Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-01
N. s. W. WILL IRRIGATE
BIG RECLAMATION SCHEMES
NOW AFOOT.

| Special Cablegram TO The Star.
SYDNEY. n. S. w, October lin orr
DER TO provide land not only for the immi-
grant, but also for the many Australians
VINO are seeking and finding not. the gov
eminent of New South Wales has entered
upon spirited policy OF water conserva-
.ioh ana irrigation Accordingly, work has
oeeh started in connection with the con-
sruc''oh OF huge dam the Murrum-
pldsee river, at a place which bears tbe
quaint name of Barren Jack. and from
this source irrigation canals will ser,,. o,
proximately a million and a half acres Of
country. The work with canals land re
sumptions and other extras-incidental'v.
Two small copper mines Will have To be pur-
chased from their owners and drowned
under 208,0o0. 100000 gallons of water-wiu
involve II is estimated, an expenditure or
shOoVo, or at the rate OF about So for
every acre rescued and turned to account
&c. on the face of il, II will be money well
spent.
Meanwhile, although the practiral Norlx
was entered upon only in January last
there is already in existence near the site a
cry OF almost thousand inhabitants.
WIN SHOPS sanitary system, streets well
lald out, boarding houses, a police station,
an ofhcial medical man and hospital tents.
Town Is DRY"
But no public houses are allowed. ana
any one suspected of grog selling is liable
10 be unceremonously turned out. For
the moment the men are, for the most
part. living under canvas, or in premises
OF sapllngs or jute bagging. This. however.
Is only temporary expedient for the
government is building comfortable bar
racks for the accommodation of those en-
gagged on the work
That part of southern New South Wales
known as the Riverina includes much OF
the best country in Australia. and given a
reliable water supply it would be admira-
oly adapted for closer settlement. 1t is
only eighteen hours by rail from Sydney
and therefore within quick reach of a
ready mar ket. At present the land con-
sists largely of sheep walks. but with water
available there would be every opportunity
Tor prosperous yeomanry.
BY the agency of the dam an inland sea
OF some twenty square miles, an area wide
enough for the anchorage of all the fleets
in the world, is to be brought into being
around spot which at the present time is
merely deep gorge with feeble and in
termittent stream wandering listlessly in its
depths. The gorge Is 300 yards across, with
Guns a thousand feet high on each side.
1t Is granite facing granite. and the APP
pearance is majestic and impressive. Tho
two promontories are styled, respectively,
Barren Jack and Black Andrew. and from
the former of these the undertaking has
taken its name.
Backs Up Forty Miles.
These hills are to be linked by the dam.
which. when completed, will be 200 feet
high by 800 feet long. The structure will
be Of cyclopean rubble, the material for
the concrete, we'll as the huge blocks OF
stone-technically "pums''-being obtained
from the granite in the sides of tho
chasm. The water impounded will amount
to 766,324 acre feet-an acre foot, as tho
name implies. being the quantity of water
required to cover an acre to the depth OF
twelve inches. Into this inland sea- which
is situated about three miles below the con-
huence of the Murrumbidgee and Goodras
digbee rivers, three streams Will empty.
Up the Murrumbidgee the water will ba
backed up for forty miles, up the Goods
radigbee river for thirteen miles and uu
the Yass river for nineteen miles as far al
the Devils Pass. Flats in the river levels
within these distances will become broad
lakes and the imprisoned water will con.
vert hill tops into islands. Relatively, 10
is as big thing as the building of the AS
souan dam, II not bigger.