The Grit-advocate., 1904-09-02
Irrigation Project Should Win.

Water storage reservoirs are admit
ted by every person who has investl-
gated the subject to be good things.
They are necessary to successful lrrl-
cation and without them it is impoSsi-
BILE to carry the agricultural develop
ment Of any community to the highest
degree OF perfection.
Starting with the proposition-tha
reservoirs are good things and that
they are an absolute necessity to Il
successful System of irrigation-every
person residing in an agricultural
community where it is possible TO
build a reservoir should use his intlu-
ence to secure one. Being, as they
are, good things, they must of neces-
sity benefit any community.
The Grit Advocate believes that
there is not resident in the Jules
burg irrigation district who will deny
that the entire district would be bene
fitted by the construction of the Jules
burg reservoir. There should be and
there can be no difference of opinion
upon this proposition. This being the
case the only question is one of ex-
pcnse. Can the land in the district
stand the bonded Indebtedness Of ap-
proximately $500 per acre? Upon
this question there is room for honest
difference Of opinion. Upon no other
question, it seems to US. is there room
for argument.
The supporters of the reservoir prop
osltion, and we are one, firmly believe
that the land can stand such bonded
ndebtedness-coulde even stand double
the amount we're it necessary. The
Indebtedness Of $500 per acre covers
the cost OF the entire system OF irriga-
tion, including reservoir water, flood
water from the Petersen and Settlers
bitches, and the expense Of distribut-
Ing this water to the land in the dis
trict. The amount OF sll.75 per acre
pays for the reservoir, inlet ald outlet
bitches, the high line ditch and all
other appurtenances. The balance Of
rights in the Petersen and Settlers
bitches. Those who own those rights
may retain them or may surrender
them to the district and receive their
cost in bonds.
Why should man object to invest
ing $500 an acre upon land now worth
E25 90 an acre or less when the invest
ment will raise the price of thr land to
S75 90 or $4,000 per acre? That the
price OF nearly ever acre of land in the
district now worth 50 90 would go al
most Immediately to 1900 per acre
can be proven by The example of land
in Morgan county. Here land was
worth $500 to S35 90 before the Jack
son Lake reservoir was built. The
building of this reservoir placed !,
bonded Indebtedness of $500 per
acre against the land, and it is now
worth $4,000 and $4,000 per acre.
And it is being sold for such prices.
Morgan county land is no more pro-
ductive than Sedgwick county land
many peEeONS say IL ls less productive
--and what has occurred in Morgan
county will occur in Sedgwick coun
ty.
Should the Sedgwick county farme,
decide that he does not care to farm
s75 90 and $4,000 acre land, he car
sell it. And the man to whom he sells
it will not ask as to, or il he knows,
will not object to, the bonded indebt.
edness Of $3.50 per acre. All he viii
ask is if there is plenty Of water
Finding out that there is. he will pay
the price asked for the land and vii
pay the bonded Indebtedness agains
1t when he gets to it-sometime with
In twenty years.
We might give other reasons VIII,
the irrigation project in this count,
should win. and why the bonds SHOULD
be voted at the election on Septem
ber l7th, but these because OF lack o
sDacp m1st suffice for this time