Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1905-03-25
Conquest q "a. Great
American Desert
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! 1t Is gratifying to note that the
present attitude of the government is
rigidly to safeguard the remaining
public lands, writes G. ]. Blanchard,
statistician of the reclaim ton service
Of the L. S. Geological Survey. Under
the benefcent policy OF national recla-
nation, the arid west is taking on
new individuality. An era of substan-
tial development is dawning on many
desert valleys now wateress and un-
inhabited
The pioneer irrigator with scraper
and spade has invaded the widest
and most remote sections of the inter-
mountain country. He has turned the
precious waters of a thousand streams
upon 122,0O0 farms. More than 10000
1itches stretch out for $4,000 miles to
cover 100000 acres of productive land
wrested from aridity. These bitches,
monuments of the indomitable indus
try and courage of their builders, rep
resent an initial outlay Of 500, 900, 900.
The fertile fields and blossoming or
chards, which to-day attest the wisdom
of the irrigators, yield annually more
than $1OOOOO,OOO in crops. while the
increment NY irrigatio works is in
excess of $374,0OO,OOO in land values
alone.
The day of the individual ditch dig
ger is over. The irrigation systems in
use require practically all the normal
flow of the important streams, and ag-
ricultural development under these has
reached its maximum. SO precious has
the water been found to be, and so
abundant the rewards following its ap-
plication, the irriga tors in their efforts
to increase the supply have not been
deferred from undertaking engineering
works involving millions Of dollars.
To-day surface water drainage water,
seepage water, water from artesian
wells, from tunnels penetra ting noun
tains, and water impOunded in reser-
vOirs are alike utilized. Such irriga-
ton possibilities az are known to exist
involve enormous expenditures and Of
fer no attractions to investors in the
way of quick returns or substantial
profits. 1t has therefore become the
duty Of the government to develop
these enterprises, and, backed by the
millions in the reclamation fund, sew
eral great projects have been under
taken.
Although organized only two and
one-half years, the reclamation service
has already formulated plans which,
when completed, will reclaim 1131 900
acres. Actual construction has begun
on five projects which will require an
outlay of $10,4OO,00O. Eleven Others
involving nearly $2O0OO,OOO are almost
ready for the contra ctors. In nearly
all of the arid States other projects are
waiting further investigation or are
held up until the reclamation fund will
warrant their consideration.
An apparently feasible project in
Washington which embraces the enor-
nous area of 100000 acres would re-
quire $25,OOO,000, a sum in excess Of
the whole fund, to construct it. These
gigantic works, furnishing employment
to thousands of men, will ultimately
create homes for millions of our peo-
pie. When fully inaugurated the gov
eminent works, together with those
now being constructed by private COM
panies, will Quadruple the irrigated
area and will transform region now
the widest and most desolate on our
continent into one of the richest agr1-
cultural sections in the world.
A careful review of the preliminary
work of the government indicates that
there are two focal points in the west
in which we may expect the largest
development in the future. The first,
and perhaps the more promising, is in
the drainage basin of the Yellowstone
River in Wyoming and Montana; the
second. in the valley of the Snake Riv-
err in Idaho and Oregon. In the first
mentioned the important factors of
irriga tion-land and water--are found
in enormous quantities. In the Snake
Valley the irrigable land is largely in
excess of the water supply, out the area
which can be reclaimed is of such
extent, and the soil so productive and
adapted to such a wide variety of prod
ucts, that it will sustain a denser popu-
lation than can be cared for in the
Yellowstone on the same area.