Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-27

undoubtedly be successful. We give
every encouragement we can to these prt-
vate enterprises. because. as a general
proposition. It is better to have such i'm
provements made by individuals rather
than by the federal government, which
can reserve the forces for projects that
are too difficult or expensive for ordi-
nary citizens to undertake. The govern
ment has enough to do under the recla-
nation act, and Is carrying on several
enormous projects which not only cost q
snsy . des .S 81 but sss sh sa
auire a great deal Of oflcial attention.
We will grant as much land to the state
under the Carey act as it win irrigate
and settle with genuine farmers. But we
have to be very careful that these lands
which belong to home-seekers shall not
fall into the hands Of spectators.
Control Of Water Rights.
1.-THE ownership and control Of the
water rights on irrigated land that are
granted under the Carey act rests with
the corporations that undertake them only
as long as they remain unsettled. But
the ultimate control Of all the projects.
like those that the government is build
ing under the reclamation act, will pass
When 80 per cent. Of the land is sold
and paid for the irrigation plant will be
turned over to the owners and it's bust
ness will be conducted by a company to
be organized by them. In the mean
time the water will be rented at max
imum of 40 cents an acre per year. which
will pay for operation and maintenance.
The Big Horn Basin.
1.-The Big Horn basin was originally the
bottom of an inland lake which was
bounded by the ranges of mountains
have described. It's surface consists Of q
series of gigantic terraces as level as a
floor and therefore perfectly adapted to
irrigation. The source of the water sup
ply is the south fork OF the Shoshone
river whose waters are conducted through
long to natural reservoir known as the
Oregon basin. which Is one Of the most
remarkable phenomena in the country.
and was formerly q lake. It is thirteen
to depth Of ninety-seven feet. can hold
enough water to frrigate 100000 acres.
The main canal has width Of sixty feet.
Is constructed to carry ten feet of water
on grade of about one foot per mile.
Leading from the Oregon basin are 30
miles of canals and laterals running in
every direction and reaching to the foot
hills Of the mountains.
"These lands were granted by the gov
eminent of the United States to the
state Of Wyoming which entered into a
contract with a syndicate of Chicago.
New York. Philadelphia and Wyoming
people to construct the irrigation system.
S. L. Wiley of Wiley. Wyo., Is the pres
ident; C.. A. Gurnsey. member Of the
Wyoming state senate, vice president:
Miller Hamilton and other well known
gentlemen being on the board Of direct
ors.
1.-The company has already sold 5000
acres to q colony OF German Lutherans,
who have been farming the land with ex-
traordinary success for several years. and
have demonstrated the great fertility Of
soil and the profits of farming. Three
towns have been laid out. called. Wiley.
Gray Bull and Germania. with post offices.
telegraph and telephones and schools al
ready established. and daily stage line
settlements. Gray Bull Is on the Burling-
ton road. The Chicago and Northwest
ern Is pushing rapidly in that direction.
the Northern Pacific is only a short dis
lance to the north. and the Wyoming
Short Line Railroad Company. recently
organized. has already acquired right
of-way across the entire Big Horn Basin
from Gray Bull. so that every settler will
soon have railway at his door. :
Il have been informed" said the Sec
rotary. that the Big Horn Development
Company proposes to develop 5000 cleo
trio horsepower from the main canal
which will be distributed by wires over
the entire tract and be sold for light and
manufacturing purposes as the population
increases, and as such facilities are
needed.
Second Big Project Of the Kind. 90
This Is the second big project under
taken in the arid states under the author
ity OF the Carey act, the first being. known
as the Twin Falls system on the Snake
river in Idaho, which reclaimed 100. 900
acres and was opened to settlement two
years ago. Already more than 10000 peo-
Pile are settled on those lands, with three
good-sized towns. and they are raising
grain. alfalfa, sugar beets. melons and
berries with extraordinary profit. Every
body who has gone there seems to have
prospered beyond expectation and the en-
terprise has been so successful that it
has created q wave Of enthusiasm all
over the state and three extensions are
already In progress to accommodate the
applications from settlers"
Dr. Newell, director Of the reclamation
service. tells me that no irrigation scheme
In the world, SO far as he knows. was
ever SO successful as that on the Twin
Falls tract. where land that was origi-
nally sold for $45 an acre two years ago
Is now held as high as 81 600 an acre. I
understand that several farms have been
sold for prices ranging all the way from
500 an acre up to $3.50. and there has
been a similar boom In town lots in the
three towns that have been started.
The Big Horn basin Is reached by the
Burlington railroad via - Sheridan and
Fort Custer to the town Of Toluca. from
which there is a branch line running
southwark through the Crow reservation
to Cody. 1t may also be reached by the
Northern Pacific from Billings via Toluca
to Cody. ~
WORK ON BOULEVARD.