The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1905-02-01
NOBLE SAYS FUND MAY
Be LOST TO WASHINGTON
Eminent Engineer Advises the Legisla-
ture That it Must Act at Once
or State Will be Left Out.

Engineer T. A. Noble of the United
States Geological survey says it is up to
the present legislature to say whether
the bulk of $3OOOOO0, now in the Unit
ed States treasury, is to be spent for
reclamation in this state or elsewhere.
Mr.. Noble is in charge Of the government
reclamation work in this state, and last
Wednesday expressed his views to the
house irrigation committee, which met
to consider various irrigation measures
now pending.
Mr.. Noble did not hesitate to say that
unless proper irrigation laws are enact
ed during the present session, the vast
fund will be expended in other states AMI
irrigation in Washington will have to
await return of the money years nencc.
| A letter, which Representative Hare
said was written by one of the most ca
pable irrigation attorneys of the state,
contained declaration that the propos-
ed code method of determining existing
rights would in one district alone in
volve 5000 persons and result in inter-
minable litigation and accomplish moth
ing.
By way of reply Mr.. Noble read let
ter from an Idano engineer TO The effect
| that the result of a similar law in that
state was tendency toward avoidance
of litigation.
Engineer Noble reviewed the roclama-
ton act, explaining its provisions, and
said in part:
in putting the act of congress into
effect it has been necessary for .he sec
rotary to establish rules. In allotting
| funds he has held that 80 per cent of
| the moneys received from tine sale of
the land be set aside for construction Of
projects within the state, provided there
are at the time feasible projects and That
| the cost of construction is not more than
will safely return to the fund the money
expended in constructing the works and
the cost of maintenance within the ten
year period.
eff there has been found no feasible
project, due either to impossible con
ditions, either physical or political, tie
fund may be devoted to other states.
| "The amount of money received from
the sale of public lands in the state since
the passage of this act is nearly 49,.
100000 and Washington is third on the
IIsts. In four states construction has
begun and in one state (Nevada) TIC
first ground will be irrigated during the
coming summer. In none of these states
has the amount of money received from
the sale of public lands been sufficient to
construct the projects. They are Dor
rowers and Washington is one of the
lenders.
"The government must act in confor-
nifty with state laws. 1t can take no
chances and tine department must inter
pref literally all provisions of both state
and federal laws. If the reclamation act
says we must do one thing and the state
laws or decisions are in conflict the lat
ter must prevail.
"If the laws of the state do not give
the federal government such facilities
and authority as the secretary of the
interior may deem necessary to make
the projects feasible, ne has no choice
in the matter. The law clearly desig-
mates that the projects must be feasible
before construction begins. States like
Utah, Idaha, Wyoming, Nevada and Col.
orado, have all passed laws which are
favorable to the development of irri-
CATION and are clamoring for funds to
construct projects which have been found
feasible.
"Tne projects of this state that so far
have been examined are less feasible
in point of cost than projects in most OF
the other arid states. There is, there.
fore, a more urgent necessity from your
standpoint to clear away all legal diff
ficulties that stand in the way.
eff the reclamation act is not altered
and if the state government by the pas.
sage of laws encouraging the develop
ment and protecting the rights Of all
concerned, there is no reason why the
entire irrigable area cannot be reclaimed
which would add 1000 per cent. to the
wealth and population now dependent
upon irrigation.
In conclusion Mr.. Noble said:
II want to urge upon you, gentlemen
upon whom this responsibility of thi:
law rests, to set aside all feeling Of 10.