The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-09-23

Many Working on irrigation Projecto.
Three hundred engineers. surveyors and
| helpers IN the irrigation reclamation serv-
| ice, are out in the field studying and
| planning for irrigation projects In tho
| great west, says a Washington dispatch
| Some few are experimenting the actual
| construction of huge dams and canals
| Mr.. Newell himself, the head OF the serv-
| ice, has just returned to Washington from
a somewhat extensive western trip. He
reports great interest throughout the
west IN the big works proposed by the
| government. but sounds note of warn
| ing against numerous schemes and frauds
which are being foistcd upon various To-
calities as a result of the great interest
| aroused through national irrigation activ-
tiles,
There arc many Instances of honest.
effective and legitimate Irrigation works"
he said, where the settlers themselves
or their capital to some extent, have gone
In ard built the works. owning or con-
trolling them along with the reclaimed
land; but / do not know of any OF the
big private irrigation schemes which are
what might be called legitimate develop
mcnt enterprises. They are exploited
probably more for selling stock and bonds
than for watering land Irrigation de
velopment can be compared to mining de-
vclcpmcnt. The two are quite similar in
Their methods Of finance. The god or the
copper mine, or the oil which has really
proven n good thing, is taken up and OPP
Grated by it's owners. II is made into
close corporation proposition in every
case. If, on the other hand, the supply Of
metal or oil Is problematcal, then II is
made an attractive stock and bond
scheme. with gl!ttering letter heads and
artistically printed circulars. and other
peoples money In large quantities is So
ntl nrIh ni RI n 70 flo
very questionable irrigation schemes all
over the west"
Ut is singular. too" said Mr.. Newell.
how many men of ordinary hard bust
ness sense will go into these wildcat
things. successful grocer, for instance.
II he were investing his money in the
grocery business. would find out every de-
tall and every in and out of the new
business. and would make close and
advantageous deal, Will draw his check
for some irriga ton stocks or bonds IN the
most trustful and contiding manncr-pay-
Ing for an investment regarding which he
knows nothing, and which Is as problc-
matical In Its returns as the veriest Wild
cat mine Other people make personal In
vestigat.on. They go over the land to be
reclaimed; they see the splendid crops
growing on other lands which have been
reclaimed, and having investigated they
confidently invest, even though q tract
of $4,000 acres Is to be reclaimed with e
water supply insufficient for 5000 acres.
l am mentioning these figures adviscdly.
There are instances today where irrigation
shares are being sold for land containing
absolutely no water supply at all, and
which can never be irrigated, but will al
ways remain n desert.
"The meanest and most contemplate
class of sales are where the promoters
hold out the alluring picture to the poor
man Of family, that ne Is. by his small,
regular contributions buying home for
himsel. and his family Thousands of
people in tho United States are making
such contributions which they might as
well throw into rat hole"