The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-09
Thinks That He Can Solve the
Vexing Problem.
LOOKING FOR A BASIN.
Would Utilize This for Con-
struction of Works.
Talk of Developing More Kansas
Oil Lands.

dock, the new congressman from the
Seventh district. is in search of an
idea This NAV seem singular to those
who are familiar with the attachments
of the young congressman, but the fact
| is the idea Mr.. Murdoch is after is go
ing to be about the hardest proposition
he has ever tackled. but if he is sue
cessful it ought to make him famous.
and his constituents in the Seventh
Kansas congressional district probably
will be willing to send him to Wash
inEton for life. The idea he is after
is an irriga ton idea Officials here
have told him that if he will solve the
problem of practical irrigation in Kan
sas, thew will divert a part of the i'm
mense fund which the government is
to spend for forwarding the work in
the seni-arid districts of the United
States Mr.. Murdoch has been work.
| Ing almost constantly with the gov
eminent irrigation experts ever since
he came here. He has spent much
time at the geological survey looking
over the Typographical maps of the
state. and he has gone into the mat
ter very thoroughly. But the OBJ
stacles in the way of reducing the irri-
cation problem to anything like a
practical working basis are many, and
the solutions for it are few. This is
particularly true in Kansas, where the
difhculties are apparently more nu-
merous than in any other state.
Just now Mr.. Murdoch is looking for
natural basin in the semi-arid belt
which could be utilized in the con-
struetion of irrigation works. But so
far he has been unable to find any in
the Typographical maps which he has
examined. 1t is his belief, however.
and it is the belief of the experts here,
tnat there are some basins in the un-
surveyed parts of the state, and with
the end in view of finding them he is
making an effort to have additional
surveys made. The geological survey
mas practically promised to resume the
work. which has not been carried on
TO any extent in the state since the
/ days of Plumb and Ingalls, During
their time they induced the eeoIoricaj
survey to make survey of about
two-thirds of the state, but since that
time me- very little has been done
The experts concede,'' said Mr. Muir
dock today, that Kansas is the most in
vlting held of any in the arid and semi
ara states. They understand that the
| productive capacity of the soil is prodi-
Slous- They do not make any mistake
on that point; but how to get the water
IS the problem. The officfals figure thai
to reach an inexhaustible water supply
1t would be necessary to sink wells to
! the depth of from 100 to 200 feet. which
would make the cost of pumping pro-
| hibitive On the other hand, all the nat
uraf reservoirs have bottoms of sand.
and will not conserve the waters. But I
find the experts ready and anxious to
cooperate, and believe the problem can
be solved
In conversation with officials of the
geological survey, Mr.. Murdeck learned
that 1t is their belief that there il much
! gas and oil in Kansas outside OF the gas
and oil belt 1t is now defined. Ages
and ages ago, it is said, there was form
! ed a stratum of rock with southeast
and northwest trend reaching from
northwestern Kansas in Norton and 9TH
/ er counties up through Nebraska. No
/ prospecting has ever been done in that
vicinity. but the geological survey is of
the opinion that under this stratum gas
and oil will be found in abundance It
/ is not the purpose of the government to
I do any prospecting on its own account,
/ but it is proposed by bringing the posi-
bilities to the attention of persons in
/ terested in the matter to induce others
/ to do so. In view of the fact that a
fine gas and oil field exists already in
1 southeastern Kansas. the results of
prospecting in the new field will be
awaited with considerable interest in the
state
The members of the Kansas delega-
ton are located for the winter, for the
most part. Senator Burton has taken
the house formerly occupied by Sen
ator Harris at Thirteenth and L. streets;
Senator Long will live at 1853 Massa-
chusetts avenue, n. w; Representative
Scott will live at the Westover, Six
teenth and streets: Representative
Campbell at the Cumberland: Represen-
tative Murdoch at the Cochrane; Rep
resentative Curtis at the Gordon; Rep
resentative Calderhead at the Congress
sional. Mr.. Bowersock will live at the
Hamilton, as during former sessions.
and Representative Miller probably
will take apartments at the Normandie,
when he arrives.