Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-06
ARID LAND RECLAIMED
-
Irrigation Plants Represent
Investment S93,320,452
ALU ES IN CREASED
OVER $4,000, 900 ADDED TO THE
WORTH OF FARMS
What Has Been Done in India-Trans-
formation of a Desert in Twelve
Years to Fertile Region.
BY VIM. E. CURTIS.

people whose property has been made val
liable and capable of cultivation by the i'm
provements In the arid regions land when
cannot be reached by water is practically
worthless. Some of it will support few
cattle or sheep during certain months OF
the year, and it is nominally worth 10. 10
and 20 cents an acre.
The average assessment value of irri-
gated land throughout the entire country
last year was $40 53 an acre for taxation
purposes, and the average value of crops
produced upon 1t was SO per acre.
In 1902 the irrigated area in the United
States was 9,4s7,o77 acres. There were
80 243 miles of canals and bitches that year,
not including the Texas rice plantations,
and the combined irrigation plants of the
entire United States represented an actual
cash investment of $93 800, 452. Some or
the plants are outside the limits of what
are usually described as the "arid regions,
but the cost of those within now in opera
ton was $77,43O.212. The estimated value
Of the crops harvested from irrigated lands
within the arid district in 1902 was sos, $685.
Oil, or $21 037, 100 more than the cost of the
entire works. This was about an average
crop.
taxable value of farm lands in the arid
states and territories, and has increased
the taxable wealth of the country to that
amount
Works Under Construction.
There are now under construction by the
government of the United States thirteen
irrigation projects, involving an expense of
$31 1885, 600. which will redeem 1,131.OOo
acres of desert, at an average cost of $2I.26
acre. When the improvements are
completed that land will be worth more
than double the cost of the irrigation plants,
and more than s6O,OOO,NOo will be added to
the taxable wealth. of the-states and terri
tories and to the wealthof private citizens
who are so fortunate as to own the prop
erty. In other words, the government
makes a present outright of more than
$50. 100000 worth of, land. with a perma-
nent water supply, to its homesteaders.
The reclamation law says that the. Sec
rotary of the Interior Shall give public
notice of the landsl irrigable," for the ben
eft of people who would like to settle upon
them. land the limit of area per entry
that is. the ACREAGE which, in the opinion
of the Secretary, may be reasonably re-
quired for the support of "a family upon the
lands in question. - He must also give no.
tice of the charge which shall be made
thus far is $3.50 per acre; and upon lands
in private ownership which may be irri-
gated by the water of said irrigation pro-
the number of annual hstajiments." which
is ten in every case thus far; and "the
time when such payments shall commence"
that is, when the water,@is ready to be
turned on. -
This is the greatest scheme of benevolence
ever undertaken by a government. Uncle
Sam provides all of the capital performs
all of the work, and invites Tom, Dick and
Harry to come up and enjoy the benefits
OF each enterprise, only on the condition
that they agree to refund the actual cost,
with no interest, within ten years.
The usual allotment is about eighty acres
per family, although In some places only
forty acres Is allowed, and in others as
many as 16O acres. Dividing 10000 acres,
the total area to be improved, by eighty
acres the average allotment we find that
this blessing is to be conferred upon about
4,125 families, who practically receive irri-
gated farms as a free gift from the gov
eminent.
Experience in India.
The government of India is doing a great
deal IN the same direction as a preventive
of famine 1t has invested about S125 OOO.-
900 in reservoirs, canals dams and bitches,
for the purpose Of securing regular crops
for farmers who are habitually exposed to
drought. 1t has not only accomplished that
purpose in several important localities, but
after the payment of 3h per cent interest
upon the bonds issued to meet the construc-
ton expenditures, derived a net annual rev.
enue of 1854 $50 for the public treasury
from the enterprise.
The total revenue from all public irriga-
ton plants In 1902 was $11 1854 S75; the
working expenses were 49, 500, 600, while the
interest on the capital invested was 81 100
G15. The gross income upon the capital in
vested by the government was at the rate
OF 6.91 per cent; the net profit actually paid
into the treasury was "a per cent which
is regularly expended in the extension of
the irrigation works.
In India the water supply is almost en-
trely controlled by the government. There
are some private enterprises, but most of
them are for the purpose Of reaching land
owned and cultivated by the projectors A
few companies sell water to the adjacent
fpr no rN1er,
California Colorado and other of our
States The government has subsidized
some of these enterprises by guaranteeing
the projectors against loss or assuring them
of the payment of certain dividends. This
is done very reluctantly, however, and only
in localities where irrigation is very much
needed and the risk does not appear to be
great. Last year the total expenditure In
sustaining these so-called "minor works
was 1854, 800. The 'minor works are I'M
der the supervision of the department of
public works, the same as the major
works." which have been built entirely with
government money and are operated by
government officials, sf
Similar irrigation plants have been built
and are maintained by the rulers of the ma
tive states, but the system is the same
throughout India. esThe revenues derived
always pay a good profit upon the invest
r1ent, and the net earnings are used for
their extension as q, preventive of famine.
Several of the systems. have been built
during seasons of famine In order to fur
nish work and wages to the unemployed.
Others have been undertaken for the pur-
pose of extending the area capable of cul-
tivation, because at present and for CEN
turtles past the food product of India has
been scarcely sufficient to feed it's popula-
ton. Certain districts are more exposed to
famine than Others becatise they are more
densely populated, and the average area Of
arabic lands per capita Is SO limited that
it is Impossible to produce food enough to
supply the local demand, except during the
most favorable years. In the lean years it
must be imported from other parts of India
and the government must furnish money to
pay for it or provide the people with en-
ployment so they may earn enough to pay
for it themselves.
The greatest irrigation enterprise in India
and the most profitable Is known as the
Chenab canal, which has recently been
completed, and now supplies more than
2,OO0.000 acres with water. 1t is being ex-
tended rapidly, and ultimately will bring
under cultivation 5,J00,000 acres of desert
known the REGINA Doab,' until re-
Gently barren. lifeless. naked waste.
where not even snake or lizard could
exist. The soil, however, like that of many
of our arid lands, is heavily charged with
chemicals of the most nutritious character,
and when watered will yield bountiful crops
of wheat and other cereals.