The daily tribune., 1908-02-18
WHAT IRRIGATION
HAS DONE FOR TIE
ARKANSAS VALLEY
(By A. E. Bent. J

tDy "A. Io6ut.
Irrigation In the Arkansas valley
has trannormed desert into gar
den. This most productive region
commences at the mouth of the Royal
Gorge of the Arkansas at Canon City,
running in an easterly direction,
distance of two hunderd miles to the
Kansas and Colorado state line. The
altitude at Canon City is 1890 feet
The altitude where the Arkansas river
passes into Kansas is 8, 400 feet, MAX
ing total fall in the two hundred
miles Of / 400 feet, or an average of
seven feet to the mile. The fall of
irrigating canals ranges from ono
to two feet per mile, therefore 1t may
be readily seen how in the constrnc.
tion Of canals the water is delivered
on either side of the river so as to
cover areas Of fertile land from FIVE
to twenty miles in width
The soil on both sides of the Ar
kansas river consists chiefly of rich
loan capable of producing in great
abundance all kinds Of crops raised in
this latitude. Great natural basins
on the mesa lands exist at various
points along the valley.
During the past twenty years capt.
tai have laid the foundation for ter.
ri'ory capable of sustaining the most
dense population per square mile of
any agricultural area between the At
lantio ocean and the Rocky mountains
Nine hundred miles Of main irriga-
ting canals have been constructed
under which lie five hundred thou
sand acres Of irrigable land, of which
three hundred thousand acres is Low
irrigated and productive. Great
storage reservoirs have been built and
filled with water, and to give All idea
Of the magnitude OF these storage res
revoir. will cite one system, the
water surface area OF which comprises
over thirteen Thousand acres, with a
shore line Of sixty. five miles, and
containing available capacity to cover
one hundred and ninety two thousand
acres foot deep. A single irrigation
company In this region Ia making in.
vestments In land and development Of
irrigation works representing over
five million Of dollars.
Six sugar factories have been erect
ed aud are In operation, q factory
being located at each Of the follow
Ing towns: Sugar City. Rocky Ford.
Swink. Las Animas. Lamar and Hol.
ly. These factories represent mn In
vestment Of over Ave million Of dol.
lars. aud they out this year $40, 900
tons of beets for which the farmers
were paid 70. % per ton.
The greatest development In this
valley has taken place In the last ten
years. The Atohison, Topeka and
Santa Fe railroad traverses the val
Icy from Canon City to the state line.
During recent years the greatest in
crease In local traffic has made neces.
sary the construction Of additional
hallway facilities and during the last
two years 1872 miles Of new railway
has boen constructed traversing the
ArkAnsas valley from Rocky Ford to
Holly. with branches running to
Swink. Las Animns. Big Bend. May
Valley and Lamar. also n branch run.
ming seven miles south from New
Dale known IA the Grand Valley
Branch. this railway construction
representing AN investment OF over
ono million. five hundred thousand
dollars.
The groat irrigation works Of this
region represent an investment Of mil
lions Of dollars and reflect tho result
Of the highest engineering skill.
Tens Of thousands of prosperous farm
en- have found opportunity to o..
tablish homes.
The leading trade center Of this
grse1 region IL tho CITY Of Pueblo
With ~ varied industries. great
I6ssl warka susltsu and 3obbing In.
|essss II addition TO IL irrigated !,
-.