The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1909-07-02

troll of the national irrigation con-
gress, will present resolution for APP
n proval by that organization at is sew
enteenth sessions In Spokane, August
to IA, memorilizing congress to is.
sue per cent gold bonds, running
100 years, to the amount of s5,OO0,-
100000 Or as much thereof as may
be necessary for the following speei.
ilc purposes:
. One billion dollars for drainage or
oyerfowed and swamp lands, thus re-
Fl claiming an area equal TO 100000
! square miles.
One billion dollars for the reclaim
,tion by irrigation of 100000 acres
or arid and semiarid lands, now part
or wholly waste.
One billion dollars TO construct and
improve deep waterways, to develop
! thousands of miles of territory now
without adequate transportation faeil.
ities.
One billion dollars for good roads
and national highways, for the lack
uf which the loss to the farm area of
the United States is approximately
100000 annually.
ewhwS,,ne billion dollars for forest pro-
lection, reforestation and conserva-
/, tion of the forest resources, thus as.
suring timber and lumber supplies
for centuries TO come.
= Five billions of dollars is an en-
i ofmous sum, but it is no more than
is actually required to carry out the
gigantic scheme in developing mil
lions of acres of lands in various
{ parts of the United States now abso-
\ lutely 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 govern
ment would simply act as a banker,
as it does now for the various irriga-
tion projects. The bond 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 overfowed in Minnesota, Wis
eonsin. Kansas, Nebraska, Louisiana.
Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi
TO make an area as large as the state
of Missouri, or more than 44,000.000
acres, while In the eastern, central.
and western states there is more than
az much more, or about 100,000,000
acres in all AT a conservative esti.
s. mate of s25 an acre, the sale of this
reclaimed land would justify the ex-
gnnditure OF $4,000, 100000, or i5O per
cent more than is required to drain
4 It This land would support from q
100000 to 100000 population
Approximately 100000 acres OF
4 lands in western and southwest states
) are adapted TO irrigation, which, II
reclaimed at an average of s25 an
acre, would be worth not less than
5000 an acre or a total OF $4,000 ,000..
600 and provide homes for more than
100000 persons. The economic
value of irrigation cannot be measur.
ed in dollars and cents. but crops OF
. from $500 70 1000 an acre are not
rare in the irrigated districts There
are already 100000 acres under ir
rigation and the reclamation service
estimates it will have reclaimed 9,
100000 acres. az cost not exceeding
so, 100000. before the close Of 1911
The construction and improve
ment of the deep waterways required
to provide better and cheaper trans
pertation facilities is, | believe. a 10C
per cent investment, from the fact
that two-thirds of the bulky freight
could be shipped by water routes. al
a cost TO the shipper Of not more than
q one.sixth of the present rail rates
The importance Of this becomes ap
parent when II is remembered that
the food question Is becoming a
world problem.
= The state Of New York is expend
ing $101 O00.0 to enlarge the Erie
canal. and s10O,000,OOO is the amourN
As@sQuired to improve the Missouri
river from point about 40 miles
west Of Yellowstone park to wher,
!. II meets the Mississippi river. 2.54i
i miles Then there Is the projected
waterways from Lake Michigan tC
the Gulf of Mexico and scores o
others necessary to cheap and better
transportation facilities Millions q
!. dollars viii be saved annually TO tn,
people Of the United States by tn,
completion of these works
The maintenance of the greates
water way in the world. composed d