The Washington herald., 1909-04-11

During the current year IL IS estimated
that nearly $4,000 acres Of irrigated
land win be thrown open 70 settlement
By the government This win afford
homes for 1900 people. as irrigated
land Is supposed 10 be capable OF sup
porting one person 20 every Two acres
The irrigated lands available 10 the set
tier this year are scattered al the way
from the Canadlsn boundary 10 the Mex
ican border. embracing all kinds Of
climate and farms suitable Tor growing
everything from hardy alfalfa and north
ern cereals 10 semi-tropicai fruits.
All that IS necessary for a man 10 Go
10 obtain possession OF his share OF this
land Is 10 reside on II and otherwise 70
comply with the provisions OF the home
stead law The land VIII cost him prac-
ticany nothing. except a small fee for
entry. He viii have 20 pay. however. for
the water right 20 irrigate his farm,
which ranges In cost from SO 20 50 per
acre. This can be paid IN ten annual
instanments If ne chooses. The price de-
pends upon the cost Of constructing. op-
Grating. ard maintaining the govern
ment reclamation pant
Realizing that the most important
problem before the nation to-day Is that
OF providing homes for the people, Uncle
sam aims 10 make IL as easy as possible
for HIS people 10 obtain such homes.
That the tendency OF population 10
crowd into cities Is not healthy was long
ago recognized by statesmen and, one
result was the enactment OF the reclama-
ton law in 1902. The sponsors o. that
legislation and the promoters Of the Work
that has been carried on under ~ Tor
seven years have made the not extrava-
CANT claim that the law. II carried cut
10 the fullest extent and thoroughly un-
derstood BY the people. viii solve the
problem for some years 70 come.
That the people appreciate what IS be-
ing done for them. and are anxious 10
take advantage Of the opportunities az
fo-ded. Is shown by the thousands Of in
Quirtes being received az Washington. The
land hunger IS so widespread 5hat r IS
almost impossible for the government 10
keep the supply OF irrigated lands equal
70 the demand No sooner IS an aTeE
irrigated than there Is a great rush Of
applications for farms. That is what is
expected in the case Of 81 the openings
this year.
The Federal government has already IN
vested Sf2.oo0 COO IN the reclamation OF arid
lands. and about Sso0oo60e more OF pr
vate capital has been invested for the
same purpose. With these enormous ex-
penditures 10000 acres OF land have
been reclaimed. Il IS estimated that there
Is enough water in the country. II Il is
properly used 20 irrigate 3o.000e0o acres
more. At the rate OF one inhabitant 10
every two acres. this vast area Of arid
land VIII furnish homes for 15.00o-0o0 peo-
pie. twice the population OF the great
state OF New York and FIVE times as
many people as lived in the thirteen orig
InaI colonies when they won their inde-
pendence.
II all OF the land 20 be irrigated pro
duces crops at the same rate as that now
under irrigation. which IS upward Ot
SO. 900O0O worth annually. the total area
reel aimed and 10 be reclaimed would pro
ducs crops valued al a round billion dol
lars year. 50 far but a small begin
ming has been made by the government
+
acres. OF the thirty great reclamation
projects inaugurajed under the Newlands
law. only Two have been wholly COM
pleted- Others are in various stages of
progress, the lands being opened 10 set
1 Element as the work proceeds.
IN no part Of the arid West Is more ac-
Z tive development going on az the present
time than in the State OF Montana whose
vast areas or public domain and splendid
water supply afford unusual opportunities
/ for establishing ideal farming CommUni-
ties. One project Is already completed.
six others are under construction IN that
State. and il is expected that work VIII
4 commence on two more projects during
the summer. The ultimate development
Of these works viii add a crop-prodUclng
area 70 Montana larger than the entire
State OF Rhode Island During the year
1879 IL Is expected that no less than 1s7.o5o