The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-09-12
A SURVEY OF WATER
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CONTINUED from Page IL
claiming arid land. Under the terms
of the Reclamation Act of June IL
1902, the proceeds from the disposal
of public lands have been made into
fund. to be used in the building of
i irrigation works. 1t is estimated that
the proceeds for the period 1908 will
amount to over 100000, and plans
| are being made for the expenditure of
| this amount. Already we have planned
| to 1rrlgate in the near future about
! 100000 acres, of which 100000 acres
are now under ditch. Eight hundred
miles of canals and bitches have been
| dug and 10000 feet of tunnel bored.
Over 10000 laborers are now at work
| 1t seems to me that a similar act
| might be passed devoting the proceeds
from the disposal of public lands in
the Hawaiian Islands to reclamation,
or join with the other States and Ter
ritories of the Union in the general
scheme; that is to say, if the proceeds
from the sale of public lands in the
Hawaiian Islands were treated in the
same way as those from Arizona are
treated, you might obtain additional
benefits.
Enclosed is copy of the Reclama-
ton Act. AS far as I personally am
concerned [ should be glad to see the
Reclamation Act extended to the
Hawaiian Islands and to incorporate
them into the general scheme. So far
as L know this might be accomplished
with advantage to the country as a |
whole. We could bring to the islands |
the benefit of an experienced organiza- |
ton and the best engineering talent |
available
If you could be included under the |
terms of the Reclamation Act this |
would make available at once ample |
funds for the investigation of your
water resources. The revenues might |
be considerably augmented, as in the |
case of this country, by utilizing the
water powers on the public lands and |
using the proceeds for the construc-
ton of works; for example, in con
nection with the reclamation projects
now in hand we have utilized a num-
Der of water powers, which yield an
annual rental that in the aggregate is !
of considerable Importance in swelling
the fund. Instead of giving away to
corporations these valuable natural re-
sources, they are held and utilized for |
the development of the country and |
the creation of homes for citizens.
[ could expatiate on this subject at |
great length, but will merely make |
these suggestions for your present con-
sideration. | should be glad to take
the matter up further if you so de- |
sire
I am sending at this time a copy |
of the Third Annual Report of the |
Reclamation Service, which I hope you
will glance over in order to obtain |
some idea of the scope of the work. !
This is entirely separate from the in |
vestigations of the Geological Survey, |
but is in one sense an outgrowth of |
these. To make the matter a little |
more plain, [ may state that I am
occupying two entirely distinct posi-
tions: one as head of the photographic |
Branch of the Geological Survey, max
ing Investigations with the expenditure |
of 100000 this year; the other posi- |
ton is Chief Engineer of the Reclaim |
alton Service, expanding upward of |
$40,000,000 on the building of irriga |
ton works. Cooperation with you
might be had through either or both |
of these organizations; first, by your
coming in under the annual appropria |
ton, extending this to include the
Hawaiian Islands, or, second, by com
ing in under the terms of the Reclaim |
alton Act through some arrangement |
by which the proceeds from the sale |
of public lands could be handled in a |
manner similar to those of our. arid |
States and Territories
Very truly yours,
F. H. NEWELL,
Chief Enpineer