The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-11
FOR IRRIGATION.
Government Seeking Rights for
Water Appropriation.
Notice Filed With the County
Clerk, Garden City.
WELLS RETNG LOCATED
WELLS BEING LOCATED
The Plant to Cost $25O,OOO,
Located at Deerfield.
The Strip of Land to Be Water
ed Comprises so Sections.

Deerf1eId, Kas., Sept. 11.-Work on
the government irrigation plant here
has reached that stage where the en-
gineer, Charles S. Slitcher, has taken
steps to secure the perpetual rights
for water appropriation. He has filed
notice in the county clerks Office at
Garden City to the effect that the gov
eminent ditch will use 100 cubic feet
of water per second. This notice of
appropriation gives priority right to
use the underfioW. In the future if
irrigation concerns further west on
the Arkansas river start up they must
leave enough of the underflow to give
the government plant its 100 cubic
feet of water q second.
The government is putting in the
plant, but it expects the people own
ing land under the ditch to finally
pay it back, providing the experiment
IS a success. If the project fails then
the government will lose. The gov
eminent announced that it wanted
contracts covering 10000 acres to JUS
tify it in making the experiment So
far farmers holding 5000 acres have
signed up and it is expected that the
rest will come in in due time. The
government will go ahead, however,
even if no more signatures are OBJ
tanned. The contracts were secured
through the influence of the Water
Users association, which will fall heir
to the ditch and plant after the gov
eminent gets through with it ten
years hence. The Water Users asso-
citation will soon acquire title to the
Farmers ditch which is now owned
by a cooperative company composed
of farmers along the ditch. 1t is this
ditch that the government will use
in its experiments.
Mr.. Slitcher is now locating the
deep wells for the pumping stations.
He will complete that task in few
days.
Mexican Labor.
Mexican labor will be used in the
cultivation of sugar beets in this ter
ritory. American labor. refuses to
break its back on such work Colo
RADIO capitalists have gobbled up
more than 10000 acres of land in
t1nney county, under some of the big
bitches, and as soon as the govern
ment demonstrates the practicability
CT its plant they will install the same
system for the other three big bitches
Inc government plant is designed
20 furnish water to 10000 acres of
land; but has a capacity of $1,000
acres. The cost is about $25 per acre.
or $25O,OO0, to be paid in ten annual
lnstallments to the government with
out interest Kansas has to its credit
IN the reclamation fund upwards of
100000, which is to start the project.
or course there will be no question
however, as to the completion of the
PAOJCCAt AOE 1uTLneT money he
borrowed from the reclamation fund.
and in due time, from individual
rentals and payments, the government
VIII be entirely reimbursed Then
NOSE fortunate enough to live on the
waterway Will have not only their i'm
proved and value-enhanced properties.
but will have their ditch and pIant
Ihe annual charges to farmers NAV
De Drought as low as SO per acre, per
year, for period of ten years, incItld-
ing all the cost of operation as well Is
original cost; after which the annual
cost per acre should not exceed 50.
a.. ne enleI value to the project, and
the binding condition the government
imposes, Is benefit to the small
farmer-not the large alien Iandhold-
er NO person can have more than
LOU acISs on the waterway, and he
must either actually reside on the 40
acres, or must be in frequent touch
with his property. Eighty acres will
be the average. c. A. Schneider. sec
retary OF me Water Users association,
says the division of such a tract will
be about as follows: Five acres for
house, buildings. orchard and garden.
ten acres Tor sugar beets: ten acres
for alfalfa; five acres for tame grass
or pasture; the remaining fifty acres
for wheat and corn.
Water so Sections.
The strip of land to be watered bv
the government project COMPRISES
nifty sections. There are 10000 acres
actually tic i Is proposed
in the beginning to water 5000 acres,
while greater area may later be
added. The strip of land is fifteen
miles in length. running almost east
and west, from Deerfield to the west.
and about four to ten miles north of
Garden City. The width of this ter
ritory is from two to eight miles.
The plant will consist of a series of
separate pumping stations each dis
charging into a concrete-lined dume