Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-10
What Has Been Done.

What Has Been Done.
AS result Of his foresightedness and his
ability in organize ton, the reclamation
service entered upon actual construction
within year after the passage of the act
and two years later great project in Ne
vada was formally opened to settlement.
At the present time construction work is
going forward on twenty -five projects in
twelve states and two territories involv-
ing the ultimate expenditure of $4,000, 600
and the reclamation of 100000 acres. In
less than five years the service has prac-
tically completed four projects and will
supply water this year to -, 900 acres of
desert.
1t has dug 267 miles of canal, several OF
which carry whole rivers; its tunnels are
more than nine miles long, and the exca-
vations OF earth and rock amount to 49,,
100000 cubic yards, or about ne-fourth
the estimated yardage Of the Panama
canal 1t has constructed ninetyfour large
structures, including two great dams, one
in Nevada and one In Idaho. 1t has built
376 miles of road in mountainous country
and through heretofore Inaccessible re-
gions. 1t has erected and in operation
1878 miles of telephone lines 1t has 1,154
horses and mules ON hand and at work; Is
operating nine locomotives, 223 cars. twen-
ty-three miles of railway, thirty mine sta
tionary engines and twenty-seven pumps
and five electric light plants. The work
is giving employment to 10000 people, and
involves the expenditure of approximately
81 600 900 month.
AS result Of the operations of the
reclamation service eight new towns have
been established. 100 miles of branch rail-
ways have been constructed and 10000
people have taken up their residence in the
desert. The work has given decided inn
petus to every line of industry in the west.
Walcott's Resignation Accepted.
Before his appointment as secretary of
the Smithsonian Institution Charles d.
Walcott requested to be relieved of admin
istrative charge of the reclamation service,
established for retaining and irrigating
the vast bodies of the arid lands Of the
west, which had been committed to him in
1902 in connection with his Office of director
of the geological survey. By letter of De-
cember IS last Mr.. Walcott stated that the
period of organization of the reclamation
service was past and the time had come
have separate administrative head. The
Secretary of the Interior mas accepted the
resignation in the following letter: ,oo-
March g. 1907.
"Sir. With reference to the termination
of yoar duties as director Of the reclama-
ton service, l desire to acquiesce in your
oral suggestions that your resignation filed
in this Office on December IS, 1906. be now
considered. 1t Is my understanding that
my predecessor, E. A Hitchcock, desired
to retain during his continuance in Office
your immediate and personal supervision of
the reclamation service and to defer max
ing any change until after March f.
"Since your resignation was filed with
the department new conditions have arisen
from your assuming the secretaryship OF
the Smithsonian Institution. I therefore at
this time accept your resignation as di-
rector of the reclamation service. In so
doing 1 desire to express my hearty ap-
probation Of the service which you have
rendered in assuming the burden Of the
administrative work resulting from the OPP
erations Of the reclamation act. While l
have not had in the past immediate per-
sonal contact with this work, yet l am
aware that much Of the success attained
has been due to your untiring personal de-
votion. Respectfully,
JAMES RUDOLPH GARFIELD,
Secretary