Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-02-23
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AANSBROuGH'S BILL FOR Gov
EMINENT ENGINEER.

HANsBRouGH's BILL FOR Gov
EMINENT engineer.
The Irrigation Age, a magazine de-
voted to the subject indicated by its
dame, publishes a picture of Senator
Hansbrough and the following with
regard to the bill for a government
irrigation engineer he has introduced
in the senate: ,,
On January 4th Senator H. G. Hans
through of North OAK, chairman of the
Senate Public Land Committee, intro
duced a bill to provide an engineer
to, supervise the work Of irrigation
which the government is about to un-
dertake. Senator Hansbrough has
been bitterly assailed by the Press
Bureau Of the repealers and the cor
porations for thus daring to Inter
fere'' with their plans as they exepct
to; carry them out through Engineer
Newell of the Reclamation Service.
A representative of The Irrigation
Age interviewed Senator Hansbrough
in Washington as to the purpose Of
the bill and why there should be any
objection to 1t.
The purpose of the bill which in
troduced, providing for the appoint
ment Of supervising engineer in the
reclamation service of the govern
ment," said the senator, "is quite
fully expressed in the bill itself, a
copy Of which herewith enclose The
government of the United States is
just entering upon a policy involving
the construction of great irrigation
works. These works will consist of
enormous dams and extensive canals.
It must not be considered as any re-
Election whatever upon the present re-
clamation service when say that the
congress OF the United States feels
that nothing should be left undone to
secure the most perfect results, es-
pecially in the matter of construction
''This generation Is under a great
responsibility for the safety and hap
piness Of future generations. Fifty or
one hundred years hence there will
doubtless be An enormous population
dependent upon irrigation established
and controlled by the federal govern
ment. If it should occur that any of
the great dams which are soon to be
constructed were not properly built,
both Life and property would be in
danger. Speaking for myself think
it is no more than right that we should
take the necessary precautions now
and guard against the possibility of
catastrOphes such as I have already
suggested. There are many bright
young engineers now connected with
the reclamation service, and, under
the irrigation law, the Secretary of
the Interior is authorized to call to
his aid such consulting engineers a
he may deem necessary. l do not re-
call that any Secretary of the Interior,
who has held Office since have beer
in congress, has been a civil engineer.
It follows, therefore, that, in the en-
ployment of consulting engineers, the
Secretary must be guided by the
engineers in the reclamation service.
I think it far better that there should
be one scientific head to the construc-
ton department of the service. and
that he be placed under proper bonds
and paid sufficient salary to secure
the best results.
.#ts That is all there is to the bill, and
the only purpose have in introduc-
ingit. Several of the leading men,
bers OF the senate and house have
personally urged me =. to press the
measure to passage, which hope to
4 do at the present session" ~ ..s9s:ss