Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-09-19
GOVERNMENT IRRIGATION.

GOVERNMENT IRRIGATION.
Whereas, The principal upon which
the national irrigation policy rests as a
foundation, is that the reclamation of
the arid region OF the United States
cannot be fully accomplished unless the
national government constructs the
great reservoirs and the main line ca q
mails which must be built on a scale so
large that their construction by private
enterprise or with private capital Is inn
practicable, leaving to private enter
prise the construction Of the smaller
systems, and
Whereas, The utilization OF the great
floods which now run to waste in the
rivers of the west necessitate the con o.
struction OF irrigation works Of such
magnitude that they can never be built
by private capital, and
Whereas The national government Is
now actually engaged in the survey of n
great system Of engineering works for
bringing the waters OF the Peud d'Ori
ellie lake, one of the sources of the CO.
lumbia river. out upon an area of more
than a million acres Of rich and fertile,
but now arid, land In the eastern part
or the state OF Washington, and is also
making preliminary surveys for n com
whole problem OF the regulation of the
flow Of the Sacramento river, the pro
lection Of the lower valley lands from
floods and the utilization of the water,
Of the Sacramento river which will fur
nish water enough for the irrigation of
over 10000. 900 acres Of land in the Sac
ramento ana san Joaquin valleys in
California, and " also now surveying a
system Of reservoirs and large canals
as a harmonious unit for the conserva
ton of the food waters of.the Colorado
river and their use In irrigation Of the
rich alluvial lands In the valley of that
river which contains an area Of over 1, :
100000 acres Of lrrigabe lands. and
whereas These great works and other
similar works Will, when built, rival the
great irrigation systems of India and
the Assouan dam recently completed ON
the Nile, and develop q closely settled
population I'm regions which Will. I'm
fertility and productlyeness, equal tho
most densely settled parts Of France
ana Belgium, and such marvelously fer
tile irrigated regions as the valley OF
the Nile in Egypt and Of the 20 I'm Italy.
Resolved That we urge that the na -
tional government should proceed with
all practicable expedition 10 complete
the surveys and make the necessary
plans and estimates for the construc.
ton Of the great reservoirs and canals
necessary TO regulate for navigation ana
for the utilization Tor irrigation ana
power Of the enormous volume OF flood
water that now runs To waste I'm such
great rivers as the Columbia, Sacranop
TO, the Colorado, the Rio Grande Tho
Arkansas and the Missouri and thoir
tributaries. and that as soon as sur
veycd and ready for construction. and
approved by the secretary OF the Intor.
tor these great engineering work !
should be built Just as rapidly as actual
settlers win take the lands and hui Z
homes on them and repay to the GOV
eminent tho cost OF the construction Of
the works, and loan 10 the reclama
ton fund IN the treasury OF the United
states should be made each year by
congressional appropriation for the fun
amount which the secretary OF the I'm
terror may annually recommend TO Con