The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-09-04


payers OF the county, to promote this
great work. 1t is estimated that the
amount TO the credit OF the reclamation
service at the close of the fiscal year,
1905. will be S41.44l. 572.95
Irrigation by the national government
has been undertaken so recently that its
beneficent results have not yet been felt.
The secretary of the interior has author
lied the construction of many projects
In the states of California. Idaho. Colo
rado, Kansas. Montana, Nebraska. Ne
xada, North Dakota. Oregon. South Da-
kota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming
and In the territories OF Arizona, New
Mexico and Oklahoma.
ne first allotment for such construc-
ton is about s4l, al, SD e5, and when this
expenditure is made. it viii bring under
irrigation nearly 1,D0.00o acres. IL will
be observed that the cost of the work now
authorized is equivalent to the estimated
amount of the reclamation fund in 1908
This will not, however. complete the
the work; II will REQUIRE some sixty mil
mons or dollars, in addition, to finish the
projects now undertaken, and when they
are completed, the total amount of land
irrigated will be $4,000 acres.
Many Additional Projects.
The secretary of the interior has un-
der consideration additional projects in
Arlzonaaa California, Colorado. Idaho, Mon
lana lana, New Mexico. Nevada, Oklahoma,
oregon. Utah, Washington and Wyom-
ing, which will cost about s109, 0o0, 600. and
which, when completed, will bring under
lrrieatlon $4,000 acres. 1t will thus be
seen mat when the government completes
the work now undertaken and in contem-
platoon, 1t will render arabic nearly $50
~ ~ acres at a cost of little more than
ITO prosecute the work which il has
undertaken and which lies before it, the
government will have i'm hand, as hereto
fore observed, nearly forty-one and a
half million dollars in 1893 an amount
sufficient 10 cover the first unit of cost
OF project authorized and for thereafter
prosecuting the work. 1t will have the
proceeds derived from the future sales
OF the public domain and the return from
the land heretofore irrigated.
III was the purpose of the authors Of
the reclamation act that irrigation I'M
should not be entered upon for the bene-
ut OF mere spectators. Ii was their pur-
pose that the public domain and the pro
ceeds arising from its sale should be
appropriated absolutely and entirely for
! homeseekers. The law wisely provides
mat the limit OF area per entry upon
me lands irrigable shall be restricted to
what would be reasonably required for
the support of a family. In order that
the entry man may enjoy the benefit of
the law, actual and continued residence
on the land is required.
1T is obviously the purpose of the great
measure, and II is one of it's most COM
mendable features 20 insure homes 10
me greatest number of persons, and to
or cultivation and productiveness for
their benefit and for the benefit OF the
entire country.
II believe that irrigation is only in the
preliminary stages of its development in
the United States. Much has been done
1T is true. There is. however. a vast deal
more to be accomplished. There are many
milnons or acres still lying within the
arid and semi-arid regions. which are
nor-productiye. and which may in due
tlme' be irrigated. This area is OF indefi-
nlte extent II is variously estimated at
from fifty to one hundred millions of
acres. OF course the acreage which may
be irrigated will depend in a large degree
upon the quantity of water which can
be stored in the great reservoir systems
to be established The best opinion would
seem to indicate that il is reasonably GER
tain that sufficient water may be OBJ
tanned for irrigating at least fifty mil
lions of acres Twenty millions OF acres
of this tremendous area is yet a part
OF the public domain. When the whole
is brought under cultivation by means of
irrigation. the wealth of the nation will
be increased five billions of dollars.
Will Require Time.
This work cannot be accomplished in
day, and IT will probably not be done
without some mistakes. 1t will REQUIRE
time, experience, scientific skill, and a
large expenditure OF money 20 do IT. The
field is, Indeed, vast one and II invites
our best endeaYor.
While we are concerned particularly
with the extension Of the irrigation service
IN the arid and semi-arid regions I be-
ileVe In time 1t will be largely increased
in many other portions of the country
The waters in many of our rivers and
streams. outside of the arid and semi
arid areas will be raised and sprea Tover
many sections where the rainfall is I'M
certain and where crops are occasionally
destroyed or reduced in yield in conse-
quence- We can see the limit of orr
arabic areas. but we cannot see the limit
Of he n and Of tho
ton, nor the extent of the demand of
millions in foreign countries for American
food supplies.
Zone of the great practical questions
in the future will be how to increase
and conserve the productive power of our
agricultural regions. Scientific irrigation
on broad lines will be factor OF increas-
ing future Importance in most of the
states and territories of the union
1T is important not only to promote
the interest of irrigation. but there is
correlated subject which is worthy of con-
sideration, and that is. how shall be rein
force and maintain at its highest eff
cheney the productive power of the soil?
Farming is fast becoming science and
the most successful farmer Is the one
who understands the chemistry of the soil
and the products for which il is best
suited. We are making marvellous prog
ress In every department OF our domestic
economy and nowhere is our advance
ment more marked than in the great field
OF agriculture"
Senator Thomas II. Carter OF Montana
presided at the afternoon session. which
was held in Columbia theatre, and il was
agreed that all resolutions should be re-
ferred to the committee on resolutions
without debate, and to further expedite
the business OF the congress the time al
lowed for the reading Of any paper was
limited to twenty minutes and the time of
any speaker on any question brought be-
fore the congress was limited to five min
utes.
Governor George c. Pardee. president of
the congress, being unable TO deliver his
annual address in person, sent a letter
which was read by the secretary
Charles D. Walcott, director OF the re-
clamation service. discussed The Rela-
ton of Government Reclamation Work TO
Public Enterprise" and F. IT. Newell,
chief engineer of the reclamation SER
vice, discussed ''The Progress of National
Reclamation Mr.. Newell referred to the
magnitude OF the irrigation projects un-
dertaken since the reclamation act was
passed four years ago, and made the
statement that the government was now
expending one and a half million dollars
every month in reclamation work That
the government reclamation service has
been unable to satisfy all sections Of the
west was evident from delegates from Ar
iona Utah and Washington, who piled
Messrs Walcott and Newell with ques-