The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-08-24
TO STUDY IRRIGATION
Senators viii Examine RecIama.
tion Projects For Public Good.
7. II. CARTER TELLS OF WORK

Experts to Take C{'efuI Survey OF
Vast Undertakings by the United
States Government-Many Acres Of
Land to Be Reclaimed.
A thorough investigation Of irriga-
aion land projects estimated to cost
more than $1O0OO0O00 win be made
by a committee Of the United States
senate which passed through Chicago
the other day.
The committee is made up of ex
perts. and includes Senator Thomas Fl.
Carter of Montana, chairman of the
senate irrigation committee; Senator
Francis E. Warren of Wyoming Sen
afor William e. Borah of Idaho, Sena-
tor George e. Chamberlain of Oregon
and Senator Frank P. Flint of Califor-
mia. The investigation will be of great
importance and may lead to unexpect-
ed developments. 1t will deal with the
methods and character of the work
thus far done and will be the basis
for further congressional legislation.
Discussing the proposed work of the
committee, Senator Carter said before
his departure:
CONSTRUCTION under the reclamation
law has been in progress for seven
years, and at the last session of con-
Rress it was deemed advisable to have
a committee of the senate inspect the
work and inquire into the administra-
ton and operation of the law. No
charges of maladministration have
been made, but complaints have been
received from time to time from vart-
GUS sources, and special legislation is
being sought in the interest of individ-
uals or communities.
Guide For Future Work.
ain order to ascertain what has been
done and to determine what should be
done in the future the committee on
irrigation of the senate is now en- route
to visit the projects, inspect the works
on each and to examine such witnesses
ms have complaints to make or sugges-
lions to offer.
saThe entire trip will consume fifty
seven days, but as a considerable por-
fion of the work is to be done in
Arizona and New Mexico it has been
deemed best to divide the tour of in
spection so as to go over the work in
the northern states during August and
a portion of September and to make
the journey through southern Cali
fornia, Arizona and New Mexico In
November.
Secretary Of the Interior Ballinger
will go with the committee over a
large number of the projectsj
saThus far we have invested fifty odd
millions of dollars in construction and
the completion of the present projects
win require about fifty millions adj
ditional. The fund for this work is
made up of the proceeds from the sale
of public lands, and the settlers are
required to pay back into the fund the
cost Of retaining the lands they enter
In ten annual installments. 1t will
thus be seen that the fund is con-
stantly increasing and being steadily
replenished.
Much Land to Be Reclaimed.
s'The present projects contemplate
the reclamation of something over
100000 acres Of land. The total
amount of arid land which can be re-
claimed has not been ascertained, but
different persons approximate the area
extending all the way from 100000
to 100000 acres.
= -The size Of farms allowed under
the irrigation works varies from 40 up
to 100 acres, no one being allowed to
take up more than 100 acres. Few per-
sons realize that the waste and value
less lands of the public domain in
crease in value when water Is applied
with such great rapidity that in some
Instances sagebrush land has gone
mp from nothing to as high as $1,000
an acre, that value being supported
by actual earning capacity. OF course
this high priced land is of choice fruit
producing quality, but land capable of
growing thirty bushels of wheat an
acre without any chance of crop fail
ure has fixed value based on earning
capacity which clearly warrants its
reclamation.
Homes For the Homeless.
sit is the intent of the law that this
enterprise shall furnish homes for the
homeless and lands for the landless.
The conditions prescribed are so favor
able that any Industrious person pos
Sessed of sufficient means to purchase
an outfit and erect house and barn
with ordinary industry can meet all
payments and in the course of ten
years acquire complete ownership of a
valuable homestead.
''The demand for available produc-
tive government land never was as
great as at present. To illustrate the
fact need but call attention to some
10000 applications now on file for the
privilege Of taking land on the Flat
head and Occur dAlene reservations,
where less than 1000 claims are avail
able.
1.-THE high price Of the necessities OF
life at the centers Of population has
driven many to consider the propriety
of owning patch of land on which
the family can be supported at mod
crate expense.
.aThe work of the government in rem
dering its avid public domain habitable
and productive is holding out to strug-
Cling men and women Of limited means
the prospect of becoming possessed of
desirable estates on terms with whicl