The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-02-05
IRRIGATION FIGURES
PRESENTED BY AUTHORITIES
IN WASHINGTON CITY ESPECIALLY FOR
The Benefit of The Dawn's Readers.

The acceptance by congress of the
principle of federal aid in the construc-
ton of irrigation works in the western
states has given great impetus to
every industry in that section of the
country. The people of the eastern
states are just beginning to realize the
opportunities offered in the territory
to be opened up. AS the proposition
develops, a tide of immigration will
inevitably set in and this region will
become one of the most populous and
prosperous in the country. With large
areas of reclaimable land and plenty
of available water, Washington espec-
tally will be benefited by the measure.
The actual work of surveying, loca-
ting and constructing reservoirs and
other irrigation works will be done by
the geological survey. In order to
obtain better understa nding of the
! present extent Of irrigation, the location
of the areas irrigated, and to gain other
information useful in this work, the
! fifty-seventh congress authorized the
| director of the census to bring down
to date the irrigation statistics obtained
in 1900 by that offices. Letters of in
quiry and schedules are now being Sent
out to secure the necessary information.
All interested in irrigation should an
swer 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. 1rriga-
tors who do not receive blanks within
reasonable time should notify the
census office at Washington and they
will be supplied.
It's interesting to note in this connec-
ton how much it will mean to the cOun-
try at large to have the arid lands of
the west reclaimed. According to the
census of 1900 the total improved farm
area of the United States was Ala, 800,
900 acres. It's conservatively estimated
that the reclaimable area is not less
than 50,000,000 acres. It's reclamation,
therefore, will add nearly one-eighth to
the actual crop producing area of the
country and will exceed by aliberal
margin the tillable land OF allthe states,
excepting New York, on the Atlantic
coast from Maine to Florida. Allow
| ing 40 acres, the average size OF irrigat-
ed farms, this area will make /, 250 900
farms or little less than one-fourth
the number in the United States in 1900.
The occupants of these farms will add
directly to the population &, $500 and
indirectly, in the accompanying mer-
camille, professional, manufacturing
and industrial classes at least 1925, 900
more, a total increase in the population
of the United States of $4,000 or
nearly twelve and one-half per cent.
he total value of all the farms inI900,
including Improvements except build
ings, was $l3, 1l5, 100000. At $425O
per acre, the average value of irrigated
land, 5O,OOO,0OO acres reclaimed will
add to the value of farm
land $l,250,OOO,O0o, while the aug
mented wealth through railroads, cities,
mill and factories, is beyond estimation.
The annual value of all the farm pro-
ducts in 1900 was S4,379,OOO,0 900. Tho
average value per acre of products OF
irrigated lands was $l4.Sl. At this
rate the area to be reclaimed will add
products worth $40, 500, 900, an addition
of nearly one-sixth of the life sustaining
powers of the country.
The number of irrigating bitches
and canals in operation in the United
States exceed 2O,000 and their com
bined length is not less than 10000
miles. II joined end to end they would
reach twice around the world. Form
ed into one they would constitute a
navigable canal, such as the Erie, thirty
feet wide and five feet deep, extending
from San Francisco to New York, dis
lance of over 5000 miles. The figures
of the last census that the works re-
uuired to irrigate 7,233,273 acres cost
1854, $50, COL, an average of $3.50 per acre.
At this rate the expenditure required
to reclaim the area proposed would be
at least $3.50, 100000. After the Gov
eminent has performed its part there
will be no delay by the farmers in car
rying on the work. While the initial
expense is enormous, it is not compar-
able with the value of the crops which
will be grown on the lands reclaimed.
The total cost of all the irrigation
works in use in the country is only three
fourths the value of the crops produced
each year on irrigated lands.
Now is the time to get your hacks
and buggies painted. See Zetzsche &
Pinney at Sprague's paint store.
Ask your grocer for diamond" or