The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1909-08-10
IRRIGATION CONGRESS
is WORKING HARD
Continued from Page One.)

available to December, 1909. this be
ing twice as much as was foreseen.
There have been laid out systems
which involve the ultimate reclama-
ton of several million acres. Large
works. whose magnitude is such that
they have been passed over by pri-
waite and corporate enterprise, have
beer built. In all. il may he stated
in round numbers there We're
ready for irrigation at the beginning
of the irrigation season of The present
year over 5000 farms. with an aggre-
gate acreage of 100000 acres. Stor-
age of flood waters had been created
and in actual use to the extent of a
million acre feet. Canals and bitches
We're ready for use of an aggregate
length of more than 5000 miles, a dis
lance equal to that across the United
States. Fifty eight tunnels had been
built of a length of 81. 900 feet. Many
thousands OF smaller structures, uch
as Eeadgates, fumes. bridges, turn
puts. etc, were completed a thousand
miles of telephone in operation, and
yard ages of earth moved compare
bic to that handled in the same time
in Panama.
More than all this snoring of ma
terial progress are the excellent re-
suits accomplished in carrying out the
purpose Of the act, namely the max
ing Of opportunities for homes. The
wise provision of the law restricting
acreage has been enforced and there
is a well marked beneficial result in
the subdivision Of large areas of irri-
gable land and the placing of this in
the hands of men competent to sue
c~essfully cultivate the soil and make
permanent homes. The speculative
eleenJ has largely been absent.
THE works now in hand will re-
quire all of the reclamation fund for
several years. Each large work is
completed to a point where it has
made possible hundreds of homes
and where returns are coming to the
fund. but it has numerous ramifica-
lions, or divisions. each of which re-
quires considerable more money for
completion. There is no lack of work
when these are finished. The oppor-
tunities for the further conservation
Of waste waters are almost unlimited,
especially in localities where at
tempts have been made on a small
scale n complications of sue ma
ture have arisen. especially those Of
vested rights that successful action
can be taken only by following up the
matter with infinite tact and patience.
coupled with the of the re-
clanation fund.
"Of course. there is always anoth-
er side 10 every large problem. 1t is
not conceivable that the reclamation
act could be wholly perfect OF that
its administration could be without
flaw. The very benefits brought
about by the act have been a source
of criticism. The requirement of resi-
dence on the land, or in the neigh
bo hood. is freely criticised as in
vo Wing unnecessary hardship, and
vet this is one of the requirements
which the majority of congress con
sidered as being an essential con-
dition for the advancement of Fed
eral funds.
The slowness of the work is also
criticised and it has come to be a
matter of general remark that the
governm ant is always slow. This.
like many truisrns, is a statement
which does not stand close analysis.
There are very few corporations
which have accomplished with the
funds available as much as has been
carried on by the Reclamation Ser
vice.
THE successful handling of the
reclamation fund probably requires
as much. if not more, skill n pa
tience thar in any industrial enter
prise. On the one hand are the set
tiers clamoring for immediate results