The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1902-08-08
NATIONAL IRRIGATION WORK
What Nevada People Must DO In Order to
Secure Government Aid.

gave the Tribune the following informa-
tion on the subject that interests every
resident of Nevada. Mr.. Newell talks
/ Straight from the shoulder and gives
some tips" that the people of Nevada
will be wise to follow
IF the people are to profit by the
irrigation law, they must get together
and demonstrate to the satisfaction of
the Interior Department that they mean
business"
Mr. Newell was asked where the gov
ernment would begin the work of con-
structing reservoirs, what money the
department had to begin with. and what
would be the proper course for any
z community to pursue in order to get gov
ernment aid for irrigation.
d There is now between Sc, 100000 and
$6.0o0000 in the treasury available for
the prosecution of the work under the
irrigation law, was the reply. "Of
course, you understand that this work
of reclaiming the arid lands OF the West
B Is to be self-sustaining. BY that I mean
that the money that is expended in the
& construction of reservoirs and the open
3 ing up to settlement of what is now arid
land is TO be returned to the treasury
from the sale of the government lands
TO settlers. The basic idea of the law
& is that by the conservation of the waters
h Of the streams and rivers that now go to
waste large areas of fertile lands can
be reclaimed these lands with the per-
petual water right are to be sold to set
n tiers, not more than 160 acres to any
one man; and in this way 1t is expected
IL to get funds TO carry the work in
d definitely.
# "As to when and where the work OF
constructing reservoirs will begin, that
is a matter that rests with the people
themselves. And this is point that /
wish to impress upon the minds OF the
people with all the force at my com
mand. The people who have conflicting
rights In any stream or body of water
must get together: they must compro-
mise their differences and be ready to
place the whole matter In the hands
of the general government. or we will be
able to do nothing. What I mean by
this is: Say number of people have
settled along a certain stream and ac-
uuired rights in the waters of the
8stream. Our engineers conclude that
rNbp constructing a reservoir and taking
the waters OF the stream. a very much
larger area can be opened up and put
If under irrigation, and that this can be
done without depriving any of the orig
inal owners of any OF the water; and.
in fact. they have more water after the
reservoir is built. In such case as
this these people must form some sort
OF organization and relinauish their
rights to the government. II they re-
fuse to do this we can do nothing"
"But suppose the people refuse TO re-
linquish their rights and form such an
organization?"
"Then nothing will be done. The gov
ernment is in no hurry. 1t will not force
this matter upon the people against
their will. It will simply wait TIL they
are ready to accept assistance; II may
be ten years and II may be twenty. but
Uncle Sam will wait until the people
are ready This will also determine where
the Hrst work will be done. The govern
ment doesn't care whether 1t is in Utah.
Nevada or some other State The work
will be done first where the people are
n ready for 1t and where the outlook is
for the best returns. BY that l mean
where the expenditure of the least
4 amount will result in the reclamation
of the largest amount of land.
This is a business proposition. pure
and simple" Mr.. Newell said, warming
TO his subject "The wide-awake busi-
II ness man knows that If the country
N&out him is settled up with prosper
u ous and intelligent farmers his trade
will be better than If he is surrounded
by an arid waste. The commercial clubs,
the progressive business men. tbe citi-
zens who are interested in the welfare
OF their State, should take hold of the
matter in a broad and comprehensive
spirit, and only In that way will good
results be secured
You ask me how the people of any
given locality should proceed to get
government aid for irrigation. First,
they must get together and adjust their
differences. The government will do none
of this for them. Uncle Sam will settle
no lawsuits, and he will not get into lit
igation to build a reservoir for anybody.
When the people of any community have
a definite proposition to submit, they VIII
find the department ready to listen. The
proposition win then be investigated by
the government engineers In the field and
report and recommendations sent to the
Secretary of the Interior through Charles
T. Wolcott. Director of the Geological
Survey. A report will also be submitted
by an independent engineer of high stand
ing. The pronoeition will then be passed
up on by the department, and II 1t meets
with official approval funds will be APP
Al l.