The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-01-09

ply 1000 more eighty-acre farms. This
is only a start, of course, and does
not amount to much. But when the
fact is considered that the government
has enough arid land in Nevada to
make two states as large as New York
it is evident that the small start that
has been made is but the forerunner
Of great finish.
Conduit Through Mountain.
Out in what is known as the "Gunni-
son country in Colorado, another gi-
gantic undertaking is under way. At
the bottom of Gunnison canyon is a
picturesque little stream called the
Gunnison River, that up to this time
has served no other useful purpose
than to increase the beauty Of the seen
cry and hold speckled trout to lure
| fishermen hundreds of miles. But the
Gunnison River will soon be known
no more to the fishermen. Within a
year, probably, it will be shunted of
into a tunnel This tunnel will take
the turbulent little stream through the
heart of a mountain and dump 1t over
10000 acres Of land. The conduit
through the mountain will be almost
six miles long Work has been going
on for four years, and five miles Of the
tunnel are already completed. Forty
five miles of canals will also irrigate
10000 acres Of land in Grand Valley,
in the western part Of Colorado.
Then look at Idaho When the CEN
sus Of 1900 was taken, the government
enumerators found in that state only
10 persons to the square mile. In
Idaho the United States owns almost
q 100000 acres Of land. Think what
will happen to the population OF that
state when the work now under way
Is completed and water is turned on
to $4,000 acres Of land. The Payette,
Boise and Snake rivers, in the south
western part Of the state, are simply
being turned out Of their beds. The
work is so far advanced that settlers
are already beginning to file on some
Of the land that is to be benefited. At
Minidoka, another point on the Snake
River. a huge dam will divert water
to supply 10000 acres. The work Is
already practically complete and water
will be turned on next spring.
Others of Importance.
An extensive system of irrigation de-
vices that extend along the North
Platte for nearly 500 miles will. when
completed, supply water to 100000
acres of land in Wyoming and an equal
area in Nebraska. In fact, water was
turned on to 10000 acres this year.
Settlers are taking up land rapidly.
Besides all this, work is under way
to put water on to 100000 acres in
Montana, 10000 acres in North Dako-
to, 10000 acres in New Mexico, 10000
acres in Kansas, 100000 acres in north
ern California and southern Oregon,
10000 acres In Washington, 10000
acres in Utah, and 100000 acres in
South Dakota. And, as a people, we
are just beginning to realize that it is
good public policy to spend money for
the irrigation Of arid lands.
Those who are best able to Judge
believe that, in this way, we shall re-
claim from 100000 to 15O,OOO,OOO
acres of land. In fact, the experts in
cline toward the larger figure. And
what does this mean? 1t means that
we shall put under cultivation 234,375
square miles. Figuring the population
at the same density as that Of Kansas
eighteen to the square mile-it will
mean that the government land will
provide homes for more than 1900, 900
persons. And, using the same multi
plier, more than 100000 persons are
now living on land that the government
Originally gave to settlers.
For Intensive TillaEe.
But the possibilities of what might
be called the near present are dwarfed
by the probabilities of the remote fu-
ture. Some day stern necessity will
compel us to be economical in the use
Of our land, as we are just beginning
| to learn that we should conserve what
| remains O1 QUIZ COdl, IluDCI duu AIOu.
Some day we shall learn that no one
can really till 200 or 300 acres of land,
| or even 40 acres. We shall become
masters of intensive agriculture and
produce more from few well-tilled
| acres than we do now from the great
tracts that we cultivate with little or
no realization Of the great opportuni-
ties that we overlook. We shall learn
a lesson, perhaps, from the French
peasants, who let not foot of ground
escape untitled and make the fences
hold up the grapes for the sun to ripen
| them.
| And when that time comes the land
| that the government yet has to give to
settlers may support population OF
hundreds Of millions. Scientific agri-
culturists say that Texas alone has
enough land to support five times the
present population of the United States.
When the members Of a standing
cc,nmitteo meet thev usually ait down