Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1903-01-30
Irrigation Sutrs.
Wash 'ngtnn j Jluuary 81. 1909

Tho acceptance by Congress Of the
principle federal aid IN the construction
Of irrigation works in the western states
has given great impetus To every in
dustr! III thht section OF the country,
Tho people Of the eastern states are
just beginning to realize the opportuni.
ties offered III the territory to be open.
ed up. AS the proposition develops,
| tide of Immigration will inevitably set
IN and tins region will become one OF
the most porulone and prosperous III
the country. With large AREAS Of re-
claimnble land, Nevada especially will
bo beniiitcd by the measure.
Tho actual work Of surveying, lucat-
ing and constructing reservoirs and
other irrigation works will he done by
the Geological Survey. In order to OBJ
tain better underst anding ~ the pres
ent extent Of irrigation, the location Of
the areas irrigated, and to gain other in
formation useful in this work, the Fifty
seventh Congress authorized the Direc-
tor q: the Censue to bring down To dnte
the irrigation statistics obtained IN 1900
by that Office l.ctters ~ inquiry and
schedules are now being sent out to
secure the necessary iui0r NATION. All
Interested Ill irrigation should answer
MS fully and promptly rs possible any
Inquiries the? may receive So that tho
merits of the various sertInus Of the
country may become known. lrriga-
uut tyI, IL, ii .,I
i'll a reasonable time should notify the
Census Office at Washington and they
will he supplied.
II IL interesting to note in this con-
ncction how much II will mean to the
country at large to have the arid lnnds
OF the west reclaimed.
According to the census 81 1900 the
total improved farm area OF the United
States was All, 800 ,0}0 acres. Ii is con-
scrvutiycly estimated Tint the reclnmn.
bic area il not less than 10000, 900 acres.
Its reclamation, the reiorc, will Hdd near.
ly 'nc.eight to the nctual crop produc.
ing area Oi the country and will exceed
10y liberal margin the tillable land al
all the stniee, excepting New IOrh. ON
the Atlantic Coast from Maine to Flor.
ida. Allowing 40 acrcs, the average
size OF irrigated inrma, tins urea will
make / ,l5J, 900 farms, or little less
than one fourth the number i'll the Unit.
cG States in 1900. Tho occupants ui
these furms will ndd directly to the
population q G,250,o0o, and indirectly. in
the accompanying mercantile, profess.
ion q, manufacturing und industrial
CLASSES nj least 3,l25OOO more. total
increase in tho population Of the United
states OF 9.3S5.OC0, or nearly twelve and
one half per cent.
Tho total value OF all the farms In 1870
including all improvement except build.
ings, was sl3, l5,OO1OOO. At 1880 per
acre, the average value Of irrigated land.
the 5O,OO0.OO0 acres 90 be reclaimed will
add to the value of farm land Sl,2jn. .000..
600. II buildings are included, the val
We will he increased sT75OOO. .OOO while
the augmented wealth through railroads.
cities, mills and factories. 10 beyond cs.
timntiOn
duets Of 1900 was q, $4,000. 900. Tho aver.
ngc value per acre OF products oi irriga.
ted lande WIS SlI.Sl. At this rate the
area to be reclaimed will ndd products
worth sI40, 300 COO, au addition or neurly
ono sixth of the life sustaining powers
~ the country.
Tho number Of irrigaling bitches and
cnnale in operation in tho United Siatcs
exceed 10000. and their combined
length is not lees than 10000 milea. II
joined end h end they would reach
twice nrounh the world. Formed into
one they would constitute u nuyipable
cnnnl, such na the Eric, thirty icot wide
ami five feet deep, cStcnhlng from San
| Francisco to New York. II distance Of
1000 milca
The figures ut the Inst census show
TINT the wOrks required to irrigaic T..
| 2G3.275 acres cost sGi2Sg.G0l. an average
| ~ SS 81 pcr mere. ~ this rate tho OK.
pcnditnro required 10 reclaim the area
proposed wUuld nt lcnsi bC si50.000.0
| After the Government hae performed its
par, there will bo no delay by tho fnr.
mCrR IN carrying on the work. While
the initinl expense io crormons, il In
not comparable With the yniuc ~ the
crops whicl. will hc grown on the lands
reclaimed. The lotnl cost Of all the ir.
rigatinn works in uso in tho country 10
only thrco. .fopriha the value ~ the
crops produced zach year on irrigated
lands
| s-o-s~ s-.