The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-08-09
SECTION TWO.

or else 1t is inundated too frequently to
be OF any use. The work of TedceminE
and protecting these lands viii be ac-
cOmDhShed by building dams in the nu-
merous gorges, and constructing bikes at
places where il is necessary TO prevent
tho inunuatlon OF the lOWl5nds. Im-
mense reservoirs will be installed at in
terVals TO store the surplus water, and
the river will be confined TO its normal
bed at all seasons. during high water as
we'll as low Citrus 1ruits. such as
oranges and lem ms viii be raised on the
nigh grounds, while alfalfa, grasses and
vegetables VIII thrive on the lOWiands.
Aside from the inestimable value to ag-
ricuiture- the flow of water along the
mighty course OF this famous stream has
a force which is probably equal to the
strength Of Niagara, and when grain
uelos spring up along its banks. and
people 90 there to live, the necessary
power Ior manufactures will be easily
available. IL VIII be about eighteen
months before the Investigations are
completed which viii determine the cost
OF the undertaking. but Ii is estimated
at from S2O,0o0,C00 TO $4,000 600. 1t will
give employment 20 thousands OF men
and viii consume years OF time 10 COM
plete the work me government VIII
put the job through but will be reim-
Dursed from the sale of the land The
reader may think Uncle sam is crazy 10
contemplate such q speculation. It really
IS not speculation at all The eNDOnents
OF the Irrigation idea have shown most
conclustvely that their claims for desert
land. when water is put upon il, are not
H
cost of S20.OO0000. that fixes the cost OF
the recimation at $50 per acre As
last as the land is ready buyers will be
waiting for. IL at that price I'm Idaho
where big scheme of a similar nature is
under wav. the sale of land has been ii
excess of the expectation of the promOt-
ers. The men who buy it are not specu-
i3IorS. AFTER II passes from the hands
OF the government IL can't be bought for
SlOo ner acre The reason for this Is
simDle-because it pays the farmer so
~ h.a araf "a F..~.
less One strong feature Of these re-
ClamatiOn schemes over the old rIishes for
government land is that the work of pre-
narration REQUIRES the labor of great
manv men. and they can earn wages with
which to buv land and get "A start In
EMPLOYING labor the preference is al
uD land
This business of redeemings the desert
mas really gone beyond the experimental
stage. The government is going into the
matter in earnest. and il is just another
item among the many things which ars
destined to insure "a greater America.
NeVaoa mas the greatest amount of
waste land OF any of the seventeen
states and territories which comprise the
arid belt. although Montana would be
first in this respect if its mountainous
tracts were considered. New Mexico
and Arizona have almost as much arid
soil as the two first named. California
has redeemed the most land. the first
resolution. faVOriug national irrigation
having originated from the chamber of
commerce OF Los Angeles. The state
OF Washington has redeemed the least
aGOunt of land. Idaho has the greatest
amount OF water which may be utilized
in this work and Nevada the least.
Reclaiming the arid land will do more
for California than all things else Here
tofore IT. has not been considered a DOOR
mans country IL is greatly favored by
nature and has been made paradise bv
the wealthy people who have come here
20 live but the army OF bread winners
rhO will follow will make IL truly great.
ihe common people who earn thpfr liN-
ing i'm the sweat OF their brow: who
SuDDlv the toll necessary TO the pr0duc-
! zion OF wealth. will make it an empire
as well as a paradise. OF course this
| class is now REPRESENTED i'm a meas-,re
/ but not TO the extent that il should he.
In the marched districts lying along
4 the Colorado river are the crumbliu.s
~e1nains of old cities. They mark the
place where a Donulation thrived in the
--nS ago AIutelv and Stubbornly they
| have resisted the destruction the ages
have visited uDOn them. as If 10 mark
/ the Mace where there was once life in
| the hone that il might come again. Their
| long vigil has not been I'm vain. The
] skill of man will conquer that wild rag
Ced river and force IL to play its part i'm
/ the redemption of the long lost land
around g. The civilization for which
/ these blistered. tOttering wrecks have
/ waited so long i'm edging out toward
! them FREDERICK j. HASKIN-