Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1906-06-21
Conquest q q: Great
American Desert


Irrigation Is going to be a success,
says the Boston Transcript. The third
inquiry by the House committee on this
enterprise has brought out evidence
that appears to justify confidence In
the results. The Secretary of the In
terror has testified that including the
irrigation projects under construction
and those contemplated and approved
but not begun, there will have been
spent In two years from the last Of
next June $37,OOO,0OO, while the esti-
mated receipts from the operations OF
the law up to that time will be about
half a million more than that amount.
In addition a return of about a million
Is expected from settlers on irrigated
lands.
Irrigation was one of the forces upon
which the late Prof. Shaler laid empha-
Sis when enumerating the resources
upon which we could depend to meet the
needs Of an ever-increasing population.
But 1t was not the only one. We must
utilize the dixie and drain as we'll as
the canal. We must fertilize the now
arid desert by giving the moisture that
1t requires, but we must not forget that
there are vast reaches Of almost ex-
haustless fertility now submerged that
will blossom as the rose when the wat
ers that cover them have been drawn
off. 1t has been estimated that irriga-
tion will ultimately bring into cultiva-
tion and generous production 100000
600 acres that are now barren and for
bidding. We have begun reclamation
at this end, and perhaps it Is the nat
ural end; but no sooner Is 1t under
taken than the opposite enterprise is
more strongly suggested. This, If car
ried to its approximate limit, would
free as much more in all parts of the
country Of its watery burden, and open
1t up to the service and support Of man.
There are in the United States in the
Of 1OO,OOO,OOO acres OF
swamp land, Of which about 7O,OOO,OOO
have been surveyed. These are located
east west, north and south, or ali over
the country. The weird Everglades of
If drained and cleared, as en-
gineers now claim they can be, would
give 100000 acres Of the finest farm
Ing land In the world. New Jersey and
possess vast swamp lands. I'LL
nois has 100000 acres of them; Min
nesota, b,0O0,0O0; Michigan, 6,OOO,OOO,
and Iowa, 100000. In every State
there are swamps Of greater or less ex-
tent which would be its choicest treas.
ure II once put into tillable condition. |
These suggestive facts are behind the
bill, now before Congress, |
similar economic treatment of |
the submerged lands that the govern.
ment Is now giving to its arid tracts.
Perhaps In some cases the work OF
along these lines would be
more expensive. In others 1t would
probably be less so. The necessary un
would be vast, but If sue
,essful the rewards would be vaster
rhe two enterprises would have the
effect Of adding to our pro,
1uctive area, and equal In extent to
more than six times that of the State
II New York, or about a tenth of our
'ntire territory, including Alaska, and
t would be soil Of unexampled fertil-
V. With such reclamation many 9th
r problems now formidable, like gen
raj sanitation, the mosquito crusade.
md so forth, would be much simplitied
there is hardly New England farmer
'ut has one swamp or more that would
'e the best part of his holding could
'e but bring 1t into subjection. 1t is a
uestion Of engineering and upon such
uestons the light is breaking all over
he country.