The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-09
AID THE FARMERS
Irrigation Plan OF Uncle Sam
a Blessing.
Insures Good Crops From Soil
Now Worthless.
F0RMS LINE OLE WELLS.
FORMS LINE OF WELLS.
Series Of Pumping Stations in
Finney and Kearney.
Government to Expend S236, 600
to Get Plant Started.

Garden City, Kan. Oct. 9.-The dis
patch from Washington saying the gov
eminent had approved the irrigation
project here viii be good news to this
section. 1t means that about 5000 acres
OF rich land viii be made subject to
irrigation insuring good crops every
year.
The law under which the irrigation
project will be carried out is the act
providing for the cooperation OF the
government with the water users Of
districts where irrigation is nCA sssary.
Under this law it is necessary for the
farmers who are to use the water to
form a corporation under the laws Of
the state to be known as THE Water
Users association" Such a. corporation
has been formed by the farmers near
here. The corporation win have board
of seven directors, president a vice
president a secretary and a treasurer.
The board Of directors will annually
appoint three water commissioners for
each canal division.
The water which is to be used for irri-
cation purposes is the underfiow OF the
Arkansas river. The surface flow in
the river is frequently reduced to moth
ing in dry seasons. To tap this under
flow line of wells viii extend across
feet. There will be about go of these
wells 1t is proposed to locate the
pumping plant in kearney county, but
the lands to be irrigated are principally
to the northwest of here.
The wells are to be constructed in
pairs and will be built as close together
as possible. There viii be series of
pumping stations, each dischaTging into
a cOncrete-lined flume, which viii lead
to the main canal The entire plant will
be operated by electricity from a central
power station.
The project contemplates the expen-
dlture by the government of $236,000s
with $4,000 a year for maintenance.
ceive the water. Those who join the as
ISOLATION agree to pay the government
for the water at the rate Of So an acre
for ten years. At the end of ten years
the government will turn the irrigating
plant over to the association.
Land Values Increase.
Tt is said that the value of the up
lands in that part of Kansas, without
irrigation, does not exceed So or SIG an
acre. When reclaimed by irrigation
they are worth from 800 to $3.50. The
soil is fertile and only needs water to
make it immensely productive Other
lands in western Kansas reclaimed by
private pumping plants are worth from
$40 to S75 an acre.
When settlers first tried to live in
the country was useless except for graz
ing purposes. Then it was found that
bOuntiful crops could be raised if SUI
hcient moisture could be secured. Rain
was not plentiful, and hot winds swept
the country and scOrched vegetation
Taking water from the Arkansas river
which has its source in the Rocky
mountains was tried. Hundreds of thou
sands of dollars were spent in building
irrigating bitches. but it was found that
the river was generally dry when water
was needed
Then, in 1888. windmill irrigation was
proposed at Garden City. Wells were
sunk and windmills were set to work
pumping water into reservoirs. The un-
foreground water supply was found to
be ineXhaustible. The wind which be
fore had burned and shriveled, was the
salvation of the farms, and Garden City
found itself i'm the midst of a productive
region The government plan is to dup
licate these private windmills and reser-
voir plants on a large scale.