The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1907-02-01
GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS
ARE IMPORTANT

carried on by the United States aea-
logical survey are authorized by Con-
gress III the section Of the Sund.y
Civil BILL approved June Goth, 1905,
as follows:
For eauging the streams and de-
terminng the water supply cf the
United States, and for the inyesti-
CATION Oh underground cur ems and
artesian wells, and for the preparation
Of reports upon the best methods Of
utilizing. the water resources, one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars"
The above sum app. opria,e last
session Of Congress for the hydro
graphic work of the Geological Sur
vey, is fifty thousand dollars less
than the amount which has been APP
propriatcd annually for this work
since the year 1902. This reduction
has made necessary a corresponding
decrease in the work and many inn
portant Investigations have been dis
continued at time when their value
is becoming the greatest. The prin-
cipal reason for the reduction made
appears 10 have been that the menb-
ers Of Congress were not Informed
concerning the character Of the wo k
carried on under the appropriation,
it's purposes and extent, and the value
of the results obtained; and it is be-
lieved that if these facts are made
known to the members Of Congress
by persons thoroughly acquainted with
the work and interested in the results
secured, the appropriation will be
restored to it's original amount and in
all probability will be increased to
two hundred and fifty thousand dol
lars.
Investigations are now being con-
Quoted by the Geological Survey of
the water resources in the following
states crossed by the lines Of the
Great Northern railway:
WASHINGTON--Twenty nine sta
tons arc maintained on important
rivers OF this state for the purpose
Of measuring the amount of water
flowing therein, the variations occur
ring from season TO season, and the
value OF The rivers as sources Of wat
er supply for irrigation and for in
dustrial and municipal purposes. In
addition to this available storage sites
are being surveyed, and important
questions of water conservation are
receiving attention.
IDAHG-Fourteen gauging stations
maintained in this state for purposes
as set forth above.
MONTANA--Sixjy Six gauging sta
lions are being maintained in Mont
ana, ana in addition the occurrence,
availability and quality Of the ground
waters throughout the state are being
studied This work affords inform
alton Of special value to districts in
which river waters are unavailable
or undesirable, and it has already
resulted in many improvements, par
ticularlv along agricultural and i'll
dustria! lines
NORTH DAKOTA-Eleven guag'ng
stations are maintained in this state
and ground water Investigations have
been continued throughout the state
for number of years. The COM
pletion o. the work and report upon
same have been suspended by reason
of lack Of funds.
The most helpful work that can be
undertaken for the purpose Of Sc
curing the restoration OF the appropri-
alton for the Investigations above out
lined TO the original amount will be
that which explains to the various
members Of the National H0u~e #
Represent atives the purposes and i'm
portance of these investigators and
which advocates an appropriation
therefor OF $250,O00 per annum until
they arc completed.
1t has been held that this work is
not public work in progress, and that
it is therefore not subject to the lin
itation on appropriation bills, that no
appropriation shall be made for any
expenditure not authorized by law,
unless such proposed expenditure is
a continuation of public work Or
object already in progress. This is
in error. The work is authorized by
the orsanic law creating the Geolc-
gical Survey as follows:
THAT this officer (The Director of
the Geological Survey shall have the
direction of the geological survey and
the classification Of public lands and
the examination of the geological
structure, mineral resources and pro-
ducts Of the national domain
Water is a mineral, being so de-
fined bE all authorities, and must
=, therefore be included among the min
eral resources. In addition to this