in the repub-
lies south OK the NiO Grande, were con-
structcd by engineers who learned
thclr art IRON masters Of the profess
sion. who had been driven into exile
and found asylum from eastern perse-
cut0rs on this hemisphere, which from
earliest ages has been the refuge of the
oppressed
Germans. Russians and French are
restoring iu AssyIiI the canals and
aQueducls built 1000 years before the
coming of Christ, which, I'M those days.
turned the surplus water oil the Eu-
pirates ana the 1igris on the plains
and caused deserts 20 yield figs pome-
granaJcs oranges. lemons and all man
ner Ot grain. as vel! as cotton In
Egypt the British engineers are re-
building on the Nile the vast systems
for the storage and delivery of water
for purposes OF irrigation, which when
conn .eted, viii be a mere restoration
OF conditions which existed before the
pyramids were built
In Texas every pint Of surplus water
can be retained. provided the controll-
ing works are constructed on a plan
adequate 20 the immensely of the pro-
Ject lf Il would cost billions II would
create billions. Every tributary how
ever small, should have It's storage
TANKS every river its dozen or two
reservoirs and the entire State should
be iDlHrsected with canals. Thus
would flood drainage cease drouth lose
lts stlng and smiling plenty bless each
succeeding year Instead OF 500-aCre
farms. q tillor OF the soil would find
five acres yielding plenty for his pur-
pose.
an reasoning on the problem OF
general irrigation fish and water fowl
should not De overlooked Everybody
could eat trout. and everybody could
have ducks and geese. Let taxation for
purposes OF war cease. Let each ma
ton preserve IT'S water. lis game It's
forests rs birds and devote the public
revenues to those purposes only. and
poverty viii disappear from the entire
world Texas Is well situated for ir-
rigatI0n. and I say let the good work
begin as soon as possible
Apart from the excellent suggestions
here made on irrigation In general It
Is worthy Of notice, that the Judge
unhesltoungly declares his opinion to
be that the ancient civilizations OF this
continent arc traceable to Egypt and
Assyria. Whom the Prophet Joseph
hrst offered this explanation OF a great
mystery De was riiiculed and opposed
Sat The more light is shed upon the
past Of this continent the more prob
able II appears that the Prophet was
right It is no longer a mark Of ig-
norance to believe in the eastern origin
Of much Of ancient Americas clyilza-
ton The Book Of Mormon is being
ylnd.cated as one Of the most valuable
historical documents I'm existence.