Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-04
BOGUS IRRIGATION PROJECTS
0f.iAl warns Investors Against Buying
Lands Of shay Promoters
PLENTY OF BONA FiDE OPPORTUNITIES
Intending settlers Are Advisea 10
InvestfEste An ProPOsitions
In Person on the
Ground-

CFrum a star CorrespUndent)
WASHINGTON. -Feh. R-tSpeciH1. The
generous publicity which the press has
given 10 the national work q reclamation" "
Ea1d an efhclal 81 the Department of the
Interior. rs being taken advantage Of by
q number of sha6y promoters who are at
tempting 10 revive Questionable irrigation
schemes. especially in Arizona ana New
Mexico. The arid west has suffered greatly
IN the past by reason Of the operations OF
this class Of promoters, and legitimate pra-
rate enterprise has suffered unnecessary
hardship and DELAY in the prosecution OF
the laudable work Of settlement and colo
nizA1ion-
As every fake scheme works 70 the Get
rfneut Of honest companies. the govern
ment as wen as the bona fids promoter, iE
Interested in driving out this brood q
sUindiers who are seeking TO faften their
pccketboolzs at the expense q innocent in
vestcrs.
Down in Arizona a pseudO-reliEious
corporation JorEanized IT'S principals say
for the extension Of the true faiuhD has
been defuding innocent people into buying
water rights in an irrigation scheme which
has as much chance OF ultimate success
as a lace curtain in hery furnace. The
company has neither land nor water. and
no hope Of getting either. Yet the govern
ment mails are fun Of letters from the
victims asking for Information. If these
people had been as anxious to inquire be
fore investing. they would not now be out
OF pocket. These inquiries indicate that
the company is prosecuting its work
largely through the religious press rather
singular medium TO use TO perpetrate a
swindle. and the victims seem TO ge gen
In New Mexico several companies are
preparing 10 launch great works on
streams. the waters Of which were long
( ago appropriated and whose supply is not
sufficient for the present needs Of old
canals
1T Is no province Of the government TO
Z warn these people. though II would seem
T properly the duty Of the Postof8ce depart
+ rreuf 10 exclude their literature from The
mails. when an investigation wonld show
/ the fraudulent character Of the scheme
and the utter imposEbility Of their being
] carried out
.fOns word OF warning 70 all who are
looking for investments IN the west; Do
not buy anything without carefully IN
vestigating Do not buy water rights Until
yuu are convinced The water Is there. and
the company financially able 10 deliver IL
/ II you are going to make a home In the
west DO not buy until you investigate m
I parson en- tlc EroEnd- The Eest n full "a
opportunities FOR h0rse seekers and there
are plenty Of legitimate irrigation enter
( I,rises in which your investment win be
4 safe
Movement of Internal Commerce.
I The movement Of internal commerce dur
ing the last year exceeded that for any
proceeding one In the history Of the coun-
Try, according to 3 statement issued today
by the bureau Of statistics Of the De-
partrnent Of Commerce and Labor.
Live stock receipts al the seven primary
marluets aggregated 40. ~ .s5S head exceed
ing those Of the previous yesr by more
than 15o@0 Shipments Of packing house
products from Chicago. except canned
meats and dressed hogs. show gains as
/ compared with those Of either Of the two
immediate proceeding years. OF these
( products during the year the aggregate
shipments of beef were SO.776sOe pounds:
canned meats. lI7,sSs.650 pounds; cured
meats, spz692e4s pounds. dressed beef.
]. l.IsSOz2sS5 pounds; dressed hogs. 13.17o.S0
! pounds; hides. I75,170.ba pounds; lard
sz.s45ss pounds; pork. ss.5S1.200 pounds.
making a total Of 2766m6.4zs pounds. being
over lO0. .Oo0.0oO pounds in excess OF the pre-
vsUus year.
The total grain receipts at fifteen IN
terror primary markets were 7sz.aA IS
bushels. an increase Of Z5a.0Oe bushels ovei
1905 The total movement embraced
Wheat szS 7s05S bushels: corn. a. ~ Tli
bushels. oats. ~. ,Sss bushels; harley
G. .4Ss 80 bushels; rye, ~ bushelE-
The receipts OF grain al six Atlantic and
gulf ports aggregated 44.s460aS bushels. al
Increase uf 1900 D80 bushels.
Shipments OF anthracite coal from east
ern producing districts aggregated 55.sE7,-
sc tons. 9 peroeptibls decrease.
The total freight shipments from al
ports on the great lakes. exclusive Of eK
ports 10 Canada, aggregated T5.6n6se ne
tons an increase Of almost s0O0,8Oo ions