The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-01-11

ment aid in irrigation are equal to those
of any other locality in the Yakima
basin and in many particulars para
mount.
The people of Kittitas county believe
that the honorable secretary of the in
terror is in hearty accord with the pol
icy of President Roosevelt, "a square
deal" for the people of every section of
the country.
WHY KITTITAS WANTS RECOGNITION
We of this valley ask for nothing
more and with anything less cannot be
satisfied.
To this end we respectfully ask your
consideration of the following brief
summary of the most important facts
sustaining our claim:
First. The natural flow of the Yak
ina river has long since been wholly
appropriated. OF this water Kittitas
valley has appropriated less than Is
per cent with approximately 10000
acres still in the arid condition.
Second. The watershed which feeds
the Yakima river during the irrriga-
ton season and contains the proposed
reservoir sites, tOwit: Lakes Kahchees,
Kichelos and CleElum, lie in Kittitas
county and this, with Kittitas county
forms political and Typographical
unit.
Third. The storage of water in the
lakes above mentioned is the last and
only hope for watering the arid lands
Of this county.
Fourth. The arid lands of Kittitas
county lie next to the headwaters of
the Yakima river and reservoir sites, a
highly important fact. The distance
from the reservoir to Kittitas valley is
less than one-fourth the distance to
the nearest lands south and below this
valley. The matter of waste in carry
ing is thus greatly to our advantage.
This proximity to the reservoir sites
is of extreme Importance because:
IT Is A NATURAL RESERVOIR.
Fifth. kittitas valley, when fully
irrigated, will be in itself a reservoir
storing water for return to the Yakima
river at the time of its least great nat
ural flow, and at time most needed
by irrigated lands south and below us.
Large areas of unde rlying cement,
clay and hard pan present in this val
ley are highly conducive to this end
1t is the opinion of many observers
that portion of waters used on the
highest lands of Kitttas valley will be
used from three to five times before
entering the Columbia river.
The portion of water reaching the
Yakima river after use in this valley is
comparatively placed at 80 per cent
1t follows that land watered in Kittitas
county will be cheaper project at 500
per acre than land below us 30 miles
or further at $50 per acre.
Our information is in part to the eff
feet that portion of the water stored
above us will be used to irrigate lands,
the seepage from which passes at once
to the Columbia river. If this be done
and if lower lands be watered before
higher lands, we'll esta blshed princi-
pies regarding seepage water will be
violated. No man will begin irrgat-
ing his farm from the lowest parts.
Seepage water from the farm above
and seepage water from the large areas
above cannot be ignored by the farmer:
no more can it be ignored by the state.
In this matter there are great prob
lens and millions of money.
CONCERNING THE COST.
Sixth. The reclamation service en-
9ineers estimate the cost of the kitti-
tas project to be $50 per acre, watering
60, 900 acres, total of So, 100000. We
We have semiofficially been told that
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