New-York tribune., 1901-01-30
IRRIGATION PROJECTS.
A GREAT NUMBER OF BILLS PRESENTED
TO CONGRESS-
THE GOVERNMENT LIKELY TO BD COMMITTED
TO A FAR REACHING POLICY OF
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT
my TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.

lBY TELEGRAPH To THE 1hAbUNf-l
washington, Jan. 29.-A greater number of
| bills on the subject of reclaiming by irrigation
the vast arid regions Of the West are being
poured into Congress at present than ever before.
The agitation of this long neglected and little
understood question is becoming so persistent
that it is practically assured that the Govern
ment soon will be committed to new and far
reaching policy of internal improvements in
spite of the traditional opposition Of the Demo-
cratic party to the general principle and the
apparent indifference at present among Repuoli-
cans to the subject of irrigation. 1t is certain
that the supporters of irrigation in both
branches of Congress will continue to threaten
every River and Harbor bill with defeat until
their contention that respectful and sepa-
rate consideration which they insist it deserves
AS was said In these dispatches yesterday. Sen
ator Warren of wyoming, will again menace
the passage of the River and Harbor bill In the
Senate until he succeeds in nlpressing on the
minds of everybody interested in that measure
the importance to his section Of the country of
Congressional aid in reclalming the arid region.
To do this effectively he will probably strive
TO put a rider on the bill carrying an appropri-
alton of 100000 for the construction Of storage
reservoirs al the head waters Of the Missouri
River in his State for irrigation purposes.
Mr. Mondell. of wyoming, who is expert on
the subject of irrigation already has introduced
in the House a bill, embodying this feature
Bills of a similar character also have been in
troduced in the House by Mr.. Newlands, Of
Nevada, and Mr.. Bell, of Colorado. The Mon
dell bill directs the Secretary of the Interior
TO cause 10 be made, under charge OF the
di1 ector of the Geological Survey, an examina-
ton of the possibilities and estimate of the
probable cost Of a comprehensive plan of water
storage in the arid and semi -arid regions with
.R,,sy,, at
which now runs waste in floods and freshets'
and may he made available for the purposes of
irrigation by the construction Of storage reser-
voirs or by the diversion OF large streams where
such diversions VIII result i'm the conservation
Of food waters and the probable cost OF the
conservation of such food waters and he shall
cause 10 be made a detailed examination and
survey and estimate Of cost 6f construction Of at
least one conservation project in each of the
arid and semi-arid States and Territories, the
projects selected for such detailed examination
TO be those which, by reason of the relative
economy of conservation. immediate demand
and availability. are best calculated to promote
the interests of irrigation reclamation. Pro
vided that if on examination II shall be de-
veloped to the satisfaction of the Secretary Of
the Interior that in any arid or semi-arid State
or Territory the interests Of irrigation will he
better served by the sinking of artesian wells
than by flood conservation, he shall cause
aminations to be made in such State or Terri
tory Of artesian basins, and recommendation
made Of location for the sinking Of at least
one experimental we'll in each State or Territory
with estimate of cost of same. Section ? Of
the bill provides thai the Secretary of the In
| terror shall report TO Congress not later than
/ January l. 1902. the result oc the investiga-
! ton provided for. with suggestions and recon-
mendations and tire sum of S200000, or as much
I thereof as may be necessary, the same to be
| Immediately available is appropriated for car
rying out the provisions of the act.
THE sToRAGE RESERVOIR PLAN.
The advocates of irrigation legislation and
particularly Mr.. MondeI, have broadened the
subject into Of National importance by pre-
senting the testimony of eminent Army en-
gineers 10 show that a thorough system of
storage reservoirs in the whole arid region would
materially diminish the size and destructive
force of the annual spring floods of the Missis
sIppi River by catching and holding at the head
waters Of the main tributaries 70 the big stream
sufficient quantity CT water 10 prevent fresh
cts.
The arid region is defined in the Newlands
bill embracing Arizona. California. Colorado
Idaho. Kansas Montana. Nebraska. Nevada,
New Mexico. North Dakota, Oklahoma. Oregon,
South Dakota, Utah. Washington and Wyoming
The promoters Of the storage reservoir idea Co
not intend that the water 50 stored by the Gov
ernment shall he drawn directly from the reser-
voirs and distributed over the adjacent land for
irrigation purposes The sole object is 10 pro-
vide a continuous flow of water in the streams
affected in the dry season, for navigation
well irrigation purposes The work is at
present too stupendous 10 be undertaken by
private capital, although II is not doubted that
unless the Government embarks in the business
private capital eventually will do and rea
the benefits by monopolizin2 the water supply
Of a vast region of country which, when brought
under irrigation, will be capable of supporting
millions Of people. Mr.. Monden claims that
with less than the $50 900 000 which have been
expended by the Government In the last twenty
years in vain efforts TO control the unruly Mis-
sissippi River his object could be accomplished
i'm a much surer way by the method described in
his bill. which would at the same time form a
ready ard convenient means OF irrigating the
arid lands traversed by streams at whose sources
storage reservoirs had been constructed. Under
his plan the Government would have nothing TO
do with the actual or detailed work of irrigation.
What the Government is asked TO do is to store
the waters that now go to waste, and from the
reservoirs keep the rivers and other streams at
a regular flow, leaving to the States the duty Of
prescribing and enforcing regulations for the dis
tribution of the water from the streams thus
kept up to a regular flow.
MR.. MoNDELL EXPLAINS HIS SCHEME
by my system" said Mr. Monden to The
Tribune correspondent to-day, I'VE would 10 the
extent of the waters reservored and conserved
permanently and appreciably aid navigation and
lessen flood destruction and, while thus accom-
plishing more permanent benefit than has re-
suited from the outlay / have referred to, in
addition thereto, without the expenditure Of a
single additional dollar by the National Gov
ernment. would make possible and certain
through the utilization of the mpounded water
by private enterprise. after IL had served it's
public purpose and been released from the reser-
voirs, the reclamation by irrigation of millions
OF acres of land now arid and barren. the devel-
opment and growth OF regions now compare
lively undeveloped and desolate. the addition of
millions TO population and of hundreds of
millions TO our wealth. affording oppor