The Holly chieftain., 1902-07-25
IRRIG ALTON PROBLEMS UNDER THE NEW LAW
DISCUSSED BY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER NEWELL

for the hill simply 10 stop his I'M
portunities.
Mr.. Reeder laughed good naturedly
ut this sally.
Il am deeply interested in this irri-
CATION question" said he. Much OF
my district leeds irrigation. but it will
not come for some time. as we are SO
far removed from the mountains.
am one of the Kansans who are not
in sympathy with the suit which our
state has begun to restrain Colorado
from using the waters of the Arkan-
sas l would be satisfied If you used
every drop which flows through that
stream The more you get into your
soil and atmosphere the better 1t Will
be for us eventually. On the other
hand. If we can restrain you from
using the water, why cannot some 9th
er state step in and restrain us! You
see it is not good scheme. This Is
national question, and We should
consider il broadly. What we want
to do is to create homes for Ameri
cans. l believe that we can create
10000 homes every year for 200 years
under the operations of this bill. That
is big proposition, but do not think
it is exaggerated. As you extend the
irrigated area in this state our rains
become heavier and more frequent.
The records of the weather will prove
that"
The chief photographer made a little
speech explaining the provisions of the
irrigation bill. adhering closely to the
ideas expressed before the other com
mercial bodies. He then announced
that he was prepared to answer any
interrogatories which might be direct
ed at him.
General Hale asked how far the
government proposed to go.
I'VE will only undertake those
schemes which will return the cost of
their construction in the increased
worth of the land responded Mr..
Newell. 1T is probable that when we
reoprt upon the various sites that pri-
vate capital will ask to be permitted
to buila those which promise to be the
most profitable. and ! think that the
government will agree to that scheme.
For instance. If should show that by
the construction of the Pawnee pass
reservoir. near Sterling. the adjacent
land would advance from SS to S2O
per acre, 1t is probable that capitalists
WOulu NE very dHAlous " thS
necessary investment. Our theory is
that the government should build the
reservoirs and main canals, but that
the people should see to the distribu-
ton of the water The cost of the i'm
tracts benefited, and the settlers will
he given ten years in which to REIN
burse the government
In response to II question by Gen
eral Hale with regard to the construc-
ton of reservoirs in the mountains
where agricultural lands would not be
Immediately tributary, Mr. Newell
said that such projects would only be
considered after the people to be ben
Gifted guaranteed to the. repayment of
the money TO be expended by the gov
ernment.
1T may seem chimerical,' said the
photographer, but / believe that
will live to see the settlers Of every
great basin organized so that they can
act as unit and the government will
have some assurance that its invest
ments will be safe. In southern Cali
fornia they have solved that problem
and you will get to 1t.
"The law does not recognize ditch
companies. except as common carriers,
and we wish to deal directly with the
actual consumer of the water.
'.One of the splendid features of the
bill Is that we cannot initiate any
project until the money to complete 1t
IL in sight. II the settler defaults
upon two payments he f0rfeits his
right to the water After he has made
the tenth payment he has an interest
in the ditch and reservoir, and IL re-
sponsible for their maintenance. The
government will retain control of the
larger reservoirs. as it might not be
safe to trust their care to the farmers.
But these are all details which will be
worked out In time, and l hope with
out the necessity for asking Congress
for additional legislation.
Il believe there are many good sites
for storage reservoirs In this state, and
l am favOrably impressed with the
Pawnee pass proposition.
"There will be no conflict with the
state laws. You may distribute the
water with shotguns II you so desire.
The government is only interested In
having the amount of Its investment
returned to 1t.
''Our first undertaking must be q
success. do not know where 1t will
be, but 1t should be suck pronounced
success that the most skeptical east.
erner will be convinced that the re-
demption of the arid West Is feasible.
We have induced Congress to with
draw from entry number ol reser-
voir sites. However, We are always
t<,s svfN,n ffal ,hor a