Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-13
IRRIGATION AND sPECULATIoN.
FOrehanded Fellows POuncinG Upon
Desirable Land.
Boston Transcrint.

Boston Transcript.
The work Of preparation for carrying out
the irrigation schemes OF the government
In the arid west goes bravely on. Already
funds for the purpose of establishing the
system have accumulated to the amount of
$4,000, 900. realized from the sale OF public
lands during the last two years, congress
having thus provided for the creation OF
resources to begin the work, expecting that
when once started it will maintain itself
Some seven sites for reservoirs. as already
stated. have been selected by the hydro
grapher of the United States geological sur
vey, upon which the secretary of the in
terror will be called TO pass. The hydro
grapher says that nine-tenths OF the land
which It is proposed to make valuable by
diverting to It waters that now go to waste
is public domain and as such is open to
homestead entries.
He finds that as soon as II became known
that the government proposed to build a
reservoir at a certain spot for the purpose
OF providing water for another section there
was at once a rush of homesteaders to enter
claims for the territory to be watered.
while we believe" he says. that most of
these persons are taking out claims for
speculative purposes, there is nothing to
prevent them from doing So" The irriga-
tion act provides that irrigated land shall
be disposed of in lots OF not less than forty
or more than 100 acres, and on that point
the secretary of the interior is to decide.
This he has not yet done, and should he
decide that forty acres Of reclaimed land
was enough for a settler and his family,
those who have put in their claims would
have to surrender the excess. The Law also
provides that the actual cost OF construct
ing reservoirs shall be borne by the hold
ers of land benefited, and II a syndicate OF
homesteaders refuses these terms 1t will b
left high and dry. as the reservoir will not
be built.
That however, is a remedy that would
hit both ways, inasmuch as It would impair
the unity and delay the progress OF the
work which the government proposes In
the amended irrigation bill there was q
clause which It was supposed would pre-
vent any trouble OF this kind. That clause
authorized the secretary OF the interior tS
withdraw from public entry the lands re-
quired for any irrigation works-thst is. the
reservoir site. the right of way for the cana
and any lands required-before instead
of at the time OF giving the public notie'
provided for in the act. But the speculatori
are masters of their business, and. though
handicapped by the small indiVidua
amounts to which they are restricted. theI
will doubtless find ways Of making trouble
unless they are carefully watched.
Thus far, apparently. the sites selected
have been made public about as soon Al
| decided upon and before the secretary hal
acted, SO IL is not strange that there should
be an invasion OF the territory which II Il
proposed to reclaim. Still, IL ought to b
possible under present conditions to keel
individual Spectators from acting together
so as TO control large sections. The wate
rights, We believe, have been SO safe
guarded that syndicates will be unable Il
1 control them as they have done In Nevada