Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1905-09-16
IRRIGATION IS
CLAIMING NOTICE
New York Herald Tells Its
Importance, Past. Present
and Future
ABLE ARTICLE BY ABLE WRITER

kANIMiNtl
There Is more land on the globe de-
voloped under irrigation than under
rainfall.
Il has been said that the first lrri.
eating canals were run from the four
rivers OF paradicc. Assyria. Nlneyeh, |
Egypt, Peru and Mexico owed their
beauty and power TO the ordered min
istration OF conducted water. The
ioftiost achievements OF the human
mind and heart nad birth In the rain
less lands Irrigation always has been
the religion OF semi.arid iands-the
faith watch sees IN The desert the
promise cf springng blades
The early powerful civilization OIL
which recorded history remains were
fostcrcd and developed on breezy. arid
piatoaus. with artificial systems of IT.
riRatlon. such was that which carved
the mighty bas.roliois % Nlneyoh, or
reared the hanging gardens OF Babylon
or which raised ancient Egypt from
the rank OF a bankrupt nation 20 al
rich land. with teoming population and
all the kindly fruits Of the earth IN
or tho buneilcent Influences OF Father
Sihor.
The western world was TO furnish
yer more magnificent proofs OF the
foundation OF nation building. Inc
empires Of the Aztecs and OF the Pei
ruviuns stand unparalleled In the
power aud beauty conferred by as per
feet systems OF IRRIGATION az the world
has seen.
q was not 20 be- expected that the
bulk of the proCulumhian abOrlgines
OF America would attain the aRriCdl-
turai development (and the irrigation
system accompanying cd uf those Two
great nations. Mexico ana Peru. In
Colorado. We find lock hcwn clstcrns,
made by ihe Pueblo Indians. zlgzag
terraces ON the canyon sides aud open
stone set bitches. where they wntcred
their garden patches. In New Mexico
thore are only 100000 acres OF land
under Irrigation out Of 10000. 900
which make up the territory, and ex.
cept la few Instances, these systems
OF IL. lgation were devised by the In.
dians and improved by the Snanlards
having done service for three CEN
turles
Arizona. where the proColumblan
culture In many points approached
most CLOSELY the distinctive develop
mont OF Mexico. there was once two
million acres Of land under lr igation
whore the modern American car
snow but 337 600 acres under ditch
In the valleys OF the Salado aud Gila
rivers there are several long forgotten
cities which seem 10 have had from
100000 20 100000 inhabitants, ant
their water ways are said by engl
neers 10 be marvels OF cngineerini
skin.
In considering what tae blessings o.
water meant 10 these ancient Amer
cans. We have only 10 remark the su
preme part Il played In tSsir folk lOri
and roliglon. The whole religion o
the southwest. IL has been said. ma!
l'e summed mp tn a single phrase. -
prayer for rain!"
The zig-zag flash OF the lightning
across the horizon meant succOr u
famine TO the ancient Pueblo India
who first had our lands. The llght
ming meant assured crops and resul
rection and gave birth to the forI
OF snake worship which prevailed
our southwest ediflcatiun Of "a
snake whose einuous course sugges
ed that OF the lightning as the pfil
ciple OF water.
The snake dance az Moqul Is a rli
celebrated IN honor OF water-th
snake symholging the rain, AMI N
guaies, or ratilos the thunder whic
goes with the lightning. There
something piti'ul In the constant lie
alton on textiles and pottery OF q
old symbols for cloud rain. sun an
the heart OF the sky; and, above a
OF the water snake, OF which the VOL
OF mouth legend handed down by son
unknown Pueblo Homer, has said:
"Fear not the serpent shaftes Of Il
lightning, as they rattle loudly, IN
the earth be replenished with the
children. the serpents OF water, q
rivers OF life" This the ancient a
origine OF the arid plateaus prlz
and even worshippod as the most be
eficeni factor IN his scheme OF oxi
once that ehism OF water which
contemporary western Americans
beginning 20 value from afar.
Tue latter has passed the Wild a
woody phase reported OF him, VII
ne was supposed osay 70 every ne
conner:
stranger. do you irrIga,o7" p
duciug a stOgy.
stranger, do you irrgiateg" p
huclng a flask
Aud now begins irrigation In ga
earnest. over the faint furrOWs trae
hy long dead civilization his can
will be redrHwn The green VIII
clothe the arid slopes aud a hundI
new products will be added 20
old Homes viii rise above crumbll
ruins: for this earth OF ours mol
in cycles. and where her populat
once was dense aud her industr
most thriving and the problem of
ing easy OF solution, time and c
quest and the encruaching des
drew a yeil-and silence But "a
new life inyades the solitudes "a
was so 4 shall be for there IS ma n
thing under the sun. Aud the MA
touch which turns the desert 81
40 gold Is the presence of wa
where empires shall be- rebuilt for
-child of the ages heir OF time
Half a century after Liouten
Pike had discovered Pixies Peak
had made his uuiulfilled pr0phec
that these immense plains tmcan
pralriCsl would be left TO the wani
ing and uncivllzod abOrlgines Of
region tho opening OF mines M
Increased demands Tor food supp
and attention was directed 10 agri
turc
M the flfties the tfanspianted q
ern farmer could not at iirst com
hand that Color ado's cactus cove
alkaline. sage brush land could
made 10 blossom like the rose,
NOW ho la learning the new co