The San Francisco call., 1905-03-24
CONGRESS is INTERESTED.

10
This work has been going on for
two years. The west side of the val
ley has been covered as far down as
Colusa. Maps of the area between
Corning and Red Bluff have already
been published on a scale of one inch
to the mile with ten foot contour in
teryals. Maps from Corning south will
be published on a scale of two inches
TO the mile with five foot contour in
teryalS showing all roads. houses and
main bitches west of the Sacramento
River, to an elevation of 800 feet above
sea level. 1t is expected that about
two years more viii be required TO
complete the surveys west of the
Sacramento River to Suisun Bay.
The photographic work is in charge
OF j. b. Lippincott, whose Office is in
Los Angeles. Under his direction
streams are being gauged. the quantity
ana quality of the water in each de-
ternlined. Reservoir sites are being
selected and their capacity determined
and other valuable data collected.
What the Government may do to-
ward the actual construction Of the
vast systems contemplated Is yet to
be seen. The visit of the Congression
al irrigation Committees has direct
bearing upon this matter and II Is es
sential that they be fayorably i'm
PlOScC0- nat OOHSIcSS lha lnleIeSIcQ
In the matter is evidenced by the visit
of the members and by the work now
being done. Leading Government en-
gineers have declared this to be the
greatest irrigable field in the United
States. Engineer Lippincott Is known
TO be enthusiastic regarding the posi-
bilities of the Iron Canyon project, r.
B. Marshall, topographer, in charge of
the topographic surveys, not less so.
IA
THE reclamation service created by
act of Congress known as the New
lands act has been interested in this
enterprise and will await with interest
the report of the Congressional COM
n}itteeS. While the Newlands act in
its present form does not admit of the
expenditure of the irrigation funds ex-
cept where private ownership of land
is confined to tracts not exceeding $50
acres each it is not unreasonable to
hope that some modification of its pro-
visions may be secured or a special act
created to admit of the construction by
the Government of this system. Sub
division and sale of large tracts which
is now proceeding qufse satisfactorily
in the Sacramento Valley may remove
this difficulty much more rapidly than
is now anticipated by the majority Of
the people
'''The surveys are of incalculable value
regardless of what the Government
may do about construction. The waters
of the Sacramento River Valley region
must be applied to the land and the
first step must be the surveys. With
these provided the expense OF planning
the system will be comparatively slight
and the proposition will be too good to
be overlooked.
1.-The interests of the land owners will
be best served by the construction of
these canals through cooperation with
the Government. Every effort should
be made to interest Congress and the
departments and the proposed visit of
the Congressional committees is an op-
portunity Of very great value and i'm
portance.
THE Sacramento Valley Develop
ment Association has been interested in
this work from the beginning. With
other organized bodies of the State,
notably the Water and Forest Associa-
ton, it was instrumental in securing
the State legislation under which the
work was begun.
During the last session of Congress
the association was in communication
with Congressman Theodore A. Bell,
who was a member Of the Irrigation
Committee of the House and deeply in
terested in this matter.
INTEREST is AROUSED.
"At the last meeting of the executive
committee it was decided to invite Mr..
Bell to make trip over the territory
as guest of the association in order
that, in the light of his experience as
a member Of the Irrigation Committee,
when the plans for the visit were made,
he may be able to make recommended
tions that will enable the association
to provide the information most de-
sired Mr.. Bell writes that he has been
asked by the reclamation service to
take care of the party while in the
Sacramento Valley. and that he will be
glad to avail himself of the offer of the
association to cooperate with him.
1T is hoped that every California
Congressman and Senator may be in
duced TO accompany the Congressional
Committees through this valley Hon.
D. E. McKinlay, who succeeds Mr.. Bell,
will be asked to personally assist in
interesting California members in the
matter, and that he will do so goes
without saying.
Interest is already aroused in the
Sacramento Valley. The people of Te-