The Republican journal., 1906-04-19
Popu|ating the Great Plains
THE GOVERNMENT TO PUMP THE
ARKANSAS UNDERTOOK.

call up PAIN vi loeoiiee'i
more than one household in New Eng
land. The disastrous attempt OF years
back to inhabit and farm these semi
desert prairies lends much interest to
the first government irrigation WORKS
TO be located in the Great Plains region
the Garden City project. Contracts
will be let in May and the work VIII
doubtless be completed in time for lrrl-
CATION in the spring of 1907.
Unusual interest attaches to this pro
ject not alone because it is the hrstwhlch
involves pumping from underground
sources but because it is belleved that
its successful operation Will usher IN
new era for the Great Plains. The I'M
portance of this project is more fuii!
reali7ed when it is remembered that the
division of the United states known
as the Great Plains comprises 100000
square miles or over one-quarter OF the
total area of the whole country. over
a vast portion of this region the settlers
are few and far apart. 1t Is the snort
grass country and is to-day furnishing
forage and grazing for great herds ana
tiorks. West of the Tooth merldian the
climate belongs to the seml-arld region
and general farming without irrigation
is not successful except in years OF I'M
usual and timely rainfall. The history
of this section has been marked by
number of disastrous failures, most vi
which resulted from lack OF knowledge
of the climatic oscillation and from
fever of speculation in western mort
cages.
HOW THE EAST WAS BUNkOED.
During a cycle of wet years agrlcul-
ture was extended far across the plains,
the movement being greatly Facilitated
by companies formed to place loans ana
take mortgages on real estate. Inc
Fast was the treasury from which the
funds were drawn. During the COIL
tinuance of several years of ample ram
fall the profits of these loan agencies
were great and prudence was thrown 10
the winds. A series of dry years ana
the consequent failure of urops forced
the settlers to abandon tnelr farms ana
whole counties were practically depopu-
lated. To-day here and there on the
Plains the deserted sod house or lhe
more substantial farm dwelling are
framed against level landscape, lone
some reminders of the pioneers failure.
Occasionally the remains OF dozens OF
structures mark the site of what was
once prosperous town or county seat
but what is now only the haunt OF the
covote or the gaunt gray wolf. Mort
cages were foreclosed and the makers
of loans became burdened with large
areas of lands practically yalueless.
Attempts were made to construct It'll
CATION works to insure crops but the
results as a rule were not successful
and the stockholders lost their invest
ment.
WINDMILLS SAVED THE DAY.
Some of the pioneers tenacIously
hung on to their homes AID when the
bitches failed they sunk wells and lrrl-
gated small tracts from Windmllls. Inc
Yields from these small bitches We're
phenomenal and sutficed to tide many
of the farmers over theyears OF drought
Farms of 10 and 20 acres i'll gardens and
orchards and irrigated from wells now
support whole families in comfort. Sys-
tematic irrigation of this kind not only
embraces intensive cultivation, small
farms and orchards, but it increases
and speciaizes production, calling into
play the educated brain and the trained
hand and massing the cultlvators into
highly organized communities.
The we'll in Kansas has been most
potent factor in establishing number
of the best communities in the State.
These facts are recited to explain why
the Garden City project is attracting
public interest greater than Wouio
follow the construction of project OF
this kind in other sections OF the w est.
The water for this project must be re-
covered from the undertiOW waters OF
the Arkansas valley which lie IN gravel
deposits existing below the bed of the
river. The plans of the Government
provide for the sinking OF several hun
dred wells from which the water will
be pumped and discharged into a col
lecting conduit. These wells will be
scattered along line nearly five miles
long.
BIG PUMPING PLANT.
The power is generated at a single
central plant situated on the railroad,
and is then distributed by electricity to
the wells.
Applications for water under this
project have been made by the owners
of more than 1900 acres OF land to be
benefited and the community is very
enthusiastic concerning the future
success of irrigation in the Arkansas
valley. One private pumping plant
erected three years ago in this neigh
borbood at cost of more than $4,000
supplied water to 200 acres in wheat.
The first crop harvested was sold Tor