The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1902-07-26
IRRIG ALTON PROBLEMS UNDER THE NEW LAW
DISCUSSED BY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER NEWELL

that he was prepared to answer an.
interr0gatOries which might be direct
eu ut him.
General Hale asked how far thu
government proposed to go.
eve will only, undertake those
schemes which will return the cost OF
their construction In the increased
worth Of the land" responded Mr..
Newell. at II probable that when W.
yate capital will INK to be permitted
to builu those which promise to be the
most profitable. and l think that til,
government viii agree to that scheme.
For instance. II ! should show that by
the construction of the Pawnee pass
reservoir, near Sterling, the adjacent
land would advance from - to &2u
per acre, II IL probable that capitalists
would be very anxious to make the
necessary Investment Our theory IL
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 Inn
provement viii be pro rated among the
tracts benefited. and the settlers will
be given ten years in which to reim-
burse the government"
In response to 4 question by Gen
eral Hnle with regard to the c0nstruc-
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
efited guaranteed to the repayment OF
the money to be expended by the gov
ernment
ut 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 a unit and the government will
have some insurance that its invest
ments will he safe. In southern Cali
fornia they have solved that problem
and you will get to 1t.
1.-THE law does not recognize ditch
companies, except as common carriers,
and we wish to deal directly with the
actual consumer of the water.
Zone Of the splendid features OF the
bill IL that we cannot initiate any
project until the money to complete 1t
IL in sight. II the settler defaults
upon two payments he fOrfelts his
right to the water. After he has made
the tenth payment he has an interest
in the ditch and reservoir, and ID re-
sponsible for their maintenance. The
government will retain control Of the
larger reservoirs, as 1t might not be
safe to trust their care to the farmers.
But these are nh details which Will be
worked out in time, and hope with
out the necessity for asking Congress
for additional legislation.
II believe there are many good sites
for storage reservoirs In this state, and
am favorably impressed with the
rawnee pass proposition.
..rhere 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 lts Investment
returned to It.
.Our first undertaking must be
success. I do not know where 1t will
be, but 1t should be such pronounced
success that the most skeptlcal 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 OF reser-
voir sites. However, we are always
prepared to give capital q chance. We
do not look with favor upon the man
with SIS who IL figuring upon building
a 81 100000 basin"
Congressman Reeder followed Mr..
Newell. and said that he did not 4gree
with the photographer that private
capital should be permitted to con-
struct the profitable projects. Il have
been laboring for the fellow who 10
DESTROYS of establishing home In this
region" said he, ''and II there are
sites which can be easily improved
want to make this land of homes and
not site for the profitable investment
OF vast sums of capital. There should
be no Jealousy between Colorado and
Kansas. l do not believe there will be
after the people of my state come TO
thoroughly understand this PROPOSE
ton. You may take every drop OF
winter, II you wish. and l will be sat
Isfied. for know my people Will NOT
suffer"
Gentlemen said Mr.. Newell, i'm
pressively, II want you to gaze upon
a spectacle which you may never be
able to witness again-a kansan who
Ia willing that, Colorado should have
all 1t desires" And the crowd cheered
| the generous resident Of the SundOwer
state.
State Engineer McCune and Profes-
sor Carpenter followed In short speech
es, urging that COlOradans should aid
In making Mr.. Newell's work sue
cess.
General Hale told of the develop
ment Of power plants, and how 1t 10
now possible to transmit power profit
ably go miles. He believed that the
generation of electrical power would
be one Of the most Important develop
ments Of the irrigation work.
Mr.. Newell responded that the phase
had been carefully considered. Some
Of the largest reservoirs would be
constructed upon the forest reserves,
and the generation Of power would be
q fascinating development.
Vice President GallbreAth Of the
Chamber, who was presiding, called
attention to the necessity OF preserv-
Ing the forests OF the state. which