Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-11
RECLAIMING ARID LANDS
Chief photographer Newell Outlines Some
Of Preliminary Work.
NO IMMEDIATE RESULTS TO Be EXPECTED
Hundred Years VIII Not See Amount
of Land Reclaimed which Oppon-
nts Of Irrigation Bill
Proclaimed.
crrom a star correspondent.l

CFrom a STAFF Correspondent
WASHINGTON, July 10.-(special Tele-
gram.)-Now that the light for the reclama-
tlon Of the arid west has been won in con-
gress and the long cherished hope OF west
ern statesmen that the general government
should take an active interest in the work
Of reclamation been realized, the field OF
work is transferred from the rostrum to,
the domain of the engineer. The admins
tration Of the law is practically and pri-
marily in the hands OF Frederick Haynes
Newell, photographic engineer and chief of
the Division Of photography Of the United
states geological survey. Mr.. Newell has
made the subject OF irrigation a life study
and he will now be given an opportunity to
put the result Of that study into practical
operation. Mr.. Newell was asked to eX-
plain what would be done first, what sec
ond, what would be the ultimate result Of
the undertaking of federal government to
reclaim such vast arid regions Of the west.
First work 20 he Done.
1.-THE first work to be done" was his re-
ply, "ts to send civil engineering parties
Into the field to investigate and report on
three distinct phases Of work to be ac-
complished. For instance take the gov
eminent territory which 1t Is desired to
i%rrigate. Before any actual construction
Is begun il is necessary to ascertain the
cost Of construction OF the dam and canals,
to survey and plan the details Of each and
besides the law requires reports to be made
as to the amount OF land to be irrigated
and the probable benefit In dollars and
cents to each acre.
when you realize that the work Is to
be done, not at any given locality but that
the most available locations are to be Sc
lected. the vastness Of the work becomes
more apparent" Mr.. Newell stated that
from the passage OF the irrigation bill to
the present time the work done embraces
the sending out OF surveying parties to
make observations and report on details.
Work Now Under Way.
The civil service commission is being
drawn on for civil engineers and the field
force Is being increased as greatly as pos
stble. Parties of this character are now
working in California. Oregon, Washington,
Montana, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Arizona and
Colorado. When reports have been received
data will be forwarded to Washington as
rapidly as collected and here It will be
classified. the merit Of each proposition
compared with those of other locations and
the conclusions Of experts presented to- the
secretary of the interior. The work which
will be begun first will doubtless be on the
SAbo WhlCu pTebtulb ln4 DeBI prospects OF
good results and shows the most natural
advantages. @
Mr.. Newell estimates that for the next
hundred years there cannot be irrigated
more than $4,000, 900 acres Of arid land, not
outstanding the claim in congress that
something like 200, 900, 900 acres could be
reclaimed. In the far future he says It
may be possible to conserve the waters Of
the mountains to such an extent as this
but the realization of this vast dream is
far ahead at the present tlme. 1t will
} doubtless be two or three Years before
actual work OF construction will be begun
in any locality.
Bids for Postofice sites.
Bids for sites for the new postoface struc-
lures at Waterloo, Muscatine, Marshalltown,
Iowa City and Boone will be opened tomor-
row In the office of the supervising archi-
tect. Already a number Of bids for sites
for each OF the Iowa towns named have been
received by Supervising Architect Taylor.
Tomorrow these bids will be scheduled and
turned over to the special agents of the de-
partment, who will examine into the merits
Of the various locations and report the same
to the secretary OF the treasury, who, after
being satisfied that the titles are good, will
proceed to pay the amounts appropriated.
Centerville and Atlantic will donate sites for
their new postof1ces. The omnibus public
building bill appropriated I$35, 900 for the
former and $50, 900 for AtlantlcA
Bids for the new postof1ce at Des Moines
will be opened on the 21st. Bids for Yank-
ton, Pierre and Deadwood sites will be
opened on the 18th inst, Deadwood, however.
being the only South Dakota city which has
been fortunate enough to receive an appro-
~priation foc its postofhce, courthouse and
= customs house. Bids for sites at Laramie
and Evanston, Wyo., will be opened on the
21st inst.
Designs for Lincoln POstOfnce.
Speaking Of the Lincoln building. Super
vising Architect Taylor stated today that
the force OF the ONCE over which he presided
was engaged in drawing plans for the new
E structure in Nebraska's capital. $500, 900 hav-
r ing been appropriated for the work. He
, said the plans contemplated an entirely new
E structure. the present building, however.
|, being utilized, a complete new building be-
ing erected around it. He stated the entire
roof OF the old structure would be torn on
/, and a skylight put over the new portion. He
thought the plans and specifications would
, be completed SO as to receive bids In the
fall and work can be begun next spring.
Rural free delivery will be established on
September 1 In lows as follows: Hills
boro, Henry county, one additional route;
\ area embraced twenty-five square miles;
population, 4s5. Keosauqua, Van Buren,
county, one route; area, twenty-six square
miles; population, 400. Plainneld. Brewer
county, two routes; area. thirty-seven
. square miles; population, lob.
The postofnce at Horton will be supplied
by rural carrier.
Postoflce discontinued: Nebraska-Swede-
, home. Polk county; mail to Stromsburg.
! South Dakota-Vanderbilt. Campbell county;
mail to Pollock. '"I '
The postmasters at Mason City and OF
: tumwa. Ia, will be allowed one additional
carrier on October 1.
. Clarence S. Slater has been appointed a
fireman in the public building at Sioux
Falls. s. D..
The gross receipts of the Omaha post