Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-25
REDEEM|NG DESERTS
Great Schemes on Hand by
Government
IF ALL PLANS CARRY
SOME PEOPLE NOW CULTIvATINa
THE SOIL.
Would Have in Colorado Desert the
Largest Irrigation System
in United States.
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald

Special Correspondence The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald
LOS ANGELES. Cal. August 10, 1905
There are great schemes for the redemp-
ton of the deserts of the southwest, and
If the plans of the government are carried out
they will be wiped off the earth. As l told
you the other day, they do not call the Col
Orado desert by that name any more. 1t Is
now the Imperial valley and there is town
in the middle of it called Imperial, with
population of eight hundred people; and
several other towns of from three to five
hundred nhabitants. Altogether am told,
there are not less than five thousand inhab1-
tants, not only living but cu.tivating the
soil, in the Colorado desert where five years
ago there was not a single soul and not
living thing except an occasional cactus or
clump Of sage brush or mesquite tree.
Most of the land is only few feet above
the level of the ocean; much of 1t Is below
it. The town of Imperial is sixty-nine feet
below, and there is quite an area Of cult
waited land 2S7 feel below.
If the plans of the California Develop
ment Company had been carried out the old
Colorado desert would now have the largest
irrigation system in the United States. AL
ready more than two hundred thousand
acres of government land have been taken
up In tracts OF 100 acres, under the
homestead law, or purchased in tracts OF
800 acres at $125 an acre from the govern
ment, since the desert was opened to settle
ment in 1901. In 1904 there were 1900
acres under cultivation In grains, barley,
sugar beets beans and alfalfa, and this year
about 10000 acres have been planted and
half of them have already been harvested.
The irrigation company sold the water
rights for $3.50 an acre to begin with and
from 90 cents to 81 more per acre according
to the amount used.
Then came a great era of advertising and
booming, and seven or eight thousand peo-
pie were induced to come down and locate
upon government land For the first two
years the irrigation company was able to
furnish the water required, but as the de-
mand increased the price was raised from
$12. so per acre to $50 per acre, and even at
that price 1t has not been able to furnish
enough with the existing system. 1t has
sold water-rights for over PIT, OO0 acres. and
that money has been exhausted in building
system that will not supply more than
H., 900 or $4,000 acres.
Caused a Feud.
This has naturally caused a feud between
the farmers and the water company, and in
the meantime Congress passed the reclama-
ton act, which entirely changed the situa-
ton and brought about a conflict between
the water company and the federal govern
ment The irrigation bureau of the geolog-
ical survey had been regarding the nat
ural advantages of the Colorado desert
with enviouS and ambitious eyes, and, in
deed, the redemption of that section was
one of the chief objects for which the law
was passed. Hence as soon as it went into
effect, Chief Engineer Newell of the
clt nation service made survey and de-
teImined upon the construction of a great
| national system, costing three or more mil
lions Of dollars, the water to be drawn
from the Colorado river thirty miles above
| the intake of the private corporate and
Secretary Hitchcock promptly set aside the
necessary sum to pay for the construction
work
| The private company entered an earnest
| remonstrance and claimed ownership of
| all the water of the Colorado, pleading
| among other reasons its contract to irrigate
| as much land in Mexico in the United
| States. This Mexican contract is void and
| worthless, because the California Develop
| ment Company had no authority TO dispose
| of the waters of the Colorado river. 1t
never had any title to them, and to give
them a title and legaiZe their monopoly
what was known as the Daniels bill was
introduced in the House of Representatives.
The measure was opposed by the admin
istration on the ground that it would de-
stroy public enterprise and because in
ternational question was involved.
Opposed by Settlers.
1t was opposed by the settlers in the I'M
perial valley, who made an earnest plea
for public ownership because the private
company had failed to meet hts contracts,
and they were reinforced by all the friends
of national irrigation, who urged Congress
to adopt a permanent policy, providing:
!. That no more streams or other water
within the boundaries of the United States
be allowed to come under private control.
2. That all existing water rights belong
ing TO private persons and corporations be
acquired by the government upon equitable
| terms: and
g. That new treaties be made with Mex
| leo and Canada. providing for equitable
! division of the waters of our streams flow
| ing through the territories of those nations.
These propositions were favored by Presi-
| dent Roosevelt and Secretary Hitchcock,
and also by many influential members of
both houses of Congress. The California
| Development Company, realizing It's defeat
| then began to jockey for terms. 1t offered
| to sell out its entire interests to the govern
ment for the sum of five million dollars
and afterward came down to three millions
and the settlers in the Imperial Valley
agreed to reimburse the government if it
| would advance the funds to acquire the
| rights of the company and extend the sys-
tenn as originally planned. This plan in
| volved a pretty question The reclama-
| ton act provides that funds derived from
| the sale Of public lands may be expended
| in the construction of storage reservoirs
| and irrigation. systems; but 1t does not
| authorize their purchase. This is a point
| of considerable Importance, but 1t can be
| easily solved by congressional action and
| a resolution was passed at the last ses-
| terror to investigate and report what legis-
| lation is necessary to straighten out the
| complications.
Water Users Association.
The farmers Of the Imperial valley, or
ganiZed under the title Of THE Water
| Users Association propose that the gov
eminent purchase the rights and property
of the corporation for 100000 and extend
1t SO as to bring under irrigation some
25oOo0 acres of land belonging to the gov
eminent the Southern Pacific railroad and
| private parties. This will require the eX-
| pendture of about 100000 more. 1t is
| then proposed that the government shall
| charge $50 an acre for permanent water
| rights to these 100000 acres, payable in ten
annual installments of So per acre. which
will realize $50OOOOO, the exact sum neces-
sary.
In reply to this, however. the government
| engineers claim that the irrigation work Of
the California company is inadequate and
| badly done, and that while 1t is entitled to
| a reasonable indemnity, the sum of 49, co.,
COO Is excessive. They would not recon-
| mend the paYment of more than one-thir I'd