The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-10-22
ASKS THAT WEST
BOOST WATERWAYS
Letter From Senator NewlandS
TO Senator's of Arid and
Semi-Arid States.
IMPORTANCE OF COMING
CONVENTION EMPHASIZED
Outlines Plans, Completion of
Which VIII Greatly Bene-
fit the West.

RENO. New, Oct. Ex-senator New
lands has addressed letter to the
senators from the arid and semi-arld
states calling their attention to the
waterway movement for the develop.
ment of navigation, which is to be cm-
phasized by the presence of the presI-
dent at the deep waterway convention
& nj New Orleans, October 80, and TO
The Importance OF the senators and rep
rcsentatives from the arid and semi ard
states conferring together IN the inter
est Of their region.
Senator Ncwlands calls attention to
the importance of comprehensive plans
that viii cover contemporaneouS de
velopment of the rivers in every section
OF the country and particularly IN the
arid region where the storage OF Hood
waters can be made useful both for IL
rigation and navigation IN the mainte.
nance of steadier stream flow.
Urges Waterway Fund,
He urges the creation of waterway
fund of $50 100000 annually and shows
that of this amount the hcadwaters of
the navigablc rivers III the arid region
should receive about S5,0OO,OOO annual
", which in addition TO the reclamation
fund will take care of unfinished as
we'll as contemplated irrigation projects.
This movement cuntemplates a con
ference of senators and representatives
from about fifteen states west Of the
Missouri at the beginning of the next
session of congress with view TO max
ing the arid region q factor IN water
way development
Text Of the Letter.
The letter is as follows:
Reno New. oct 21
My Dear Senator--Thc waterway ques-
ton will come UP for settlement during
the next session and | venture to make
q few suggestions TO the course TO
be pursued by the senators from the arid !
and seni-arid states in the interest OF
their region.
In the Grst place we have from these
v states nearly one-t third of the entire sen
ate. and We have the power II we act
unitcdly, 10 so shape action IS TO Dene- !
/ fl The region we represent. whilst AID
1 ing in the great movement for scien- |
tific and business-lilIe solution Of the
4 water transportation question. which rs
u now so much discussed in the MISSISSIPPI
! p valley and. on the Atlantic coast.
Benefit of Experience.
In the second place. we have bccn
4 lee slation 10 take hold of the business
Side OF this question, which involves such
Il ar expert and business organization of
II the waterway service will ensure
.i comprehensive plans. wise selection OF
" projects that viii dovetail into each 9th
" or as parts OF Il comprehensive whole.
tho union and coordination of the SClcn-
M tshc services Of the government related to
Water In such manner as 70 unite their
4cNpericncc and knowledge in some clIec-
ftiNc way; an ample fund that will insure
81 tout utjuuouS work. and such cooperation
81 of the nation with states. corpora lions
q and individuals as Will insure the fun
nj exercise OF all their power and the en-
~ forccmcut OF all their respective rights
s IN the development OF our rivers and
1source-strcams. not only for navigation,
N.bul Tor every incidental and auxiliary use
10 which civilization can put them, such
: las The irrigation OF arid lands. the drain
akiage OF swamp lands. the conservation Of
NforeStS. the prevention Of soil waste and
- the development of water power.
Previous Good Record.
81 We shaped the reclamation act on these
lsf lines. and ! think il is safe To say thet
att the first piece of constructive leg
=, isation N the history OF the country that
~ was free from the evils OF the spoils sys-
tem, such has prevailed for years in
y tleglslatlon relating 10 rivers and harboTS
~ and public buildings.
Our Immediate Interest attaches not
al onlh to The rivers whose waters ultimate
Il, ~ S2w into tho gull or the Pacific ocean,
- hui the region controlled by these water
Tf}ways includes two-thirds Of the entire
pcssrca Of The country NJ the Pacific
. Nmouutain region Of tho west; and the
alI,4!arse tributaries Of the Mississippi, name
IN The Missouri GncludinG its tribu
~ ~ itsrlesl the llsttc, the Arkansas. and tbc
IE'd. have their sources in The Rocky
%nountan region.
The Relation to Irrigation.
Irrigation OF arid lands Is one OF the
h fEieat uses 10 which thcs" waters OF The
,e, sPnciilc coast and Rocky mountain region
= "arc applied. The reclamation fund Is not
y, Nlth the speed that Is desired and # Is
'ep 'nnortant that IN the formation of illc
,repncw Waterway fund. tho storage OF va
tisDter upon and the irrigation Of ard lands
i'd. hulacent 10 IN" rivers IN tho arid and
nd 'fcmi arid regions. which arc tributary 10
ehfE ole streams. should loo entered mpou
W. ~ these streams FOR purposes Of navi-
bn'p pfauon. and that the work upon thcse
9ph n'adwaiers should i" prosecuted con-
mep /. nporaneously with tho work upon tho
,srprp ,Eisaole rivers themselves.
~ I'VE way We could supplement- The
~, pleseni ,rrigation fund by u share in the
~ ',,fi,,f,o,,,tHplaied waterway fund. and could
np's ,n'lnl thc part In the waterway cxpcn-
ncW p'tgrs which fairly belongs To our region
dora ! We SHOULD organize the movement in
ant D,g way with tul power 10 the presi-
.yr pom l" ciganizc IN" inland waterway
Ts %e %ei We We on the lines OF ordination and
Delng fund Of $50. .000, ,0O6 annually Tor tbat
anssPnrpose. II might be appor,ioncd for lhe
. 10 'imc being az follows:
.,SM suggested Apportionmcnt
poI locIns,Ilth IInssillth for The Atlantic waterways.
= fefnrnoIn me coastal canals neceSyary 10
o N'1nncct 1,nc me bays and sounds.
ps -'snlh for the rivers on The c,IIr
l. IN ,t1 tne lrland coastal waterway from
~ ,,<aeross F5s,S5p river along tho gull and
az btf 11ie tenth for the Great Iakcs.
'' ohe-nfin for the main Missssippi riy-
,,eeii>,hc C;rnst C;tns connecting canal with
S,sthe MteHth M,elH,th for tho eastern tributaries Of
sy, ihr .'Tnlt MN f1r the western tributaries
- o"e-'~enileth ;or tho hqadwaters and
in.' continued on Pare Four.