The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1901-12-05
OUR LANDS UNDER POSI-
BILE development.

The recommendation by Secretary
Hitchcock, in his annual report, that
the Government should control irri-
cation, means that Congress should
take hold of this matter, which has
been urged by conventions and or
ganizations in the interest of the re-
clamation of arid lands and the set
tlement of the west. 1t Will require
some time after congressional action
before the proposed elaborate system
of irrigation can be put in practical
use. The survey of mountains and
water supplies and the construction
of reservoirs will require ten years at
least Much preliminary work must
be done before the practical part can
be commenced; but the adoption of
the plan and its probable great re-
suits will be an incentive or induce
ment to open the way for settlement
before the irrigation work is accom-
plished. This is not the object of q
day, but it is gigantic undertaking
requiring millions of dollars and
years of time in its construction; but
it is the open door to the great possi-
rich resources of the west. The Ar
kansas river valley will be the gate
way to this great line of practical in
dustry This valley will feel the i'm
petus which the development of the
mountain sources will give. Tt will
be in the reflex which capital and en-
ergy will demonstrate, that we shall
find profitable returns in judicious
investment.
In the meantime the development
Of the plains country will continue on
the smaller but no less surer scale.
Practically, the initiative to the com
ing great industry will have leen
made, and small areas will be pro-
ductive of the soils best effort.
When the government with its
power of influence and money shall
take hold of the great water supply
of the mountains, and convert it to
general use, there will have been es-
tablished a guarantee that the practi-
cal results will have been obtained
without loss or distrust. What these
results may be and what benefits may
follow in the conserving and diffusing
of the water supply, is immaterial at
this moment Its practical effects
can be reasoned out without conjec-
ture
In the development of the water
sources of the valley of the Arkansas
we must take also into account the
immense underfow of water in this
the snow falls ON the mountain tops
so long shall the Arkansas river val :
ley be supplied with an abundance of
nnderfiow water. The utilizing of
this immense and never ceasing un-
der current of water will belong to
the problem in the development OF
the original sources of supply. The
water sheds cf the giant Rocky
mountains contain the means for the
reclamation of all the arid and semi
arid lands of the west.
There is in Gray and Ford counties
the dry bed of an immense irrigation
canal, extending in length nearly one
hundred miles, which could be put
into useful occupation by well direct
ed design in well spent means, and
without much cost N money or labor;
and forming part of the plan of the
great irrigation problem
The peopling of the lands along
the great Arkansas river valley, and
the establishment of industries, will
hasten the purpose of the govern
ment in restoring the arid lands in
the utility of the water waste The
emigration movement has begun in
great earnest. Land cultivation by
Individual and colonies of people;
homesteading and buying and selling
of lands and all other means used in
enterprise and development have be-
gun, and promise to be largely aug
mented before another five years pass