The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-09-23
OFFERS The
BESTfIELD
PRESIDENT MAXWELL ON lRRI-
CATION IN NORTHWEST.
MORE RESULTS TO Be HAD
Greater Returns on Same Expendi-
ture Than Are Possible il
Other Sections.

Other Sections.
The gentlemen to whom has been
entrusted the responsible position of
booming" the coming session OF the
National Irrigation congress anu Sc
curing the largest possible attendance
Of delegates are not Sinking their
duty. BY every possible NEAR they
are keeping the meeting before the
people and endeavoring to arouse in
terest in the subject to which the
organization is devoted.
Circulars have been SEM by them to
about all the newspapers in the states
directly interested in the reclamation
of the arid regions requesting them to
give the meeting the greatest possible
amount of publicity. The railroads
in the Western Passenger associa-
ton have made a special rate Of one
fare for the round trip, plus So, from
all points in the territory covered by
the association and the tickets will be
good returning from Colorado Springs,
the place of meeting, until October 81.
The present plans contemplate de-
votion of n entire day of the SEES.
sion to a discussion of the national
irrigation act, it's operations and pos
sibilities. All the leading irrigation
lists of the country are expected to
be in attendance, and all the senators
and representatives of the states and
territories of the arid regions have
been especially invited to be present
and join in the discussions.
An Ambitious Project.
One Of the projects considered by
the members of the National Irriga-
ton association is the turning the
Missouri rivers course.
President Maxwell was at st. Paul
recently and spoke of the scheme.
Zone plan that has been suggested"
he said, lis to carry the river from
the Great Bend to the center of North
Dakota and southwark of it's present
course. This would result in the ir-
of several million acres of
The Best Field.
More results can be accomplished
by irrigation in the northwestern
said Mr.. Maxwell, 'by the
same expenditure than can be
brought about in any other section of
country. Montana, Idaho and
Washington have millions of acres of
and that can be irrigated at very
cost. There are plenty of riv-
ars there from which water can be
In the southwest, however,
difficulties are presented; the
must be stored and the supply
S limited.
But the passage of the national IT.
'igation act has aroused those north
western cities on the Pacific coast
hat have heretofore been compare
lively Indifferent. This act appro-
about $4,000, 900 for irrigation
purposes and provides that public
shall be sold under the irriga-
ion act. The government will build
works for supplying this land with
water. The land will be open to home
'tead entry. The only additional cost
will be that the purchaser of the land
must reimburse the government in
annual payments for the original
'ost of the irrigation plant.
'It has not yet been decided where
he govermnet will make it's first ex
'eriment. But it would seen that the
most can be accomplished at the low
st cost along Milk river in Montana.
cost of irrigation there will be
title more than SIS an acre. Indeed,
he federal census shows that the
irst years crop of the land benefit
ID has paid the cost of the irrigating
works.. There is much land in the
)akotas that would be benefited by
irrigation, but the supply of water
5 inadequate. 1t was to improve
hese lands that someone conceived
he scheme of changing the course of
he Missouri.
"The demand for irrigated lands
roves that they are now a favorite
Investment. A short time ago, in the
valley, more bidders than
ould be satisfied appeared at the
olo of ~, ;n.;1xoAol A.oz4,, ----.--