The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-11-28
WHAT SECRETARY OF INTERIOR
SAYS ABOUT IRRIGATION
NO USE HAVING FAILURE
Better to Wait for Permanent and
Successful Works to Be
Built.

Washington, Nov. 24.-The annual
report of the secretary of the interior
for the fiscal year ended June 80 was
made public today.
The year has been characterized
by a great increase in volume of bus
mess, notably so in patent Office, gen
eral land Office, geological survey and
secretary's Office.
Probably the work of most interest
to the west is that in connection with
the irrigation laws.
The report says:
1t has been considered wise at the
outset not to create separate irriga-
ton or reclamation bureaus with new
officers and untried regulations, but
10 permit a steady growth and extern
sion of work which may be consider.
ed as having been initiated in 1888
under Major Powell. Great credit
should be assigned to this far-seeing
and fearless scientist who, through his
mature life urged in public and be-
fore congress the Importance of ma
tional reclamation works. The work,
which was begun under his direction
IA years ago, has, by process of evolu-
ton, become part of the photographic
investigation of the United States.
The engineers starting as young men
in this work have gained broad edu-
cation and experience, particularly in
western or arid lands, and many of
them, between intervals of service for
the government. planned and con-
structed much irrigation works.
Taking, therefore, this body Of men
as a nucleus, and with the guidance
of well-tested rules and regulations of
geological survey, an engineering
corps has been formed, designated
as the reclamation services, and be-
ing for administrative purposes, a
branch Of the geological survey.
The data already at hand concern
ing the amount of water available, the
location Of reservoir sites and the al
titu IL and area of catchment basins
has proved invaluable in beginning
the work OF reclamation. These facts
have been collected by men now con-
shutting the reclamation service,
who are familiar to them and i'm
mediate practical work is thus posi-
BILE, leading up to the construction of
definite plans and specifications for
reservoirs and the main line canals.
Although there is thus available a
great mass of information concern
ing arid land and opportunities of re-
clamation, yet when it to
definitely recommending sany project
great caution must be exercised, and
consequent delay, especially with
first works, must be expected.
Few persons appreciate difficulties
inseparably connected with success
full hydraulic construction. The on
struction of water storage and irri-
cation works of magnitude is in many
respects still a matter of experiment.
nearly every part of the country
where large works have been COM
rleted they have offered a series of
surprises. Even though carefully
planned, one part or another has had
to be replaced or changed: In gov
eminent works it is of prime import
that all designs should be con-
sidered with unusual care, so that
errors may be avoided and the con-
fidence of the people in the finished
work be fully justified.
The intense public interest in the If
rigation law is voiced in the popular
to see the water running over
the dams before another season
passes. No one is more DESTROYS than
myself and my assistants of bringing
about such conditions, but it is far
more important that water should be
running over well-constructed works
for indefinite number of years than
through ruins of a single failure.
He Fails in Both Efforts.