Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-07-11

/. 1900. was s4.es3Oo while the total
value OF irrigation products for the
one year, 1899. was s7,230,042.0 90.
At the rate Of increase In farming
and irrigation In the state during the
last census decade the next ten years
will see Montana.s cultivated area
trebled IL not quadrupled, even leav-
ing out Of consideration the vast re-.
clamation works proposed by the Fed.
eral Government under the national
irrigation law.
Changing the Course OF Nature.
The project for storing the flood
waters Of the Milk River In northern
Montana under the direction of En-.
gineer Cyrus G. Babb, Of the Geologl-
cal Survey. Ii one Of the first great
works investigated by the Government
engineers, even before the passage Of
the national irrigation act. This In.
wolves huge dams and canals, and will
reclaim. when carried 10 full COM
pletion a very large area--probably
half a million acres--0f exceedingly
rich land in the already famous Milk
River Valley II will be d famous en-.
cheering exploit, BY which the water
now flowing into the Saskatchewan,
and thence into Hudson Bay will be
carried into the Missouri basin and
ultimately reach the Gulf of Mexico.
The government has also taken up the
Fort Bnford project in Eastern Mon
tana and North Dakota and Is like,
wise preparing to spend $2,500,000.00
Iii the Wyoming Shoshone project
which will reclaim some Of the lands
of Southern Montana, These are the
most advanced Of the Government
works. III various other parts Of the
states the national photographers are
making Reconnaissance and surveys,
investigating reservoir sites and re-
claimable areas.
A serious menace, however, To the
agricultural future OF the state lies
in the tendency 10 land absorption
into immense private holding, which
have resulted largely through the
abuse Of the desert land act and the
commuters clause OF the homestead
act, under which government land Is
entered by spectators and dummies
and not By actual settlers. w. w
Woodbridge, president OF the Monta
ma Fruit Growers Association In a
recent address cited II great ranches
IN Montana with an average acreage
each OF 5000 and showed statisti
cally the greater benefit which would
have come 70 the state had these beer
settled up into several thousand small
farms and occupied BY settlers ant
their families. There seems to DO 3
strong sentiment throughout the state
!, for the repeal OF these laws leaving
only the original homestead law which
has worked 50 successfully In build
, Ing up cooperative irrigation colonies
In the Milk River Valley.
, irrigation increases Mining.
All or this great promise Of agricul
ture Will. however. but add to Monta
mas fame as n mining state. Speak
ing from a miners standpoint said
the Geological Survey official above
QUOTED, "Montana's surface has been
but indifferently scratched. We know
that whole mountains exist, Of ore too
~lexpenslye 10 work because the cost
OF living for man and beast Is too
high. The state has thousands oil
other mountains Of which We know
little or nothing. Montana Is a vast
country OF itself: The mountains Of
us western half cover thousands and
tens 81 thousands of square miles.
Now extend agriculture throughout
the state, lead the great streams out
Of their deep channels and spread
them oyer some millions Or acres of
arid soil and this mountain wealth
can be turned to mans account, rail.
roads will penetrate the desert and
Montana can almost supply tho world
with the metals
GUY + MITCHELL.
-
Mrs. r C. Whitson OF the WhitsoE
Nf..afn n1n1nnn., ta -. Gill;. 9sl..