, 1902-01-09
PROBLEM EASILY SOLVED.
AS 10 the Manner of Watering
the Benches West of Sarato-
ga-The West Side to be Fa-
vored With an Irrigation
Scheme That Will Water
all the Land Between
to ga am the
M Mountains s.

Now that the ball has been set in
motion, by the Homestead Irrigation
Settlement scheme, to water the arid
lands on the east side of the Saratoga
Valley, a great deal of interest has
been aroused in the possibilities in
that line in other parts of the valley.
The latest bid for favor is a Denver
party, and we are reliably informed
that a company is now in process of
formation that will take up the mat
ter of providing the land Immediately
between this town and the foot hills
of the Continental Divide with water.
1t is proposed to begin at the very
headwaters of both branches of
Spring creek, which head in the west
ern range and, by building a chain of
reservoirs, from the head of each
branch, down to the place where they
emerge from the mountains, that
enough of the flood waters of each
stream a be impounded to furnish
water for all the land that lies open
on either side of both streams,
We have not all the plans of the
projectors of this matter at hand, but
we have enough to show that the aim
will be to bring water down between
the two creeks, covering all the land
therein, as well as to construct a
large canal to cover the immense
scope of land on the outside of these
streams, down to and including the
land Immediately adjoining the town.
We infer that it is part of the scheme
to furnish the town of Saratoga with
the pure spring water which fills the
beautiful and crystal-clear lakes at
the head of South Spring creek,
which lie snugly under the immense
shadow of Bridger Peak, which
row the very highest point on the
Continental Divide.
From their source, clear down 10
the foot hills, both branches of Spring
creek are supplied with many very
admirable sites which, with very
small cost, Fan be made into reser-
voirs that will hold a very large
amount of water each. The water
will be stored in these reservoirs and
allowed to flow down their natural
channel, from II reservoir to anoth-
er, as they are needed for the plains
below. This storage will in no way
interfere with the users of water for
irrigation purposes on these streams,
but will simply impound and hold
the vast quantity of water which an
nualy runs down into the Platte river
and on to the Gulf.
In considering the feasibility of va
tering the lands OH the west side of
the river, the problem of carrying the
water from the North Platte river,
at IA point above the mouth of the
Grand Encampment river, across the
valleys of the Encampment and Cow
creek, has always been the most seri-
Gus one to deal with. Such a canal
would require immense pipe lines
across both the valleys mentioned,
costing many thousands of dollars.
But a system of storage reservoirs,
on each of the west side tributaries to
the Platte would solve the problem
at much less expense and would also
bring a far larger scope of land under
irrigation. BY such a system of res
e%rvoirs, in fact, every foot of irrigable
land, between the foothills and the
North Platte river, would be made
available for homes.
1t has been the experience of the
inhabitants of this valley that those
situated nearest to the mountains
were not subject to the ravaegS of
frost SO early in the reason as those
residing lower down towards the
main river. 1t has also been demon
strated that the best vegetables, fruits,
and grains are grown ear the noun
aims.
For Sale