St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1907-08-14
WATERING THE WEST
Some OF the New irrigation Prob
lens That Are Being Solved
by Fasteners.
IRRIGATION IN LATE SEASON
Eastern Capital Helping the Develop
ment-Examples of Latest Progress
in Desert Reclamation-Co
! RADIO the Scene of Activity.

Land without water is the fit domain |
OF the jack rabbit, the cactus and sage
brush. The same land with water be-
comes the abiding place of the best
American citizenship.
The Rocky Mountain and Pacific
States are largely semi-arld. Millions
of acres of the richest land known are
desert wilderness because of the in
suficiency of the rainfall.
The work of reclaiming desert
wastes by irrigation calls for the best
engineering skill and at present large
blocks of Eastern capital are becoming
interested in these wholesome and
highly beneficial enterprises. Not the
West alone but the whole country is
reaping the benefit.
In looking at a map of Colorado,
without an actual knowledge of condi-
tons, the observer might suppose that
the land between Greeley and Denver
had long since been occupied by the
farmer and placed under cultivation.
The villages are numerous, the rail-
roads cross and re-cross the region In
every direction aud on the map the
evidence seems to show an established
and somewhat dense population which
makes use of all the land available.
On closer acquaintance the observer
will find that there are here thousands
upon thousands of the richest acres
that lie out of doors which have never
been touched by the pillow. This is the
short grass country where herds OF
range cattle succeeded the bison and
where the cowboy followed the Indian.
Then came the homesteader, the man
who had cut loose from the East to
carve out new destiny on the plains.
He camped beside the best streams
and became an irrigator Settlements
grew. The bitches were enlarged and
heightened and additional farms came
under the dams and bitches to help
bear the expense Of their maintenance.
DuCu HClC l 't Va POA AAAt
nent settlements under irrigation.
Now has come the era of greater ex-
pansion, when better econoI y in the
use of water must be enforced. Every
stream must be made to serve the
greatest possible usefulness. The time
may yet come when none of the rivers
of the Rocky Mountains shall flow to
the sea. even in times of food. Great
reservoirs may be constructed upon
their headwaters which shall hold back
the flow until the season of irrigation
A few miles northwesterly from Den
yer. within view of he capital dome,
one of the greatest of these reservoirs
ia about to be built 1t Will I'M
pc'lnd enough water to cover lO0,OOO
acres one foot deep, or 100000 acre
feet. This Is one Of ten reservoirs all
linked together in one system and Will
be owned by the farmers themselves,
who will administer the affairs in much
the same manner as the affairs of a
New England town are managed. The
best practice t ughout the west
favors the mutual ownership of irrigat-
ing works.
The construction of the great reser-
voir near Denver, known as STANDBY
Lake, will odd materially t. the irri-
gated region of the West The new
reservoir will save water that hereto
fore has been wasted and give to this
region an abundance for late irrigation.
Formerly the sole dependence was
upon the perennial flow Of the streams.
No reservoirs to impound water for the
late watering of crops were con-
structed. Then came an era OF small
reservoirs for one or more farms. Now
comes the era of great reservoirs, stor-
ing water for many townships ana
thousands of farms.
In this region north Of Denver the
nasture land, still having the original
sod on which the bison grazed, may be
hought for 500 to $50 an acre and
water right may be acquired for $4o
an acre more The price seems high to
an Eastern man, perhaps, but every
acre with water right is destined to
he worth several times its present
price Besides, there is no waste land
/ In this region ten to twenty acres are
counted as a farm and will earn more
money than the average 100-acre farm
IN the East. Improved farms here sell
at $50 to $500 an acre Established
orchards bring the highest prices.
All of the land is equally productive
Sugar beets, the greatest money crop
Of irrigated regions may be grown
everywhere in this valley of the South
Platte. The several sugar factories al
Greeley. Eaton, Ft. Collins, Longmont'
Rrush and Fort. Morgan take all the
beets that can be grown at 50 ton.
Crops range from 10 to 25 tons to the
acre Even the low tonnage is con
sidered profitable. The cost OF raising
and marketing IS tons to the acre is
anproximately $40 an acre. Eighteen
to twenty tons to the acre are conslu'
cred big crop, the average for COLO
RADIO being about fourteen tons to the
acre. With such great possibilities Tue
land may soon be made to pay LOT
itself. Settlers are always given la,
vorable terms and great diversity Vi
crops is grown.
Eastern capital is behind this greal
,,roico+ as # is behind all the larger