Newport daily independent., 1904-10-31
HYDROCRAPHlc RECORDS.
Practical Benefit Derived from Them Illustrated in Geological
 Survey Work.

The parable of the sower is appli- cable to all educational work. Much of the mission of the great departments maintained by the government, espe- cially the scientific bureaus. is educa- tional in it's nature. The government is in the position of progressive and ambitious instructor in a modern col lege, who, surrounded by every labora- tory and library facility, spends part of his time in making original investi- gations and part in communicating to his pupils the results of his studies. The seed he sows falls on all kinds of soil, but, however poor the ground. it is sure to bring forth fruit in some measure, if there is life in the kernels that he sows. There is great varia- tion in the returns from the different kinds of educational work prosecuted by the government. The ultimate value of much of it can be determined only after the lapse of many years, but some of it seems to bear fruit hundred fold from the very start. An instance of this is seen in the results that have followed the Photographic work of the United States geological survey in many quarters. The cases in which it has been of benefit to the one state of Colorado, for example, are numerous and interesting.
 None of the irrigation work contem- plated by the government would, ordinarily, be possible without long delay, were it not for the Photographic data accumulated by the survey dur ing many years of observation and measurement. In addition to that. the work of private individuals is con- stantly facilitated by the same records. No large engineering enterprises are now undertaken without reference to the surveys records concerning the supply of water available at the chosen site. The South Platte Land and Reservoir company, which has under way canals and reservoirs that probably aggregate $500,000 in value, has established stations at Orchard and Kersey, Col, because of the superior Photographic. advantages of fered by these localities. The choice
  the data compiled by the survey. Equally important is the fact that projects that would have resulted dis astrously have in numerous cases been abandoned after study of survey records that throw light on the prob able outcome. Data concerning the flow of water on the Arkansas and South Platte rivers prevented the ex- penditure of great sums of money on the state canal in the first instance, and upon the Pawnee pass reservoir project in the second.
 Survey data seem to he in great demand as unimpeachable testimony iii the legal controversies that have arisen in this state in regard to irriga- tion matters. A most notable instance is the case of the Colorado & South ern railroad vs. the Denver Union Water company, in which the sum of $1O0,000 was involved.
 Data obtained by the survey in re- gard to the amount of water power available at certain p.aces have inf1u- enced the plans of the GlenwOod Springs Light and Power company, the New Century Light and Power company, and also proposed power companies on Clear and St. Vrain's creeks. None of these projects has yet been carried to conclusion, bu. some of them will undoubtedly be eventually constructed.
 Colorado cities seeking a suitable water supply have frequently con- suited data obtained by the survey. In the case of Durango, in southwest ern Colorado, the discharge of Florida river was especially studied in order to ascertain whether a gravity water system would be feasible at that point.
 The location of various manufactur- ing industries has been determined by report from survey engineers on the available water supply.