Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1903-10-02


nal: In response to my suggestion
Prof W. H. Newell, chief of the United
States reclamation service, dictated
the following highly interesting and
instructive account of the federal irri-
CATION undertaking, up to date:
The United States reclamation ser
vice, under the law OF June II, l9o2,
has been organized for the purpose of
making surveys and examinations, and
constructing irrigation works for the
reclamation of the arid lands of the
west. The funds are derived from the
disposal of public lands in thirteen
states and three territories, and the
work is confined to these. There is
available upwards of $4,000, 900. and
this amount is being increased from
day to day.
In order to carry out the purpose OF
the law. an engineering corps has
been organized, under the civil service
rules. each man being selected through
competitive examination. These eX-
aminations have been based largely on
experience in actual planning and con-
struction Of irrigation works. About
$50 experienced men have thus OBJ
ltained together with some younger
men. with good technical education
From time to time other men are being
added. especially from the graduates
of professional schools. The attempt
is being made to obtain force of the
most competent men of high principle
lieved that the great hydraulic works
can be planned and built only by men
of the highest type.
In each of the states and territories
general study is being made of OPP
5 portunities for reclamation, and two or
3, three projects. especially noteworthy
: are selected for careful survey. From
+ comparison OF results, one of these
is chosen by the district engineer
!. When he is ready to report upon The
a work. with recommendations the fact
Il and figures are submitted TO bOart
y of engineers, who pass upon these
d, Sometimes additional information
r sought. or the conclusions are mod
4e fed. When agreement is reached. tn
81 results are transmitted to the secr'
OF tary of the interior. with defni
recommendations for immediate a
ton and with full facts as to costs az
on benefits. Final action is thus takt
Ia only after the most critical eXamin
- ton of existing conditions, and col
ce parison of these with other projects.
In some of the states general reco
~ nassance is still being carried on;
=. others, plans and estimates have be-
of completed, and in one case. in Nevad
OF actual construction has begun. 1t
hoped that contracts will soon be
N. for work in several other states.
Under the terms of the law Il
- works when built. are TO be paid for
ten annual installments, and are ult
= mately to be owned and operated
o. the people using the water. The pro|
~ lens before the reclamation servit
= are thus not merely engineering
rs character. but are also largely leg
III and pertaining to the organization
u, ~ the irrigators into associations, sue
nc that the management can be placed
le their hands. This is, perhaps. the mo
difficult part of the work, namely,
no bring together the discordant elemen
It. of community. torn by conflicts ov'
g- water. and weld these into a compa
- " organization sufficiently strong
he maintain the works built by the go
W ernment and distribute the wat
- equtably
q Reclamation viii come about me
ne largely through the storage of flo
Ee waters which now run to waste in I
4e spring. Wherever suitable basins c
m. be found these will be utilized by Gle
ing the OuiIelS ana catcHIhS the Wdte
which otherwise would flow down t
steep slopes. devastating the lowlan
Many of the stored waters can
brought out by gravity canals TO COY
Wv the lands adjacent to the rivers. Nh
:, OF the better land, however, lies
as attitudes too high to be thus reach
ck and these lands, if irrigated at
- must be supplied by some form
zen pumping device, or from artes
sources. AS the water flows down
steep river channels, it can occas
ally be diverted and power develo