Rocky Ford enterprise., 1904-05-13

THE FARM AND RANGE
Reclamation Service Statement.

The chief engineer Of the new recia'
nation service. Professor Newell. haS
issed the following statement concern
ing the operations OF his bureau. II IL
intended To be OF value To settlers
seeking government aid in irrigation.
the enterprise of irrigaiors In the I'm
compahsre valley near Gunnison is
cited.
The operations Of the engineers OF
tho reclamation service since the pas
sage OF the irrigation act have excited
wide spread interest throughout the
country. In many sections OF the West
Irrigation has been developed to
point where the requirements OF the
land exceed the normal water supply
and the settlers are organizing with
a view OF securing the aid OF the GOV
ernmcnt In the construction of i'm
menss storage works to conserve the
flood waters now going to waste. tn.
assistance OF the government Ii asked
as the cost OF the work Ii beyond the
means OF the land owners.
In ali such cases the policy Of th.
reclamation service has been to make
IL clearly Understood that this aSsis'
tnnce cnn be secured only through the
influence of healthy and sustained
public opinion expressed In direct
communication to the secretary OF III.
Interior from the people. In brief. Tn.
direct bcncflcinricS-thc actual lana
owncrS-must take the Initiative ana
organize along lines similar To 'hos"
followed by the settlers CT the SaIt
River valley.
1T should be understood that tho !r.
rigntion projects which naturally mp
peal most to the engineers arc thos.
which are free from the vcSing qucs.
tions OF private ownership OF lana ana
water. Large enterprises which con
template the reclamation OF vast areas
of desert land. yet u part of the public
domain. present no obstacles aside
from those of a purely physical or en-
ginccring character. while tho con
struction OF work In settled communi'
ties IL sure to involve personal Tea
lures often more trying than anything
found In the actual work OF construc-
ton.
lust now there Rrc several irri.a'
tion districts making appeals To tho
government for assistance. In order that
many thousands of acres OF crops may
be saved from partial or total loss
each year by reason Of scanty water
supply.
valley Oh inc s"'
tors and ditch owners have perfected
an organization and will shortly pre-.
sent n formal demand for federal nid
in the construction OF the Gunnison
tunnel.
I'm Montana. Idaho. South Dakota
Oregon and other states. similar or
saptzatIons are forming. mass meet
ings are being held. officers elected.
and details considered. The rule OF this
reclamation service In all cases In one
OF absolute non.interfcrencc. Upon re-
quest assistance is given outlining the
proper form OF organization required
by the department before definite ac-
tion can be taken. but In all other es'
sentials the settlers are Informed that
they must work out their own destiny
that their requests for aid must bear
practically the unanimous Endorsement
OF the actual property owners. ana
must be free from suspicion OF poll
tics.
Down in the forbidden Salton des-
ert the settlers are petitioning the
government to take up the stupendous
work for the fuller utilization OF the
waters of the great Colorado river.
To those making such request. and TO
all others who In the future may de-
sire the governments aid, the above
outline of the position OF the reclama-
ton service is especially directed.