The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1905-09-09
Conquest . .1s Great
American Desert

A rare day In June, three years ago,
was the 18th of that month, the ami |
versary of the battle of Bunker Eli
and the birthday of the national irri-
CATION law, writes Guy 3. Mitchell. |
And the net result of the latter, at the
beginning Of the present fiscal year,
is an irrigation appropriation of $780,
1000, with an automatic revolving
law under which the fund is constantly
increasing through additions from the
sales Of Western public lands and the
repayment to the government by the
! settlers Of all expenditures for trriga-
ton construction.
! The anniversary this year Of Bunker
Hill-Nadonal Irrigation day was duly
celebrated In Nevada as in Boston, in
the former commonwealth at the
Truckee irrigation project in the pres
ence Of party Of distinguished United
States senators and representatives, and
government officials, who witnessed
the opening Of the first completed gov
eminent irrigation works and the turn
ing of 100000 gallons of water per
minute into a great government canal.
This ceremony meant a great deal
for the idea of American home-making
under national auspices. Fifty thou
sands acres received their first govern
ment irrigation-the finished portion
Of vast project for the reclamation
Of $4,000 acres at a cost Of nine mil.
lion dollars, under the guidance Of l..
FL. Taylor, federal reclamation en-
gineer for Nevada. Within ten years
the cost of trrigating this 5O,0O0-acre
tract-$1 $50, 000-will all have been
returned to the government by the set
tiers paying for the water rights in ten
, annual installments, to be applied by
the government in the continuation OF
the project. The possibilities Of this
revolving irrigation fund are indeed
very great ..s' .''."
Were there to be no addition TO the
D reclamation fund, its present thirty
: million dollars would eventually re-
| claim the West. But with the large
o yearly additions which have been com
Y ing In 1t Is destined before many years
o to reach the $100,O0O00O. mark and
y become a vast fund for the redemption
Of Uncle Sans desert lands for settle
T. ment. And could there be a greater
e work than that Of making homes for
the people2
Almost half Of the entire United
s States is comprised in the area GOV,
o cred by these great irrigation projects
u rivaling the gigantic works of Egypt
n and British India. The following
e amounts have been apportioned by the
secretary Of the interior in the differ
n ent States and territories:
. Arizona ........'. ...... @ooUO,OOl
g Arizona and California, joint
projects .................. 5000, O0(
Colorado NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 26O0,00(
!. Idaho, two projects. ......... 2,6OO,00(
u Montana Observation-Disclosures. 1,900,0O(
IL Montana and North Dakota,
II joint projects ........... 2,85O,OOI
&c Nebraska and Wyoming, joint
10 projects 5.75O,OO|
Nevada 2,74O, 00I
New Mexico ................ 2OO,OO'
, Oregon, two projects. ........ $780, 0'
) South Dakota ,,........ 2,10O, 00
10 Should the recommendation Of tn
r. President DO carried out by Congress
lie regarding the repeal Of the timber ant
lie stonS act and the enactment of a com
't prehenslve forestry law, the irrigation
III Land would be greatly increased. TIL
=, government timber sales during tn
~ past two years under the timber an
N stone act have been about three mi
Or Hon acres, at a uniform price Of $2.5
lie an acre, much Of the land densely fol
It, ested with the finest Washingto
OF spruce and Oregon and California e
= and redwood, worth, according to off
: cial reports, from $40 to $50 an acre.
rr President Roosevelts plan Is to Sc
only the stumpage at the market pric'
allowing the land to grow up to ne'
forests for future crops. Every homes
friend Of both irrigation and forestr
n will heartily support this splendid ide
rs which seeks not only to prevent I'll
~ wasteful forest destruction now goin
N on in the West, but to provide an IL
~ come from stumpage sales at least tie
We times the amount now received by Il
I'll government.
be Had the timber lands which tt
or government has disposed of since Il
IN passage Of the irrigation act-thrt
Ie- years-been sold under Presidel
ty Roosevelts plan, they would hay
,s- yielded upwards of $125, 0OO,O 900, whic
,e, would have irrigated 100000 acres
#, desert and at the same time assure
the reforestation Of 100000 acres
IT. our best timber land. Instead, 80 p
IN. cent Of this has gone into the poke
he Of spectators.
le. -