Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-07-18
zzlKlD0hLA DAY, hlAAO.

S<HtNU7 s>7l-LISs
 Vast regions of the west transform ed from a dreary waste to fruitful fields pouring forth their wealth of golden grains and ripened fruits; and water the magician whose marvellous touch has wrought the transforma- tion. Such is the story of the reclam- ation service of the United States gov ernment. The full importance of. this work is obtainable only by compari- son.
 The 25 projects upon which the government is now engaged, when de- , veloped to their full extent, will add 3,19S,00O acres to the cfop-producing area of the United States. Add to l these 13 other projects which are held in abeyance. pending the completion i of the first mentioned, and which will reclaim 3,270. 900 acres, and we have a grand total of 6,46S,000 acres. This enormous area today is practically worthless. It returns revenues neith. CT to the states in which 1t is located, nor to the nation to which 1t largely belongs. It is utilized only a short period in each year for grazing no madic herds that are driven over it. Potentially, 1t Is the richest, the most fertile and productive land in the world, and Is capable of supporting in comfort an agricultural population as dense as can be found in any of the older settled parts of our country. By expending s60,000,000 on the 25 engin. eering works now in process of con. struction, the reclamation service will reclaim 3,19S.00 acres, of a cultivated area equal to the total acreage in crops in the four states of Connecti- cut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire. and Florida. The diversified crops, enormous yields from irrigated lands, and the excellent prices for all farm products in the west warrant the as sumption that this land will return an nually an income larger than the farmers receive in the four states named. For comparison, let us say that the revenues per acre will be the same. It is apparent, then, that this area reclaimed will each year increase the value of farm crops by $60 900 900; 1t will add s232, 100000 to the taxable property of the people; 1t will fur nish homes for s0,00O families on farms and in villages and towns.
 Although only four years have pass ed since the enactment of the law, the engineers are today employed upon the construction of 25 great pro jects in IA states and two territories. The expenditures average more than "a million dollars month. Three of the great projects are practically com pleted, and six more will be in service this summer. On many of the p.o- iects the work goes forward night and day. and the rate of progress is strik- ingly at variance with that at which government work usually proceeds.
 There is, of course, reason for this. The reclamation service is abso- lutely divorced from politics; it is a business organization and it's motive is to build engineering works and 10 erect an empire in the desert.
 The reclamation fund available for the 25 projects now under way amounts approximately to 33.OO0. 900. Before these are completed it will. be about sii 900 900. When this has been expeuded. 100000 acres will have been reclaimed and will begin to re turn annually s4.O0OOOO to the fund. Chief anong the big irrigation un- der,akings are the Salt river project fin Arizona; the Minidoka project In Idaho: the Yakima valley project in Washington. which Is now in several units but will be eventually combined fin one great system. embracing 4o0.. 900 acres: the Rio Grande project in New Mexico: the Huntley project in Montana and in Wyoming the great shoshone project involving several dif. rcult engineering feats; the Uncom. pahgre project In Colorado. and the urique project in Oregon and Call. foruia called the Klamath project A summation of the work of the reclamation service to January 1. 1907. shows that it has dug I.zs7 miles of canals. or nearly the distance from Washington to Omaha Some of the canals carry whole rivers. Ike the Truckee river. In Nevada. and the North Platte, in Wyoming The tun- uels excavated are q in number. and have an aggregate length of sA miles. The service has erected sa large structures. including two great dams in Nevada and the Minidoka dam in Idaho. @ feet high and sse