The Courier. (Genoa, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1903-07-24
THE BIG DITCH
WILL MAKE THE DESERT BLOOM
Thousands of Homeseekers Will
Come to Nevada.

Aho POoPiO Vi N6Ndud nave Dbtle re-
alization of the vastness of the work
that the Government is going to per-
form here in order TO reclaim the des-
ert. From the Reno journal and
other sources of information we CLEAN
the following facts, which we believe
will be of especial interest to many of
our readers:
The bids for the construction of the
great canal which is to irrigate 20O,0
acres of sagebrush lands in Churchill
county were opened July 18th in
Washington, d. c., and were as fol-
lows: E. B. & A. l.. Stone Company
of Oakland, Cal, S1,161 ,944; Atlantic,
Gulf and Pacific Company of San
Francisco, $1,09s,059 Charles a War
rem & Co. of San Francisco, 1896, 7S7.
The building of the canal practically
means the reclaiming of 24O,00 acres
of at present useless lands, 100000 in
Churchill county, and 1000 along the
course of the canal in the Truckee
river valley. The canal will tap the
Truckee river near Clarlx's station, be-
tween Reno and Wadsworth, and ex-
tend 81 miles to large reservoir to be
built on the Carson river near the Vail
ranch, about twenty miles below Day
ton. 1t will be twenty-three feet wide
at the bottom, fifty-three feet wide at
the top, fourteen feet deep, and carry
ing thirteen feet of water, or a volume
of 1900 cubic feet second.
Chas. A. Warren & Co. of San Fran
cisco, being the lowest bidder, will
likely be awarded the contract to do
do the work. L. II. Taylor, resident
photographer, will go to Denver on
the 18th Of this month to consult with
Chief Engineer Newell about the bids.
The contract will be let shortly there
after. Mr.. Taylor expects that the
contractor to whom the work is let
will begin the construction of the
canal not later than September 1st.
The contractor will have fourteen
months in which to complete it. 1t is
expected that the canal and side
bitches will be ready to deliver water
to the lands by the Spring of 1905.
The lands to be irrigated are subject
to entry under the provisions of the
homestead law only, and entries made
on these lands are subject to all the
provisions, limitations, charges, terms
and conditions of the Irrigation Act.
Not less than 40 nor more than 160
acres can be embraced in one entry.
Such entries are not subject to the
communication provisions of the home
stead law, and, on the determination
of the Secretary of the Interior, the
entries may be reduced in area to the
limit representing the acreage which,
in the opinion of the Secretary, may
be reasonably required for the support
of family, and will become subject to
charges per acre covering only the
actual cost of construction of the
necessary canals and reservoirs. These
charges are to be paid in annual in
stallments, not exceeding ten. Gov
ernment experts have estimated the
cost of constructing the irrigation
works under this system at about IS 80
per acre. There is no interest charge
The Government collects it's interest
in the form of social and economic
gains which quickly materialize into
taxable values for the benefit of the
county, State and nation.
1t is believed that the Secretary of
the Interior will shortly prescribe the
rules as to the manner in which the
lands can be taken, fix the size of
homesteads which may be taken up,
and make rules and regulations for
the use and distribution of the water
1t is very probable that the entries
will be limited to so acres.
When the day arrives for the open
ing of the section there promises to be
rush such as that when the Cherokee
strip and Oklahoma were thrown open.
The Government land office will be
surrounded by a multitude of home
seekers, and there certainly will be an
exciting few hours. The lands to be
irrigated in Churchill county alone
will furnish homes for 10000 people.
But the work in Churchill and on
the Truckee river is only small part of
the work to be done by the Govern
ment. The field of national irrigation
comprises half continent, and con-
templates the expenditure of tens of
millions. 1t is big thing, and means
expansion on tremendous scale,
without recourse to arms or butchery.
The water cure is never more efiica-
cious and lasting than when applied to
sagebrush land.