The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-22
Irrigation Prospects in Kansas
Not Encouraging.
ElwOOd Mead, Government Ex-
pert, Explains Why.
MUST BE LIMITED.
Large Portion Can Never Be
Irrigated.
The Experiment will, How
ever, Be Continued.

Washington, Jan. 21.-As a member
of the subcommittee in charge of the
agricultural appropriation bill, Repre-
sentative Scott has been Instrumental
in securing an appropriation to carry
on experiments in irrigation which will
be of much interest and value in west
ern Kansas. According to the irriga
tion experts in the agricultural de-
partment the problem in Kansas is to
ascertain means by which the under
ground water may be brought to the
surface within limit of cost that will
admit of it's use for irrigation pur-
poses. An experiment in this direction
was conducted last year at Hays City,
and with the appropriation now avail
able it is expected to continue the work
during the coming summer 1t is chief
ly a question of securing the best
pump and the best power
In his address before the committee
on agriculture, Mr.. ElWood Mead, who
has charge of these irrigation expert
ments, gave it as his opinion that Kan
sas would never be able to irrigate a
very large portion of its arid area He
gave it as his opinion, however, that
the solution of the agricultural problem
in that part Of the state was the own
erShip of considerable tracts of land
which would be farmed in the usual
way on the chance of sufficient rainfall
to mature the crops, but that there
should be on every such farm a tract
of from ten to twenty acres under ir-
rigation, SO that whatever the season
enough could be raised to support the
/ family. In other words the small irri-
gated tract was to be depended upon
as a sure living, while the occasional
crops which would be yielded without
irrigation would constitute the profit
/ of the farmer.
ried in the agricultural bill for the
/ work under the direction of Mr.. Elwood
( Mead is $65, 900. OF course not all OF
1 this will be spent in Kansas, but Mr.,
Mead has given assurance that enough
/ of it Will go to the state to carry for
ward the study of the real problem
which confronts the irrigationists
| there. Mr.. Mead will continue to con-
| duct the experiments at Hays City.
! BY the terms of a provision which
/ Representative Scott has had incorpor-
ated into the agricultural appropria-
/ ton bill, it is probable that the United
! States weather bureau will establish
! food service for the Kansas river. The
service will consist of a number of OBJ
/ servation stations located within the
! catchment area or the Kansas river
and its tributaries, and it's purpose will
be to make accurate measurements
! with the aid of delicate instruments OF
/ the rainfall at all times, and when this
rainfall reaches a point great enough
to threaten dangerous floods, tele-
/ graphic warnings will be sent out &c
| the territory affected, and the loss OF
much life and property be thus avert
ed. Before asking for the appropria-
! tion Mr.. Scott had a conference with
| Willis Moore, chief of the United
States weather bureau, who promised
to establish the service if the appro-
priation for it were made. The COM
mittee has agreed to report the provis-
| ion with the agricultural appropriation
bill, and it is safe to say that it will
be adopted by both houses of congress
and become a law.
This service will be the same as is
now in operation upon all the great
rivers of the country, and the use OF
which has resulted in the saving OF
| hundreds of lives and many millions OF
dollars worth of property. Four weeks
prior to the disastrous flood of last
| spring, the weather service of the Mis-
/ sissippi and it's tributaries predicted
with in three-tenths of a foot the exact
height the flood would reach at its
| highest point at New Orleans. Through
the warnings sent out by the weather
bureau the loss of life and property or
account of the flood was reduced to 6
minimum.
Representative Bowersock has ar
ranged for an early hearing before thu
/ committee on military affairs of the bill
which ne mas introduced proNlulHs ~
the Improvement of the road leading
from Fort Scott to the National GENE
terry, near that town, and the purchas
of additional land for the enlargement
of the cemetery. At the time of tn
| hearing Eugene Ware, commissioner o
pensions, will appear before the com
rnittee, and give his views as to tn
necessity for the appropriation. MI
Ware formerly lived at Fort Scott AM
knows all about it.
LESLIE WALLACE.
enllMn rDn7rN nITr0