New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-14

lawful Enclosure Of public lands and has instF IG ed
these cases
FOREST RESERVE LIEU SELECTIONS.
Of forest reserve lieu selections there were pend
ing July 1902 416S cases, involving an approx
mate area of SS255S93 acres There were received
during the last fiscal year 2159 cases. involving an
approximate area Of 1861 acres. OF this number
70 cases were approved for patent and 1ss re-
jected making SIS finally disposed Of, and eTnbrac-
INK area Of 363.s73 acres There were pending on
June 30. 1893. 54 cases involving an approximate
area o. l.2S3255 g. acres. While it is considered
10 be iDp-aCtiCable 10 require that only land
OF Ike value shall be taken IL exchange for land
IN reserve T. might be provided that timber and
mineral land Is now excepted from such selection
He recommends legislation that viii do away with
the present unfair privilege by which unumbeTed
NAV be excharsed for an equal area Of public
Transfer Of the forest reserves TO the Department
Of Agriculture is recommended
IRRIGATION PROJECTS.
Showing the work done and in progress toward
retaining arid lands in the season of 1909 Secre-
tary Hitchcock says:
The director has stated that practical 2 april
5Ie o. Srs y irs exisencs has shown them to
be effective and that SO far as can be foreseen
CURED. the present law having been found TO be
OF sufficient scope TO accomplish its purpose or
reclamation
While examinations and surveys have been
made in all sections Of the arid region Nevada is
the only State and Arizona the only Territory
where actual construction has begun In other
States and Territories plans and specifications
are IN various stages Of progress and the work IS
being pushed Criticism has arisen IN some quar-
tiers because the law is not sufficiently elastic TO
authorize various small projects Of individual in
terests and 10 permit more general distribution
Of funds throughout certain States. What appears
10 be the slow progress In work IS said TO be
matter OF criticism.
The irrigation fund accumulated from the sale
OF public lands in the thirteen states ana three
Territories 10 which the Irrigation act applies,
now amounts 10 $6 s3f. This 1und has been
accommodating the Treasury since 1901
The question Of drilling aTteslau wells has been
Of considerable moment. IL view or the fact that
many persons have impOrtunec Tor such work
simply TO develop the mineral resources beneath
the surface. ruling p-eciudlnS such experiments
made. the ground that the lnIorrlaJ non
possessed by the Geological Survey on the sub
ject does not warrant the expenditure OF Irrlga-
ton funds for that purpose. Large areas OF the
public lands have been withdrawn from entry
under the act. pending further development
Contracts have been let for three sections OF the
work on the Truckee Canal in Nevada and also
on the SAID RIVER Dam IL Arizona The policy has
been 70 divide the work into small units, 70
engage a large number Of contractors and en-
courage competition.
In many States radical changes IN the water
right laws viii have 70 be made before 1rriga-
ton projects can be undertaken under the act.
Nevada has already changed her laws IN conformity
with the act. Il has been found that the States
having the largest fund those in which ir-iga-
tion is least important