Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-03-28
WOULD RECLAIM AN EMPIRE
Vast Empire Of Lands in the Great
West that Irrigation Would Re-
claim to Fertility.
Millions Of Acres of Government Land
in the Dakotas and Montana
Might be Used.
Prosperity that the Passage Of the
Irrigation Bill Would Bring
to the West.

to the West.
Millions OF acres of government do
main would be added to the agricul
tural lands of the northwest by irriga-
ton carried on or supported by the
federal government. This fact has
been partly realized during the agita-
tion in favor Of irrigation legislation
which has been in progress for tie
past six months. The passage of the
Hansbrough irrigation bill by the SEN
ate on Saturday has increased interest
in the subject and more especially in
what it means to the northwest and
to the Twin Cities. says the Mime
apolis Journal.
In Montana and the two Dakotas
there is an area Of vacant government
! land. not counting the Indian reserva-
tions, which will ultimately be thrown
open to :. settlement approximating
los, 100000 acres Part of this is
mountainous and part of it will re-
quire no irrigation to make the rails
ative. 1t is believed from past ex-
perience that as cultivation of the soil
in most sections east of the Missouri
in the Dakotas increases in trea, the
rainfall will be more generous. AT
any rate. irrigation for the lands east
of the big Muddy in South Dakota
and in many counties in North Dakota,
is not counted on as a necessity to
make a success of diversified farming.
But there is an immense empire ex-
tending from western North and South
/ Dakota far into Montana. much Of
which irrigation will reclaim and add
to the productive agricultural section
of the nations big farm.
/ In its five land districts. North Da-
kota has approximately 1S,000,00O
acres of vacant government land. Of
this II 100000 acres are in the Bis
narck land district. composed princi-
pally of counties in that section of the
state west of the Missouri river. In
the Minot land district, which takes
in the northwestern section to tie
Montana line. here are 6,500,000 acres.
North Dakota contains Indian reserva-
tions with a total of $780, 900 acres.
most of which are in the western sec
tion.
South Dakota has about 12,0O0.00O
acres of government land vacant and
as much more in the big Indian res
ervation of the Missouri. Of the gov
ernment land now vacant over 10,-
100000 acres are in the counties west
of the river. 1t is believed that a
comparatively few years will see some
of the Indian reservations Of both
Dakotas thrown open to settlement.
If these lands are made good agricul-
tural lands it must be done largely
through irrigation.
Montana rounds out grand total
of GS.00n,OO0 acres of vacant govern
ment land and an additional 11,500,-
900 acres in Indian reservation. Of
this 30.C00000 acres are in the, Miles
City and Lewiston land districts in the
eastern sections of the state, a con-
tinuation of the empire in western
North Dakota. Millions of acres are
included in the mountainous sections
: and some in the various valleys farther
west in which irrigation is not re-
/ quired.
It is estimated that in western North
and South Dakota and eastern Mon
tana there are G0.0OO00O acres of land
which. if ever made remunerative for
agricultural purposes must be i'm
4 proved to that standard through an
artificial water supply. At present
they are regarded as fine grazing area,
and the thousands of cattle owned by
/ the cattle kings of that region have
1 unlimited range. Here and there are
productive sections situated in the val
leys of small rivers which the settlers
are already pouncing upon and con-
verting into small farms. But uaril
irrigation supplies long felt want
! most OF this area will continue to be
! known in the land lists as grazing
lands" only. This comprises an area
! as large as the state Of New York
and Pennsylvania combined. Mime
/ apolis business men who have giyen
this subject of irrigation close atten-
tion look to this vast empire yet 10 be
reclaimed as the force which insures
the supremacy Of the Twin Cities as
! one of the greatest market and money