Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-09-28
VALUABLE PHASE
Ut IRRIGATION,
How II Affects Both The East's
and the Vests Welfare.
HAS RECIPRo CAL ADVANTAGES

&
Development of Western Arid Lands
Makes Lively Markets For All Kinds
Of Eastern Products ~ Import Of
Desert Agriculture to Stock Raising
and Mining Interests.
BY MARK BENNITT.
In view of the fifteenth national
irrigation congress to be held in Sacra-
mento, Cal, on Sept. 81, inclusive, the
following article is of timely interest:
One phase OF the development In the
west, under irrigation, has been but
little touched upon in the press. I
refer to the lively market which the
new communities make for all sorts
of eastern products. The opening Of
100000 acres Of land to settlement
under irrigation is an event worthy OF
celebration by national rejoicing, be-:
cause it opens an opportunity for thou
sands ,of people, young, middle aged
and old, to make new start in life.
The opportunities for making money
in mercantile lines are second only to
those In agriculture and horticulture.
There is work for men In all the build,
ing trades that ordinarily find employ:
ment in new towns. Many new towns
spring up and the prosperity extends
to all the inhabitants. Then, by a
wider application of the rule, the pros
perity of the west helps materially to
sustain the prosperity Of the east.
The best object lesson that can
suggest for any one who doubts that
the east is benefiting extensively by
the building up Of western irrigated
tracts is to visit the railroad freight
houses at stations on OF near such
lands. There he will see large consign-
ments of farm machinery and imple-
ments, bags Of seed grain, furniture in
great quantity, hardware Of every de-
scription, pianos In goodly number,
building materials by the carload,
barbed wire, woven fencing, wire net
ting, groceries and provisions, canned
goods, mercantile stocks and every
thing that is needed to supply human
wants, both the necessities and Iuxu-
ries. These things are bought not by
carloads alone, but by trafnloads, and
usually they are cash purchases.
1t is not an uncommon thing for a
retail dealer in a new town to turn
over the equivalent of his entire stock
every sixty days. Where business is SO
active the profits are good and the
sales are for cash. Everybody has
money in a newly irrigated region.
The settlers usually bring enough with
them to make. first payments on the
lands and the water rights, the irri-
eating company spends large sums for
teams, labor and supplies, and good
wages are the rule. Employment is al
ways at hand for those who come
without money, and all cash is kept in
rapid circulation. Besides the usual
retail stores for general merchandise,
furniture, hardware, drugs and gro
5ceries, the new communities soon de-
mand steam laundry or two, livery
stables, hotels and boarding houses,
barber shops. lumber yards, banks,
churches, q telephone exchange, real
estate and insurance Offices, law Of
fees, newspaper and printing offices
and all else that goes to make COM
piete towns. Brickyards often start in
and do a profitable business. Yards
for the manufacture Of cement build
ing blocks are new and profitable en-
terprises. When harvest time comes
the buyers and shippers of grain and
other farm products have business to
do. 5 III
The. opening of 100000 acres under
irrigation warrants the plating Of four
or FIVE villages. Each one will grow
In a few years to be a thriving place.
In fact, thrift comes early to q new
town amid such surroundings, for no
country is 80 rich In It's possibilities as
a reclaimed section of the desert. The
railroad business done In one of these
towns where irrigation has called the
people together In a new social or
ganizafion is astonishing to my one
who has not made himself familiar
with such progress, II swell illus
trated in the towns Of the Arkansas
valley LfOIH HuEDlO eaSIWHrQ i7fI0 NAH
sas. There is little IL any land In tina
whole region which, having a good wa
ter right, can be, bought for less thar
800 an acre Much of 1T Is held d
$500 and over The towns OF Rocky
Ford, la Junta, Las Aninas, Lamar
Granada, Holly and Garden Gityssar.
| all thriving centers of trade, most d
them having large. factories for th,
Ihanufa cture of beet sugaf. 1t Isl onI.
| q question of time when the same con
| ditfons must prevail hi the newer re
/ gions and the land values must 60 4
the same, figures.
+ dropped Into a general store In ],
little crossroads place a fewasinile
north Of Denver ana fell INTO CONVEX
safion with the proprie ter The sum D
4 $1,000 would hare covered the valu
Of his entire stock A number OF Gus
i TONERS were makihg purchases, an,
/ farm wagons were hitehed ait post
i along the highway. The sforekeape
admitted that he was doing not les