, 1903-01-29
DESIRES INFORMATION.
rs Government Wishes to Bring Irriga-
ton Statistics up to pats.-soms It.
Wrestling Figures.

opoctal to The Sum-.
The acceptance by Congress of
the principle of federal aid in the
construction of irrigation works in
the western states has given a
great impetus to every industry
10 that section of the country
The people of of the eastern states
are just beginning to realize the
opportunities offered in the terri
Tory to be opened up. AS the
Proposition develops, a tide of i'm
migration will inevitably set in
and this region will become one Of
the most populous and prosper
GUS in the country. With large
areas of reclaimable land,
and plenty of available water,
Wyoming especially will be bene-
Fitted by the measure.
The actual work of surveying.
locating and constructing reser.
voirs and other irrigation works
will be done by the Geological
Survey. In order to obtain a bet
ter understanding of the present
extent of irrigation, the location
of the areas irrigated, and to gain
other information useful in this
work, the Fifty-sev enth Congress
authorized the Director of the
Census to bring down to date the
irrigation statistics obtained. in
1900 by that Office. Letters of in
qiury and schedules are now being
sent out to secure the informotlou.
All interested in irrigation should
answer as fully and as promptly
as possible any inquiries they may
receive so that the merits of the
various sections of the country
may become known. Irrigators
who do not receive blanks within
a reasonable time should notify
the Census Office at Washington
and they will be supplied.
1t is interesting to note in this
connection how much it will mean
to the country at large 10 have the
arid lands of the West reclaim ed.
According to the census of 1900
the total improved farm area of
the United States was Ala, sOO,O 900
acres. 1t is conservatively esti-
mated that the reciaimable area is
not less than 100000 acres. Its
reclamation, therefore, will add
nearly one-eighth to the actual
crop producing area of the coun.
try and will exceed by a liberal
margin the tillable land of all the
states, excepting New York, on
the Atlantic Coast from Maine to
Florida. Allowing 40 acres, the
average size of irrigated farms,
this area will make 100000
farms, OF a little less than one
fourth the number in the United
States in 1900. The occupants of
these farms will add directly to
the population 6,25O,O0O, and in.
directly. in the accompanying
mercantile, professional, manu-
featuring and industrial classes
at least 3,125,0OO more, a total in
crease in the population of the
United States of 9,375,OOO, or
nearly twelve and one-half per
cent.
The total value of all the farms
in 1900, including all improve
ments except buildings. vas
S13,ll5,00O,000 At $42.5 80 per
acre, the average value of irrigat-
ed land, the $4,000, 900 acres to be
reclaimed will add to the value of
farm land 81, 50,OOO,O 600. If
buildings are included, the value
will be increased $775, 600, 900,
while the augmented wealth
through railroads, cities, mills and
factories, is beyond estimation.
The annual value of all the
farm products in 1900 was $4,379,-
100000. The average value per
acre of products of irrigated lands
was $l3.Sl. AT this rate the area
to be reclaimed will add products
worth S740,50O,OO0, an addition
of nearly one-sixth of the life
sustaining powers of the country.
The number of irrigating ditch.
es and canals in operation in the
United States exceeds 10000, and
tha;r .o-L,.ad la,-&l "