The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-10-21

| lowed il to go through under pressure
| from the west and from the President.
II was not supposed that the fund would
amount at this time TO more than S.oo0.-
OOO or IS. 600 coo. instead of being over Sl6.-
10000 as It was. Had it been realized that
the funds available would be so large. Il
is extremely doubtful whether the Ma
tionaI Irrigation Bill would have become
a law in its present form.
The bill was enacted into law by default
rather than by a majority vote OF con-
gress. The advocates OF the measure were
active. The administration favored 1t.
Active opposition was overcome. Neutral
opposition allowed events to take their
course. In these circumstances. govern
ment officials connected with the irriga-
ton wor kexpress some concern at the
apparent inclination Of western members
Of congress and western people 20 COM
plain if the slowncss with which the re-
clamation Of the Geological Survey IS az
a most critical stage. It has made greater
speed during the last twelve months IN
the preparation for construction than has
ever been recorded Of any private or nun
icipaI enterprise Of similar MAGNITUDE. and
yet the irrigaton:st west * impatient.
Construction has already begun on the
Nevada California project; the Arizona
project will begin as soon as the secretary
OF the interior gives his formal approval
70 certain papers and progress Is only
hindered on the Milk river in Montana
BY the interference of private parties who
are standing out Tor fancy prices for prop
erty which must be included in the gov
eminent work Many other reclamation
projects are In various advanced stages OF
survey and preparation. All this has been
accomplished in less than two yczrs- II
each project under consideration taere are
involved a thousand questions. rargins
from those q law 70 practical engineer
ing Rights Of way ard titles have rad
10 b. secured. plans made Tor o5taininE
specifications prepared BIDS call
ed for and contracts les 20 responsible
concerns. Each orc % the projects in-
wolves very large amount o money, -
large indeed a. 10 rival the construction
OF waterworks for good-sizeI cities.
Where these constructions have been nu-
dsrtakeu by rnunicipalitlss or great prl-
waite corporations several years q psep-
aratfon have preceded the actual beFfn-
FlsrlL ~ Al Bt@ttffls Nv 60 H. an
Phliadelehla the building OF extension q
water systems has been metsrr - dis.
casz1on. IN some Instances. for eieht ~
Ten years Handreds q surveys arr made
and every possible Voiaf s. considered
{ aIlbsratel yaa5 carefully before The aa1i
plunge - taken
All q the wsTs dene II the Geographic
81 surveT ca carving ozi re IroFss'ors
~ he National irrigation I1E Eas ben
sccc rri3sted fn Eess than tao YEAR, anS
TIE e-tIre ensrgtes q the hzlT Aa aeeote1
10 thls wogk are concentrated uson lfs
sVeesy. but ~ re sare tlHse effective.
aroxrerz FrssnsB ~ irrsratlen bsisTe
.hs peopla - the arhd au8 senf-arst re-
-ss-s z10 are bsre1-sd ~ she Nafforal
Rec.a szatloa laze DO nof fully reaI,zs fhe
atenf o.F-cssfs1E whlra szlT-s r. ths NJ
-lzs.-rl vzEey - are eErendlzzTe = rrll-
ss-s = dollerf - eEps-S ths rcznpes issTe
larrnizg AREA a fhe T-i'es s;aieE 81 user
zouls net Fssh cute 20 szr1
A certain errcsifioz g shls rrstrrasfnE
sfu erszts TAsrs hss te-a rurh r-iti-
fn- q ihs veTk azs 80 rsreoee srer
sree ire iaw Has s-artes. ard n ths
z@ztern members = cenErezz fhs f<esse
< TIE zezr. ~ ~ represeafasIse cee7ss
rou hat scsfou = TO- rosafry ss1<s ear
ID . this o79osstsc1 Is ecr1rlzlrts o