The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-30
HERE'S AN ANOMALY
First Project of the Government
Will Be Entirely for Benefit
Of Private Land Owners.
Uncle Sans Paternalistic Expert
ment in Building the Big
Salt River Dam.
From The Journal Bureau, Room As, Post Build
shi f.

From The Journal Bureau, Room 49, Post Build
ing, Washington.
Washington, July 30.-The first of the great
irrigation projects undertaken by the govern
ment VIII not result in making any Of the
public domain blossom like rose" What
ever poisoning is done will accrue to the
benefit Of private land owners. 1t is now
quite certain that whatever water is made
available by the three million dollar dam in
the Salt river valley will be needed for lands
which has already been taken up. Some of
the land may be sold at retail to new set
tiers; but the government will have no hold
ingS to offer under homestead law.
Inls news may surprise some people. Much
was said in the debates in congress about
the desert wastes which We're to be made rich
and fertile. and which were to be thrown
open to the home maker at nominal cost The
land Nv was to be cut up into small holdings t
settler was to be charged only his pro rata
snare or the cost of furnishing the water.
Ihus congress was persuaded that it would
be good scheme to raise fund by the sale
OF public lands and use the money in MAX
are now useless.
Some of the other irrigation projects, to be
undertaken later, may result in retaining
some Of the arid public land. The Truckee
river project in Nevada, on the boundary of
northern California will reclaim small
land. within the next two years, and the
Milk river project in Montana. may have
the same effect. But these, works are. still
not being pushed with the energy evident in
the Salt river valley project. IN fact, it is
frankly admitted that the Salt river project
is the one which the government officials
are considering as first in Importance. as
we'll as in size and cost.
The land which will be watered by the Salt
river dam, reservoir and works is practically
all In the hands of private owners. 1t is
difficult To say just how much water there
Will be- or how much land it will be safe to
bring under cultivation, depending upon the
reservoir. but it is certain that there will be
| no more water than will be wanted by owners
who are already on the ground.
Shy on Water Heretofore.
The country tributary to this Salt river
dam project has been practicing irrigation
Salt river has been tapped by canals, and
an kinds OF private enterprises have been
distributing the water, and promoting or
$4,000 acres were brought under cultivation.
But the water" of late years has been insult
the supply apparently has been growing less,
due perhaps to the reckless denudation of the
forest lands about the sources of the river.
which once had water have been unable to
get an adequate supply, and have had to be
abandoned. Some years the water has been
80 o tha there was barely enough for
died and the trees are now being cut for
f1rewood. '- '..''
Measurements of the water flowing thru the
Salt river show that there is enough water,
even in years of drought, to lrrigate all and
more than the land now under cultivation.
for 10 tie IN mi ra'A And 6e
formation of the country suggests a huge
CAM, Just below the junction of Salt river
with Tonic creek, where the mountains which
form this drainage basin come close to-
gether until they form profound canyon.
with precipitous sides and narrow bottom,
the posts of a great natural gateway. Here
is where the dam will be built. It will rise,
solid wall Of stone and masonry, $50 feet in
height, and 80 feet between the side towers.
backing up the water into great artificial
lake which will be no less than fifteen miles
long by one and one-half miles in width and
covering an area Of ID, 200 acres. - -59
The water stored in this great receptacle
Wall pc sufl;ient to irrigate 100000 acres.
IS acres more than have been
regular flow of Salt river 1t is estimated
by some experts that the dam will give water
enough for 100000 acres, but this is an out
side estimate The conservative figures of f.
ii. Newell, of the geological survey place the
amount or land to be watered from the stor-
age reservoir at 100000 acres. * ~
what, then will be the effect of building
tnls S5OOO.OOO work? In the first place the
5000 or 5000 people who have settled there,
and who have discovered that they can rely
en- water for only about 10000 acres will be
saved from the loss of the entire other 90, coo
acres which they started to bring under Gull
tiyatios and nd which have been reverting
addition to saving this land and making It
permanently productive, the reservoir will
reclaim. some 100000 or more acres the Gull
tivation of which has never been attempted,
and which never was possible on account Of
the lack Of water. =" =,
Spectators Have the Start
But who owns that 200 900 acres of addi
tional land which will be suddenly converted
from perfectly useless acreage into most yalu
able and fertile farms? =.
Spectators. There is no denying that The
OWlerShtn fri h1yfor e.
has been brought to light by the preliminary
negotiations conducted by the officials of
the interior department, negotiations whose
chief object was to forestall any embarrassing
legal controversy by which private parties
might cXtort money from the government and
hamper the successful execution of tie irri-
cation project. The secretary of the interior
decided, and announced that nothing should
be don toward the actual construction of the
fully protected by the full and free consent Of
every person whose lands would be dependent
| on the reservoir for water. All such land
owners would have to agree, and to give their
lands, as security, to abide by ell such con-
dltions as the government might impose upon
the users Of water or the subsequent nur-
! chasers of the land. - =, : -.
~. A Water Users Association. VI.
II order to accomplish this result most
simply and effectively, and to relieve the gov.
| emmett from the necessity of dealing In
dividually with the several thousand pro-
| rrietors of the land, the latter were asked
~ 1ollH themselves lntO an organization
known as the Water Users association. ;"
duly incorporated, and with rules and BY,
laws and a governing body like any business
organization. BY the terms Of the organiza-
citation first mortgage on his land as a
guarantee that his part of the undertaking
citation agrees to abide by all contracts made
in his behalf, with the government, by the
president and directors of the association.
he agrees TO observe all rules and regulations
made ID regard to the use of the water. He
agrees to pay for the water 1T stipulated rates
and to reimburse the government for the
cost OF tie irrigation works and DAM in
ten annual payments, pro rated according
| to the number Of acres in his holding Aii