Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-19
reel AIMING THE LAND
Eleven Governments Projects
Are Under Way.
WILL COST $4,000, 900
MANY MILES OF CANALS AND
DITcHEs DUG.
Millions Of Arid Acres to Be Brought
to Fertility-Dssirs Of the
Sacramento valley.
WILL COST s37, 600, 900

UtAatEtuAf aSSuCA W tHo ScpioSiCdA ouN
vey says the approval by the Secretary OF
the Interior OF the Rio Grande reclama-
ton project in Texas and New Mexico and
thu Carlsbad project In New Mexico will
bring the number OF reclamation projects
up to twenty-four. or these eleven are I'M
der way. They provide for the reclamation
I Of /. 303, GOO acres of arid lands, at cost Of
$37 o28.571.
On June 30. 1905, the total cost OF con-
struction and engineering work performed
by the reclamation service, together with
the administration expenses, amounted to
-. 49,. 1853. On that date the reclamation
fund had reached a total Of SIS. 028,5I1. 1t
was estimated at that time that the re-
ceipts for the fiscal years l9O6-190s would
amount to $e.00o,000. so that the sum OF
money available for reclamation purposes
up to the end OF 1903 viii be ss7o2s.51I.
since the work OF reclamation began
seventy-seven miles OF main canals have
been constructed and ffty-four miles of
distributing canals, as well as 1S8 miles OF
bitches and !A1 bridges. Over s.85o00o cu-
BIC yards OF earth have been excavated,
driven.
Labor, the bulletin says, Is one OF the
most serious problems the engineers have
to confront. Several contractors" the bui.
letin adds, engaged on government prof.
ects have already failed because Of their
inability TO secure the services OF sum-
Gent number or worhmen. and Others are
on the verge or failure for the same rea-
son. It Is equally difficult to find connpe-
tent subcontractors and foremen. The re-
port contends that the eight-hour limita.
ton on work Is a factor. az many preferred
to work longer hours.
Desire OF the Sacramento Valley.
The people OF the Sacramento valley in
California are anxious that the government
should extend the irrigation work that A.
Is now doing In the west so as to take In
part at least Of their land The Develop
ment Association of the Sacramento val
ley, which - taking a very active Interest
"a the subject, has q representative In
nashinSfon now in the person OF w. A.
Beard the secretary OF the association Mr.
Beard has already had an interview with
the Secretary of the Interior. under whom
| me general scheme OF the reclamation serY-
ICE IS being plotted and while there has
| Deen nothing definitely promised to the
sacramento people yet. there Is consider
able prospect that the valley will be ir-
GUIDED 10 the work mapped out for the
| At the recent hearing at the Interior De-
partment MT. Beard and Director Walcott
OF the geological survey were both present
anu anu tne Tnole situation was clearly put be-
/ ley Is about fifty miles wide and two hun
dred miles long. It contains a little over
10000 acres OF arabic land and the sur
4 r
| there is not only water enough In the
| Sacramento river to irrigate the whole OF
| 1t, but that there are reservoir sites enough
to hold the water for distribution during
| the long dry summer without interferinS
| with the navigation OF the river This Is
an unusually favorable showing for any
irrigation project. The reservoir sites are
such also that the work can be done econ
omically and with more than usual speed
The counties interested in the work have
been cooperating with the geological sur
n fctxy In.
preliminary Investigations. The state ap-
! propriated $4,000 to aid in the original sur
Tey work. Now that the investigation is
/ practically all DONE the Sacramento Valley
Association has taken up the work vigor-
1 ousiy In hope of seeing one or another OF
| the several projects put through. The peo-
/ pie of the valley do not expect to see the
! whole of the work taken up at once, but
| they are in a frame Of mind where they
! will heartily support the engineers OF the
reclamation service. no matter which of
the several units of the work they elect to
! start on.
AS has been said. the reclamation service
has work under way in eighteen states that
will ultimately cost over $37 GOO 600 and will
reclaim something over 100000 acres OF
| land, but there are more than Z, 800 600 acres
| in the Sacramento valley alone that are
easily susceptible of irrigation and have
| the water and reservoir sites ready for the
work.
Value Given by Irrigation.
The rate at which land increases in value
when once Il is under ditch. is almost In
applicable to the average easterner. The
| land In the Sacramento valley now which
| is irrigated by private enterprise is worth
well over SITS an acre. while equally good
| land that is not irrigated can be had for
| $50. The subject of extensive irrigation
| work Is pressing with the Sacramento val
| ley people. The whole Of the valley has
| been steadily cropped in wheat for fifty
years, and this sort of reatment has SO
nearly worn 1t out that wheat raising Is no
longer profitable. There are about 10000
acres of land that have been Irrigated by
private enterprise, and this land Is now
| selling for nearly $500 an acre.
If any of the several sections of the ir-
| rigation work can be promptly taken up
| by the national government they Will not
| only be assured of the hearty cooperation
of all the people of the valley, but 1t will
| mean that the construction of compare
lively small section of the Irrigation works
will double the taxable value Of the valley.
Hall Gaines Experiences.
From tba London Mail. ,