The Courier. (Genoa, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1902-07-25
MR.. NEwLANDS ON RECENT
LEGISLATION.
Nevada's Congressman Interviewed on
the Work of the House at the
Last Session.

Mr.. NeWland6 returned wednesday
from Washington, where he was de-
tanned for some days subsequent to
adjournment by illness. He expressed
himself as greatly pleased to be back
in Nevada and remarked that it was
refreshing to breathe the bracing air
of the mountains after the enervating
heat of Washington.
The reporter carried Mr.. Newlands
over the entire range of measures of
the last Congress both those relating
to Nevada and those of a general char
acters
THE IRRIGATION BILL.
AS to the Irrigation bill Mr.. New
lands said that there seemed to be
mistaken impression on the part of
some that the Secretary of the Interior
could only expend in Nevada the re-
ceipts from the sales of public lands in
this State, and that as these amounted
to only about $1,000 annually, Nevada
would get little benefit from the law.
"This is a mistake. The bill creates
oneredemption fund for thirteen States,
and three Territories, being. the States
and Territories west of Dakota, Ne
braska, Kansas and Oklahoma, which
are also included. The receipts from
all these States amount to about 49,
600, 900 annually, and as the bill coverts
also into the fund this years as we'll as
last years receipts the moneys now in
the fund reach at least $5,000,000 AS
lands are brought into reclamation and
sold for the cost of reclamation, this
fund will increase until it reaches S.
100000 or more annually. So that in
the next thirty years it is altogether
likely that $150,oO0, 900 will be available
for irrigation works. OF these moneys
the Secretary has the power to expend
fraction less than one-half anywhere
in the arid region that he sees fit. He
could spend all oft in Nevada or any
other State or Territory if he chose.
The other half he could spend temper
arily, for a period of ten years where
ever he thought best, subject to the
condition that at least half of the pro-
ceeds of public lands in each State and
Territory shall be within each period
of ten years expended in irrigation
works therein. This was intended to
prevent the Secretary from absolutely
neglecting the irrigation interests of
any of the States or Territories affected,
but the bill is so elastic as to facilitate
work where it is most needed.
WHERE COMMENCED.
As to the place in this State where
work would be commenced and when,
Mr.. Newlands said: 81 am unable to
say. The Geological Survey has its
surveys of the Truckee, Carson and
Humboldt further along than those of
any other valleys. l have also re-
quested it to take up the study of the
Walker river and the Muddy and Vir-
gin rivers in Lincoln county. l have
had talks with the Secretary of the In
terror, the Director of the Geological
Survey and the Chief photographer
on the subject of early work in Ne
vada, but they have not all the infor-
nation necessary at present. After
the plans are fully prepared they will
be submitted to board of the best
hydraulic engineers of the country
Their purpose is to do thorough work
and work that will be far-reaching in
its benefit. They feel their RESPONSE
bility and will not come to any hasty
Judgment. am inclined to think,
however, that as their engineering
work is nearer completion in Nevada
than elsewhere, that Nevada will be
one of the earliest beneiiciaries of this
great measure.o
NEVADA WAR CLAIMS.
AS to the Nevada war claims, Mr..
Newlands said that the Omnibus Claims
bill referred them for adjustment to
the Treasury Department, which had
the right, lift saw fit to take the opin-
ion of the Court of Claims. He was in
hopes, however, that they would be adj
justed without further delay.