The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1907-10-23
TO RECLAIM EMPIRE BESTED the BANDITS,
Irrigation Project In California
Is the Worlds Largest.
A TASK OF THIRTY YEARS.

United States Government About to Be-
gin In Sacramento and San Joaquin
Valleys Work Involving Outlay OF
$4,000, ooo-Much Can Be Raised.
The largest of the worlds irrigation.
thirty years and upward of S50,000,O0a
will be required to carry it out is
about to be begun by the federal gov
ernInent in the Sacramento and San
Joaquin valleys of California, says the
Chicago Post.
In this region, where it is said the
range of climate and the natural fer
tility of the soil favor the growth of
every known species of plant life, the,
government engineers purpose to dis
tribute the annual rainfall and the
flow from the snow beds in the Cas-
cade over vast territory.
In the Sacramento valley alone it is
the ultimate plan to irrigate 100000
acres, and, while the area too be re-
not been measured accurately, it is es-
timated roughly that 1t will be one
and one-half times that area.
None of us realizes the agricultural
possibilities of these Valleys said
Chief photographer NJ. O. Leighton of
the United States geological survey in
outlining the government plans for
this region. while the development
OF this area has been marvellous In the
last few years, it's possibilities have
not as yet been touched upon.
$50 great is the undertaking that the
government is unable to take it up us
a whole, but must take it up in sec
tons of sizes that can be completed
with the money available. The first
comprising 10000 acres. The prelim-
mary work has been under way for
some time. The work of construction
will be begun within few months.
Mr.. Leighton passed through Chica-
go recently Oh his return to Washing
| ton, where he will make report to
the secretary of the interior of the re-
locality, which demonstrate the prof.
ect 10 ne eDClrcly feaS1Dle.
'The preliminary work was begun
five years ago." continued the hydrog-
rapher. 1.-THE survey of the Orland
project was commenced five years ago.
This work has demonstrated that the
undertaking, aside from it's huge size
will offer fewer engineering difficulties
than many other projects now being
carried out by the government While
| the average cost of this reclamation
work averages $25 an acre, this will be
much lower in this case on account OF
the accessibility Of the water supply
The outlay will probably not be much
over $40 an acre.
i "Our measurements show ample wa
ter supplies both in the Sierra and the
Cascade ranges. The.largest reservoirs
will be located at Clear lake. Big val
ley. Iron canyon and Warm Springs
valley.
l "a conservative estimate of the sup
porting capacity of these valleys Is
/ 25.OOOOo0 people. There is not prod
uct of the soil that cannot be raised
| there, tropical or other Oranges
| grapes, dates. figs. almonds, as well as
fax. tobacco. grains and the crops ia
miliar In this part Of the country Ulli-
nOts), all flourish there Experiments
lip growing strange fruits and vegeta-
bles have demonstrated wonderful pos
sibilities.
I'VE were especially interested in the
tobacco growing that Is now being ac-
cOmplished there both. experimentally
and commercially The smokers in
our party were agreed that the cured
product far surpassed in favor and
tone any other grown In this country
that we had ever tried
| For the completion Of this big prof.
ect at least thirty years will be re-
Quired under the present state Of avail
able funds. The work Of the govern
ment is limited to the money received
| from the sale Of Indian lands, on
| which to the present time about S4O.-
100000 has been realized Most of
this has already been put In the vari-
GUS other projects being carried on In
the west. -.
Ihder the system that the govern
ment follows this money is eventually
returned to the United States treasury
by the farmers whose lands are bene-
flied by the irrigation works, and as il
comes in it can be used over again
There is enough money now available
for the pushing of the Orland sub
project. AS soon as specifications and
contracts can be made dirt will fly
| l,.,e, I,,A
the government first took up the prob
lem of irrigation. Previous to that
time the vast areas of rich soil. need
ing only water to make them fertile.
We're regarded as waste spots of the
earths surface, where nothing that
man can subsist on, could be grown.
The work is now regarded as one of
the most important phases of the gov
ernment's activities.
| aside from the difficulties occnsio,,-