The border vidette. (Nogales, Ariz.) 1894-1934, 1903-01-31
IRRIGATION.
Special to THE BORDER VIDETrE.

western states has givin great
impetus to every industry in that
section of the country. The people of
the eastern states are just beginning
to realize the opportunities offered in
the territory to be opened up. AS the
proposition develops, tide of enmigra-
ton will inevitably set in and this reg
ion will become one of the most populous
and prosperous in the country. With
large areas of reclaimable land Ariz-
ona especially will be benefited by the
measure.
The actual work of surveying, 10
eating and constructing reservoirs and
other irrigation works will be done by
the Geological Survey. In order to
obtain better understanding of the
present extent of irrigation, the To-
cation of the areas irrigated, and to
gain other information useful in this
work, the Fifty Congress au-
thorized the Director of the Census to
bring down to date the irrigation
statistics obtained in 1900 by that
office. Letters of inquiry and schedules
are now being sent out to secure the
necessary information. All interested
in irrigation should answer as fully
and as promptly as possible any
inquiries they may receive so that the
merits of the various sections of the
country may become known. Irri pa
tors who do not receive blanks within
a reasonable time should notify the
Census Office at Washington and they
will be supplied.
1t is interesting to note in this
connection how much it will mean to
the country at large to have the arid
lands of the West reclaimed.
Ac orling to the census of 1900 the
total imp: owed farm area of the Unit
ed States was Ala 100000 acres. 1t
is conservatively estimated that the
recla:mable area is not less than 3d.
OC0,0 acres. Its reclamation, there
fore, will add nearly one eighth to
the actual crop producing area of the
country and will exceed by a liberal
margin the tillable land of all the
states, excepting New York, on the
Atlantic Coast from Maine to Florida.
Allowing 40 acres, the average size of
irrigated farms, this area will make
100000 farms, or little less than
one fourth the number in the United
States in 1900. The occupants of
these farms will add directly to the
population 6, 100000, ard indirectly,
in the accompanying mercantile, pro-
fessional, manufacturing and industrial
classes at least 3. 1885, 900 more, a total
increase in the population of the
United States of 1915, 900. or nearly
twelve and one-half per cent.
The total value of all the farms in
1900, including all improvements ex-
cept buildings, was S13, Is, 100000
At S42. so per acre, the average value
of irrigated land, the 100000 acres
to be reclaimed will add to the value
of farm land $3.50. 100000. If
buildings are included, the value will
be increased $775, 100000, while the
augmented wealth through railroads,
cities, mills and factories, is beyond
estimation.
The annual value of all the farm
products in 1900 was 81, 37S, 100000
The average value per acre of products
of irrigated lands was Sl4.SI. At
this rate the area to be reclaimed will
add products worth $40. 100000, an
addition of nearly one-sIxth of the life
sustaining powers of the country.
The number of irrigating bitches
and canals in operation in the United
States exceeds 10000, and their COM
bined length is not less than $4,000
miles. If joined cad to end they
would reach twice around the world.
Formed into one they would constitute
a navigable canal, such as the Erie,
thirty feet wide and five feet deep,
extending from San Francisco to New
York, distance of over 5000 miles. |
The figures of the last census show
that the works required to irrigate
1868, 273 acres cost S64, 2S9, COL, an
average of $3.50 per acre. At this
rate the expenditure required to re
claim the area proposed would be at
least $3.50, 100000. After the Gov
eminent has performed its part there
will be no delay by the farmers in
carrying on the work. While the mi
tial expense is enormous, it is not |
compare BILE with the value of the crops |
which will be grown on the lands re
claimed. The total cost of all the |
irrigation works in use in the country
is only three-fourths the value of the
crops produced each year on irrigated
lands.