Rocky Ford enterprise., 1904-11-04
How Uncle Sam Is RecIaiming Millions Of Acres
of Non-Productiye and Arid Lands.
ROOSEvELT'S FRIENDSHIP FOR The WEST
Manner of Determining Reservoir Sites and How
Organized Effort Secures the Highest Eff.
cency-Gimpses Of the Future
Of "Arid America"

cent to the streams. There will be much
good Land. however. which lies too high
I" he thus reached. aud these lands, II ir-
risatei at all. must b- supplied by some
form Of pumping device or from artesaan
source. As the water flows down the
steep river channels IL can occasionally
bc diverted and power developed. the
water being used for irrigation later.
This power. carried by the electrical
transmission mentioned in our last issue.
can be used to pump water to the lands
somewhat above ias culinary canals.
As prcyiaE-ly stated, IL Is one OF the
engineering Problems OF the reclamation
servic. to develop all power possible aud
utilize this In Irrlratins the higher lands
by means OF pumping. Another problem
IL that OF discovering the quantity aud
quality OF the underground waters aud
d.visinS means by which these may be
brought Ia the surface. II not too saline
for agricultural purposes. Thus the
work az the reclamation engineers IL NOT
merely hydraulic In character: Il involves
mechanical and electrical construction
and a knowieis. of geological principles
which govern the occurrence Of water
underground.
sosss Tsalass Work for Caeis sss.
arid region have In many instances been
appropriated and put to use by private
enterprises. leaving for the government
only the large. d!riicuit or involved pro-
jec;s. II 10 not possible anywhere to
lind ideal conditions. and although far
reaching results are to DO accomplished.
these will 10 achieved only after great
.kiii aud tact have been brought to
hear.
Criticism will be launched against the
government by the unlnforme,i. because
OF tho apparently slow progress In the
development OF great irrigation projects.
In all eases Il should 10 remembered
that nearly all Of such undertakings In.
roivc the application or trial Of new
methods and devices and the dealing with
considerable numb-rs OF persons who are
private owners Of Land under such PRO.
posed irrigation projcc;s. II will be seen
that the work requires not merely skili.
| hut time.
In the execution Of the work. Il IL nee.
es.sry To utilize ian.i.. right. Of way or
privileges owned by Individuals. Many
OF these can be acquired by purchase:
others must be eon'l-mu-i hy process OF
| law. II u not desirable 70 begin con.
dcmna,ipn procee'iinrs until all possible
efforts have b~~n exhausted to bring
about a fair and bnsincs..ilkr sale. hs Il
IL essential Co secure aud maintain tho
good will Of the community. IL il q
/ better policy no, TO force matters. but
even TO risk sstnc delay. rather than
by main strength tp bring abou, reform.
which will be appreciated oniy after
many years.
Nssiossi 1srtgsstea sos Private Lands.
As stated. Uncle sam still owns from
| oac-haif to nin--trnths OF the area OF
| each of the Western States and terri.
tories affected by rrcsideat Roosrvcit's
National Irrigation Act. IIe 8. the big
land owner and will always remain the
proprietor OF the great mountain areas
covered mainly with trees. and from
which come the waters essential 10 the
life Of agriculture. Much OF the best
land In the valleys has already passed
into private ownership and along ainos,
every stream Is continuous succcssioa
OF claims taken up under the Homestead
or Desert Land law.
The public land. as = rule. IL thc beach
land adjaccn; to the valley. Nearly every
scheme for the reclamation Of govern.
ncnt land must OF necessity involve the
irrigation of land now In private own.
crsiip. The provisions Of the law arc
such that the land owned by individuals
can be irrigated In small tracts not to
exceed 100 acrcs. that being the amonn,
allowed for each Individual. The law
has been - framed az To require con.
tinnous residence on and cultivation Of
the land: whether originally In private
or public ownership. tho chief purpose
being. OF course. TO bring about imme.
iiately dense settlement in small. self.
sustaining farms.
brace all extremes from those where
nearly all of the land IL In public own.
ership. 10 those where most of the land
is at present ownci by individuals. In
the latter case the lands are now for the
most part vacant, cultivation having bees,
attempted with an Inadequate supply
OF water. and failure was the result. II
the land in private ownership were al.
ready irrigated. there would, Of course,
be no need OF governmental Interference,
but in a majority OF instances settlers
have come in with good faith and tried
to make homes. In any event, whether
they have or not. they can now obtain
water under the law only by residence
anj cultivation in small tracts. thus
bringing about the intent of the National
Irrigation Act.
1ndividuai Home Huiidera.
Whenever a project for reclamation of
government land is declared TO be fcasi-
lie, public lands under 1t are immediate.
l. taken up under the terms Of the
homestead law. and by the time the
works arc completed the land Is nearly
always in private ownership. Thus,
whatever the initial condition may be.
whether the arid land was owned at first
by the government or by individuals. thc
results are the same-the establishment
of homes upon small farms.
Where the land holdings in the hands
of an individual or corporation are large.
water for these cannot he obtained until
they are subdividcd and disposed Of in
small tracts TO actual settlers. Such
orcupants must reside cpptintiousiv for