Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-11-04
WEALTH in WATER.
WHAT IRRIGATION DOES FOR THE
BARREN DESERT.
Uncle Sam Has Undertaken the Work
of Reclaimins Million, of Acres of
Arid Lands-Now Inns an Irrigation
Fund of 81, 5oo,o0o.

II IL not al, cNtravagant prophesy to
predict thdt the land values of the
States west of the Rockies will, Iii tile
next quarter of Il century; double iii
value anu that the chief factor Iii
bringing about the Increased valuation
will be water.
There are, in that great region in the
| West, known as the arid belt, $50 ,0CO, :
600 acres of vacant lands, exclusive Ct
more than 120,0O0.OoO acres in the Gov
eminent and Indian reservations. This
Is about 6ne-third the area of the
United States, exclusive of Alaska, AMI
is little more than onehalf the area
Of Arizona, California, Colorado Ida
no, Kansas. Montana, Nebraska, Neva-
da, North Dakota. Oklahoma, Oregon,
South Dakota. Utah, Washington, and
Wyoming.
Most Of this land, under present con-
ditions, is worthless. Some of it will
never have an agricultural value. but
the greater part needs only water to
make it valuable to the agriculturist
and horticulturist.
The territory now vacant is oapabla
OF supporting a population as great as
that of the United States at the pres
ent time, provided ways are devised
whereby the land may be furnished
with water. tbs the solution of this
problem which brings together annual
" the body Of men known as the 'Ir-
rigation Congress- 1t is this question
which in several sections of the West,
notably in California, is being solved
in practical way by both private and
governmental enterprise.
There are about 100000 acres of
Western lands which are termed .des-
ert. 1t is in this desert region that
most of the irrigation work is now
being done. The deserts contain some
of the richest soil in the United States
There are limited sections of the des-
ert. like the Salton Sink, and 1.-The Vol
caEoes" in the Colorado desert, which
may never be reclaimed, but the great
er portion have rich soil adapted to ag-
riculture If water can he brought to
the lands and distributed over them.
Desert lands without water have abso-
lutely no value, except such as may
have deposits of minerals, therefore
water gives them the only real value
they have or may hope to have.
As n rule such of the arid lands, w.
Ing outside the deserts in valleys, on
the plains and upon the foothills, have
small value to grazers, for they fur
nish sparce heritage upon which the
cattle may browse. These lands are
considered, by cattlemen, to be worth
about so cents per dcre without water.
To such lands water adds the total
value of the reclaimed lands, minus
the so cents per acre. 1t is by bring
Ing water to these lands that wealth
is being rapidly created in the West.
A little more than two years ago
the drill was sunken deep into the
earth upon the barren Colorado desert
at n point now known as Coachella.
Land 'there was actually valueless,
though the government placed upon 1t
the usual price of SLIPS per acre.
The drill found bountiful supply
of artesian water. Other wells We're
drilled till more than $50 flowing wells
ARE now pouring their streams upon