East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-04-01
RECLAMATION GREATER
THAN PANAMA CANAL.

Constantly in the lime light of
public attention, the Panama canal
has received more gratuitous adver-
tising in newspapers and magazines
than any other modern enterprise.
Column after column has been de-
voted to the vastness of the work to
be performed, the great engineering
obstacles to be overcome, the enor-
nous expenditure of money required
TO complete thu ditch, and its tinan-
cial and commercial importance
when completed. In the brief Pc
riod since the work was begun the
country has been scraped as If with
fine tooth comb for most capable
engineers to conduct the construction
and changes in management have
heer made with startling and amaz-
ing rapid!ty.
Meantime, without the ostentation
of spectacular newspaper headlines,
the redemption of vast region in
the west under the magic touch of
irrigation is well under way to a mar
cost of about $1,000. 100000. seven
times the estimated cost of the Pana-
ma canal.
Net only this. but in the necessary
excavation work the total when the
26 projects now approved are COM
plCted will be many times more than
the 133.oO0.0o0 cubic yards required
for the Panama canal.
UP to the present time the excava-
ton work of the reclamation service
amounts to 33,000,OO0 cubic yards.
And in variety and difficulty the en-
gineering problems encountered in
reclamation work are by no means
second to those upon whom so many
regulations have been wrecked at the
isthnius
And In commercial, financial and
industrial Importance the reclama-
ton of the arid west far overshadews
the prophecies of even the most en-
thusiastic of the canal advocates.
Taking the value of irrigated land at
SAL, according to the last census, al
though it frequently reaches $1,000
an acre. when the work Of redemp-
ton is completed the taxable prop
crty of the country will be increased
$2,350, 100000, and new homes for
G00.h00 families on farms and ad-
iacent villages and towns will be
provided.
The 26 approved projects will add
to the cror-producing area of the
country district equal in size to
Connecticut. New Hampshire, Massa-
chusetts and Florida. This alone will
increase the yearly value OF crops by
S60.0O0.O0C AMI add $232,000,000 to
the taxable value of the country.
A summary of the work done by
the reclamation service up to tho
present time makes the digging Of
the Panama canal project appear u
small task in comparison. The irri-
gation engineers have excavated 1867
miles of canal, some of the canals
being large enough to carry whole
rivers like the North Platte and
Truckce.
half miles long have been excavatcd,
2l4 bridges built, 764 structures. in
cludIng three great dams, erected
2SI miles OF road constructed in in
accessible regions, 1873 miles of tel
ephone strung, l0.473 square miles
of Typographical surveys made, trun-
sit lines extended over 1857 miles,
ia,
sufficient to go around the earth; 3
miles of diamond drilling, and 1910
buildings erected.
The service is operating 90 miles
VI railway, with 9 locomotives and
:23 cars. 1t has 1854 horses AMI
mules at work, ami uses 80 station
Sry engines, % steam pumps, and
has in operation electric light
plants. Its office and field forces in
clLdr 10000 men, and the monthly
expenditures of the service now av.
orlge million dollars a month.
Eight new towns have sprung irto
existence as the result of the work
Of the reclamation service. and 100
miles of branch railroads have been
constructed into these districts Ten
| thousand people have already built
homes in this unetime desert, ana
every line of industry in the west
has felt the impetus of Increased de-
mani.
Great as will be the acknowledged
a1vantages flowing from the con-