The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-05
He is CONFIDENT
IRRIGATION WILL
RECLAIM ARIDHESI
Former Senator Carter an En-
thusiast on Opportunities
Opened Up in the Great
American Desert by the New
National Law.

The work of reclaiming the great
western arid region, former United
States Senator Thomas Carter, of Hell
ena, Mont, believes may be commenced
next year. The irrigation fund now
aggregates about $S,000,0 900 and Sena
tor Carter says this amount will slowly
but steadily be increased.
Senator Carter was in st. Paul yes
terday on his way to Chicago and St.
Louis, where as president of the COM
mission he will give his personal atten-
ton to the erection of the government
building at the ST. Louis exposition
grounds. While member OF the
United States senate Senator Garter
began the agitation for governmental
irrigation of the vast Western arid re-
gion and is enthusiastic over the re-
suits achieved in a lapse of seven Or
eight years. To, TIL e Clio b e yester-
day he said:
Small Ranges in Vogue.
"a process of transition in the cat
tie raising business is in progress. The
old range winter herds are rapidly Civ
ing way to smaller punches kept on
ranches during the colder months. The
cattle raisers who formerly relied en-
tifely upon the ranges for feed are
now cultivating ranches for winter
feed for the young and weak stock.
The principal crop is alfalfa, and when
you take into consideration that the
three crops per year make the land
yield an average aggregate of five tons
per acre, the possibilities of irrigation
become, at once apparent
'In Montana alone there are 10000
900 acres susceptible of irrigation,
leaving 100000 acres for open sum-
naer ranges Fifty millions, of tons of
alfalfa will handsomely winter 5e,900,-
900 head of cattle. From these figures
some idea, may be gained of the enor-
NOUS possibilities OF, the. cattle bust
ness in reclaimed districts. These
possibilities are doubly apparent when
it is remembered that the greatest ad-
vantage OF irrigation by artificial
means rests in certainty of crop.
Three Great Districts.
The ultimate retaining of the great
arid districts is divided in three great
general schemes by districts-the, Milk
river district Lake Tahoe district in
er district in Arizona. OF all these vast
districts an area not to, exceed Soc, zoe
acres has been reclaimed by Irrigation.
Next year should, however, mark the
beginning of the end Of the Great
Americans desert.
Under the Irrigation acts the pro-
ceedS from government lands are to be
devoted to the retaining of arid lands,
which in turn will bear the expense.
There is now about $8,000,O00 in the
fund. re
The reclaimed lands are to be sold
under contracts requiring. residence
and the payment of the actual cost~of
securing the water supply. This cost
may average $40 per acre, making an
eighty-acre homestead cost the settler
about $780, The subsequent cost will
be trifiing, and may be paid in work
identically as certain taxes are worked
out on the, public roads in other Sec
lions of the country. ,,,,~-fe
The irrigation canals will be built
under the direction of the Secretary OF
the interior and the immediate super
vision of an engineer appointed by the
geological survey. The. first great
irrigation project is the diversion OF
the St. Mary's river into the Milk river
basin and tfef consequent rec1aiIning
Of several million acres. The plans for
the supply Canal. are NOW IN shape IO
| warrant the -lRtting of contracts and
they will undoubtedly, be let next
spring. Meanwhile the surveyors are
hard at work on the plans for distrib-
uting canals.
Purchasers for the reclaimed lands
will be found faster than the dands can
be reclaimed and the fund will grow
like a rolling SNOWFALL, slowly but
surely the desert will be conquered
made productive.
Fair Buildings Progress.
Senator Carter is very much pleased
with the progress of the work prepare
tory for the ST. Louis exposition and
says the big show will be opened or
schedule time, complete in every de-
tail.
1.-The mammoth government build
| ings," said Senator Carter, twill be
completed by Nov. 1. This will free ar
| army of worknen and the states and
other buildings will be rapidly COM
| pieted. The gates will open May /
upon a fair in perfect order, with
buildings covering an area more than
double that used at the Chicago fail
| and erected at more than double the
1893 COST
Speaking of the runored lack OF
| hotel facilities at st. Louis, Senator
Garter said that in addition to the new
! permanent hotel buildings now In
| course OF construction, temporary
1 structures entirely adequate to the ac.
/ conanodation of the crowds Will be
| finished before spring. -