Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1905-03-24
Conquest . !.
American Deso


1t is gratifying to note
present attitude of the eovs,
rigidly to safeguard the
public lands, writes o. Ii ns
statisticlan of the reclamatim
of the U. S. Geological SurvaV
the beneficent policy Of nation,
nation, the arid west is tafss.
new individuality. An era o. n
tial development is dawninr *
desert valleys now waterless
inhabited.
The pioneer irrigator viii
and spade has invaded the
and most remote sections 81 IS
mountain country. He has tur
precious waters of a thousana
upon $4,000 farms. More tbsn
litches stretch out for 50,0O0 M
cover 100000 acres Of produedW
wrested from aridity. These an
monuments of the indomitabs
try and courage Of their builder
resent an initial outlay Of SeSM
The fertile fields and blossonh
chards, which to-day attest the NJ
of the irrigators, yield annually
than $1O0,000,OOO in crops, win
increment by Irrigation works
excess of $374,O0O,0OO in land
alone.
The day of the individual ditch
ger is over. The irrigation sysa
use require practically all the "a
flow Of the important streams aa
ricultural development under the4
reached its maximum. So preclom
the water been found to be. IN
abundant the rewards following
plication, the irrigators In Their
to increase the supply have no
deferred from undertaking englna
works involving millions Of do
To-day surface water, drainage NJ
seepage water, water from aFl
wells, from tunnels penetrating b
tains, and water impounded 10 n
voirs are alike utilized. Such iii
ton possibilities as are known 70 q
involve enormous expenditures ani
fer no attractions to investors ii
way of quick returns or subsian
profits. 1t has therefore become
duty of the government TO davs
these enterprises, and, backed By
millions in the reclamation fund
eral great projects have been IND
taken.
Although organized only two d
one-half years, the reclamation ser
has already formulated plans Rha
when completed, will reclaim 1iSla
acres. Actual construction has bsg
on FIVE projects which will require
outlay Of $1O,4OO,OOO. Eleven oths
involving nearly $2O,000.OOO are aim
ready for the contractors. In nal
all of the arid States other projects
waiting further investigation Of
held up until the reclamation fund
warrant their consideration.
An apparently feasible project
Washington which embraces the en
nous area of 100000 acres would
quire 500, 100000, a sum in excess
the whole fund, to construct It. Ih
gigantic works, furnishing employm
to thousands of men, will ultimai
create homes for millions Of our
pie. When fully inaugurated the
eminent works, together with Il
now being constructed by private c
panies, will quadruple the irrgl
area and will transform a region
the widest and most desolate On
continent into one Of the richest
cultural sections In the world
A careful review of the prelimil
work of the government indicates
there are two focal points in the
in which we may expect the lar
development in the future. The
and perhaps the more promising
the drainage basin of the Yellows
River in Wyoming and Montana
second, in the valley Of the Snake
er in Idaho and Oregon. In the
mentioned the important factors
irrigation-land and water--are 4
in enormous quantities. In the 81
Valley the irrigable land is largel
excessof the water supply, but the
which can be reclaimed is Of
extent, and the soil so productive
adapted to such a wide variety Of
ucts, that 1t will sustain a denser p
latiOn than can be cared for In
Yellowstone on the same area.
EntanRled in a Live Wire.
n -.