The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1904-07-27
IRRIGATION BY THE GOVERNMENT
IN THE VALLEY OF THE YAKIMA
Engineer Noble Outlines What is Necessary to Be
Done--Large rleeting of Citizens at the
Commercial Club Rooms.

part in the discussion. Mr.. Mobiles re-
marks are given in full below:
"At the suggestion of few of your
business men, l am before you to ex-
| plain the purposes and aims of the re-
clamation service, the work already UNI
dertaken in the state, and the condi-
tions under which any irrigation project
could be undertaken in the Yakima val
ley. 1t has seemed to me that the peo-
pie for whom this law was framed should
| fully understand its limitations, and the
necessary conditions of its application.
The law was framed for the settler.
To give to the worthy poor additional
opportunities to make home for his
family, by retaining the arid lands of
J the sixteen states and territories by ir-
rigaton.
"That this improvement will benefit
the business man and the professional
man. you who nave lived in an irrigated
community can more fully appreciate
| desire to call your attention to the
following provision of the reclamation
act: June Il, 1902, congress passed an
act now known as the reclamation act
setting aside ninety-fve per cent of the
money deceived from the sale of public
lands in sixteen western states and ter
ritories, to be used for the purpose of
retaining by irrigation the arid lands
of these states. About $2S000000 has
now been turned over to this fund, of
which the state of Washington mas con
tributed something between $1,000 900
and $3000000 Under this act the sec
rotary of the interior is authorized and
directed to make such surveys and ex-
aminations as may he necessary to de-
termine the feasibility of irrigation
works by the storage. diversion and de-
velopment of waters, and to determine
the facts relative to the practibility of
each irrigation project.
"Scction provides: no right to the
use of water for land under private
ownership shall be sold for a tract ex-
ceedng one hundred and sixty acres. to
any one land owner, and no such sale
shall be made to any land holder unless
he be an actual bona fide resident on the
land. or occupant thereof residing in the
neighborhood of said land.
"Section s provides: That nothing
in this act shall be construed as affect
ing or intending to affect or in any way
interfere with the laws of any state OF
territory relating to the control. appro-
priation. use or distribution of water
used in irrigation, or any vested right
acquired Hereunder, and the secretary
of the interior in carrying out the pro-
visions of this act. shall proceed in con
formity with such laws. pro,
vided, that the right to the use of water
acquired under the provisions of this
act shall be appurtenant to the land IL
rigated. and beneficial use shall be the
basis. the measure and the limit of the
right
'Briehy stated, this latter section
provides that the secretary of the inter
Tor shall in CARRYING out tine provisions
of this act, conform with the state law
the same as an individual would be
compelled to conform. Under the pro
visions of this act, was directed by the
chief engineer to make preliminary ex-
animation of the feasibility of irrigat
ing the lands under the Tietan Cowicht
scheme. in response to a petition from
the citizens of this community inter.
ested.
$50 far as the engineering features OF