The silver state news. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1907-1909, 1909-07-10
EARLY HISTORY OF
IRRIGATION
Especial to Silver State News.)

ing moisture to semi-arid and desert
lands by artificial means, one of the
problems Of worldwide Importance to
be discussed by experts at the 18th
sessions of the National Irrigation
congress in Spokane, August to IA,
was practiced by the Arabians, Egyp.
tians, Assyrians and Chinese long be-
fore the advent of Solomon, and it has
since formed part of the agriculture
of the countries bordering on the
Mediterranean sea. The ancient art
had its origin in America in prehistoric
times, by the Pueblo Indians, who in
habited portions of what are now New
Mexico and Arizona, and their descend
ants were still cultivating the lands
when the first Spanish colonists came
from the south, several centuries ago.
A census today would show fully
250,000 farms in the United States un
der bitches, watering more than 49,
100000 acres of lands. Colorado leads
in the number of acres irrigated, Cali
fornia has the largest number of irrl-
gators. while Washington has the great
est per centage in the number of irri-
gators. The science is also practiced
in Canada, England, France, Italy,
Japan, the Argentine, South America,
Algeria, Australia, Switzerland, Bel
GUM, Denmark Bohemia, India, Spain
and Scotland 1t is estimated that
more than 75,oO0,000 acres are under
irrigation throughout the world.
History records that the valley of
March, in Arabia, was supplied with
water drawn from reservoir made
by dam 120 feet in hight and two
miles in length. This wall was con.
structed of hewn stones and IT restrain
ed the swift current of an important
stream for more than 1000 years.
Mention is also made of the canal of
the Pharaohs, connecting the Red sea
with Pelusinm. Flood waters Of the
river were used to irrigate the valley
of the Nile centuries before, and the
plains of Babylon were literally eriss
crossed with canals, some of them hum
dreds of miles in length. The Romans
also operated vast systems, while the
Chinese supplied moisture to their rice
lands by artificial means before the
Christian era.
Mormons settling on the shores OF
the Great Salt lake, in Utah were the
first Of the English speaking people to
make a systematic application of tho
principles of irrigation in the west
They turned the waters of the Was
atch mountain streams upon their hold
ipgs, the present site of Salt Lake City,
mastering the art after years of eff
fort. Priests of the early missions ais"
made use of water on the lands in
southern California, where today may
be seen the ruins of pretentious works
built by the Indians. Placer gold min
ers in California utilized the water
from their bitches for irrigation pur-
poses.
The result obtained in Utah and
California induced settlers in other
and small tracts of land were put under
the bitches in Idaho, Washington and
Oregon. The Indians in the Clear
water country, in Idaho, were the first
in this part of the country to use arti-
heially supplied moisture in the eulti'
walton Of crops. Rev. Henry II. Spauld-
ing, who came to the northwest with
DR.. Marcus Whitman, mentioned this
fact in his early letters to relatives IN
New England.
Less than 10000 acres were under
irrigation In the United States in 1870.
but during the next decade the acre
age was increased to 100000. The
federal census shows 1881 ,4Sl acres
on 54,136 farms under the ditch in
1889, the area doubling the following
decade, due largely to the extension
OF the existing canals. A special GEN.
sus in 1902 showed l26,00s farms with
total Of 9,034,526 acres under irrga
tons Congess adopted the national
irrigation act that year, which saw the
beginning Of the construction of work
under the control of the secretary OF
the interior, the fund being derived
from the disposal of reclaimed lands.
The law provides that the cost of the
work is to be apportioned to the land
and refunded to the government III 10
yearly instalments without interest.
Twenty-Five projects completed and
upon which the government is now at
work will, when fully developed, add
S,l9S,0000 acres of land to the crop
producing area Of the United States,
while Is others held in allegiance until
the completion of the former, will re-
claim 3,270,000 acres, making total