Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-08-28
IRRIGATION CAUSES THE
DESERTS TO VANISH
William e. Curtis Correspondence of
the ChicagoRecord-H Herald

William e Curtis Correspondence of
the ChicagoRecord-Hera
PHOENIX, Ariz., Aug. 15.-The
word desert" is being gradually
erased from the dictionary. The San
ia Fe railway company does not per-
NIT 1t to appear any longer In its
printed matter and the territorial au-
thorities of Arizona and New Mexico
never use it in official communica-
tions The Great American Desert
disappeared under the plow OF the
Kansas pioneer long ago. the desert
OF Arizona is losing its individuality:
the Colorado desert Is now called by
the sonorous title of the Imperial val
ley, and soon the Mojave desert will
disappear under systems of irrigation.
The government of the United States
is doing a great deal to assist in the
transformation of what has been
useless and hopeless region. 1t is do
Ing almost as much as the govern
| ment of India. with true benevolent
spirit. India is compelled to introduce
| irrigation works as an antidote to fam
| inc, but the federal authorities of the
United States are building them for
the benefit of farmers-brave pioneers
who have had the courage to come out
here and attempt to cultivate land
that is naturally as bald of vegetation
as billiad table. 1t is not entirely
a benevolent enterprise, however The
beneticiaries are required to pay ev-
cry dollar of the cost, and are given
ten years to meet the payments. The
| government might retain the irriga-
| tion system and derive a large rev.
enue by selling the water aud many
people think it would be much wiser
to do SO. But ours is not money
making commonwealth, and its irri-
cation policy. be it wise or be it fool
ish is only another illustration of a
government OF the people, by the
people. for the people"
Salt River valley is not an attract.
i've name. 1t reminds one of Sodom
and Gomorrah and Lots wife, and it
does not look attractive, either. IL
is broad stretch of what used to be
called desert, the sandy surface being
broken only by gnarled mesquite trees
and punches of sage brush, one of the
humblest but the bravest and most
determined plants tnat grows. But
although the surface is so fordbiding
the SOIL contains an extraordinary
iamount of plant nourishment, and
wherever 1t is watered seeds germin-
ate and bloom and bring forth a hun
dred and sometimes a thousand fold.
l p ttrAr tls
consistent stream. For eleven months
OF the year 1t is as dry as Old Moth.
er Hubbard's cupboard. The other
thirty days it sweeps down the valley
at the volume of 100000 cubic feet per
second. Enough water flows by in
those few days to moisten all the year
all OF the crops that might be planted
In the valley. and the government
under the new lands reclamation act
proposes TO discipline the stream and
make 1t contribute to the wealth of
Arizona.
About sixty-five miles from Phoeniy
the river flows through profound
canyon, with lofty, precipitous walls
| dam Is being constructed across
that canyon which will retain all of
the floods and create a vast lake
holding 400 o,oo0oOO,OOO gallons of wat
re, twice as much as the Croton reser.
Volrs OF New York City. This will be
suthclent to redeem about $50. .OOO
acres OF arid land and turn this des.
eft into a garden-orchards of or.
ahses' lemons, figs. almonds and other
iruits ana all the vegetables and flow
ers that grow in semi-tropic regions
The cost will be about $4,000. 900 maid
in advance by the government from
the reclamation fund-the proceeds of
the sfle of public lands-and after
ward collected in ten annual install.
ments from the people who own the
land to be irrigated and those who
VIII buy that part of it which is still
government property.