The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-01-30
Irrigation Statistics Wanted.

Washington, ID. O., January n 1903.-
The acceptance by congress of the prin
ciple Of federal aid in the construction
ofirrigation works in the Western state
has given great impetus to every IN
dustry in that section Of the country
The people of the Eastern states are jus
beginning to realize the opportunities
Offered in the territory to be opened up
As the proposition develops, q tide 0
immigration will inevitably set in ant
this region will become one Of the mos
populous and prosperous in the country
With large areas OF reclaimable lane
and plenty OF available water, Oregon
especially will be benefited by the meas
ure.
The actual work Of surveying, locating
and constructing reservoirs and otherir
rigation works will be done by the geo
logical survey. In order to obtain I
better understanding of the present ex
tent Of irrigation, the location of tht
areas irrigated, and to gain other infor
nation useful in this work, the fifty
seventh congress authorized the direc
tor of the census to bring down to date
the irrigation statistics obtained in l90l
by that office. Letters Of inquiry and
schedules are now being sent out to Sc
cure the necessary information. All
interested in irrigation should an
swer as promptly as possible
any inquiries they may receive SO
that the. merits. of the various sections
OF country may become known. Irriga-
tors 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 con-
nection how much it will mean to the
country at large to have the arid lands
Of the West reclaimed,
According to the census of 1900 the to.
tai improved farm area of the United
States was Ala, 800, 900 acres. 1t is con-
servatively estimated that the reclaim
able area is not less than $4,000, 900
acres. lis reclamation, therefore, will
add nearly one-eighth TO the actual crop
producing area Of the country and will
exceed by liberal margin the tillable
land of all the states, excepting New
York, on the Atlantic coast from Maine
to Florida. Allowing 40 acres, the aver
age size of irrigated farms, this area
will make 1,260,000 farms, or q little
less than one-fourth the number in the
United States in 1900. The occupants
of these farms will add directly to the
population 6,250,000, and indirectly, in
the accompanying mercantile, profes-
sional manufacturing and industrial
classes at least 3, l25,00 more,a total in
crease in the population of the United
Statesof {, 1916, 900, or nearly twelve and
one-half per cent.
The total value OF all the farms in
1900, including all improvements except
buildings, $l3,1l5,000,0O0. AT $42.60
per acre, the average value OF irrigated
land, the $50, ,000, 900 acres to be reclaim
ed will add to the value Of the farm land
81 $50 900 900. If buildings are included,
the value will be increased $775, 900, 900,
while the augmented wealth through
railroads, cities, mills and factories, is
beyond estimation.
The annual value of all the farm prod
ucts in 1900 was $4, ,379, ,00O,0 900. The av-
erage value per acre Of products of ir-
rigated lands was $l4.S1. At this rate
the area to be reclaimed will add prod
ucts worth $740,500,000, 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
exceeds 10000, and their combined
length is not less than $4,000 miles. II
joined end to end they would reach
twice around the world. Formed into
one they would constitute navigable
canal, such as the Erie, thirty feet wide
and five feet deep, extending from San
Francisco to New York, distance of
over 5000 miles.
The figures of the last census show
that the works required to irrigate 1885,
273 acres cost $64, ,289, ,60l, an average Of
Sc. .85 per acre. At this rate the expend-
iture required to reclaim the area
proposed would be at least
$3.50, 100000. After the government
has performed its part there will be no
delay by the farmers in carrying on the
work. While the initial expense is enor-
nous, it is not comparable 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 ir-
rigated lands.