The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-06-17
GOLD BONDS
PROPOSED
BONDS TO RUN 100 YERRS
A Scheme Invented by Arthur
Hooker, of Spokane, Which
Will be Presented to the lr.
risation Congress Soon.

Arthur Hooker, secretary of the
hoard of control of the National Ir
rigation Congress, will present a
resolution for approval by that
organization at its seventeenth SEES
sions in Spokane, August Q to II.
memorlalizing Congress to issue )
Der cent gold bonds, running 100
wears. to the amount of s. .OOO,-
OOO. 900, or as much thereof as NAV
be necessary for the following
specific purposes:
One billion dollars for drainage
Of overhowed and swamp lands,
thus retaining an area equal to
100000 square miles.
One billion dollars for the re-
clamation by irrigation of 40, OOO,-
600 acres of arid and semi arid
lands, now partly or wholly waste
One billion dollars to construct
and improve deep waterways, to
develop thousands of miles of ter
ritory now without adequate trans
portation facilities.
One billion dollars for good roads
and national highways, for the lack
Of which the loss to the farm area
Of the United States is approx
mately $500, 900. 900 annually.
One billion dollars for forest pro-
lection, reforestation and conserva
ton of the forest resources, thus
assuring timber and lumber sup
plies for centuries to come.
Five billions of dollars is an
enormous sum, but it is no more
than is actually required to carry
out the gigantic scheme in develop
ing millions of acres of lands in
various parts of the United States
now absolutely worthless, said
Mr. Hooker in explaining the plan.
Congress will not be asked to
appropriate a penny. The returns
from the improvements would pay
off the bonds. The government
would simply act as banker, as 1t
does now for the various irrigation
projects. The body issue would
provide ample funds as required to
carry out the work in the several
divisions, at the same time giving
the best possible collateral to those
investing in these securities.
Government figures bear out
the statement that there is enough
good land overlooked in Minnesota
Wisconsin, Kansas, Mississippi
Nebraska, Kansas, Louisiana, Ken
lucky and Tennessee to make an
area as large as the state OF MIS-
souri,, or more than 40, OOO, OOo
acres, while in the eastern, central
and western states there Is more
than as much more, or about lOO,-
600 acres in all. At a conservative
estimate of SIS dollars an acre, the
sale of this reclaimed land would
justify the expenditure OF ol,oOo' >
10000 or $50 per cent more ina"
is required to drain it, This lana
would support from 1000, 600 10
5000, 900 population.
Approximately 40, 900, 900 acres
OF lands in western and southwest
ern states are adapted to irrigation'
which if reclaimed at an average
cost OF SIS an acre, would De ""' ="
not less than 5000 an acre OF "
total of S., 900, 900, 900, and pro-
vldes homes for more than 8,ooo'
WOO persons. The economic va uo
OF irrigation cannot be measured III
dollars and cents, but crops from
$500 to 81 900 an acre are not rare
in the irrigated districts mere
are already $4,000, 900 acres unoe'
Irrigation and the Reclamation oe'
vice estimates it will have recia''''eN
1000, 900 at a cost not excccd'ns
10000 900 at the close OF l9ll'