The Washington herald., 1909-04-11
PROJECTS OF IRRIGATION
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

acres OF land. covered by I've recIsma-
ton projects. VIII be thrown open 70 set
tiement
The farm unit Is comparatively small IL
each case, being from forty 20 eighty
acres Of irrigabie land At close intervals
the government is laying out town sites.
50 that the farmers viii be within easy
reach Of churches. schools. stores and
railroad stations from which their crops
can be shipped The government wiz per
nit men without much ready money 70
Work out the cost Of the water rights for
lne IaFns they enter upon By assisting in
the construction OF canals. bitches, dams.
and other works. II a would-be settler is
not lucky enough 20 secure land from the
government there IS always opportunity
Tor MIN 70 buy some surplus ground AZ
reasonable prices from farmers who sent
n early applications
There viii be 1900 acres ready for
settlement this year under the Huntley.
project, near Billings. Mont. Situated
1900 feet above the sea and u-atere5 ~
the Yellowstone River. this land is re-
markably fertile, producing alfalfa,
grains corn, fruit, and vegetables A
novel feature Of the construction work on
this project Is the pumping station near
Bailantine, where the fail Of water from
ihe main canal IS made 70 lift a portion
OF the water 10 a canal on a higher level
Vertical turbines and centrifugal pumps
are mounted on the same shaft. and the
operation is nearly automatic.
An equal area OF land IS being ope1ed
under the Sun River project. Montana A.
ready the influx OF farmers has been 50
great that there are said 10 be splendid
opportunities for the business man. mer-
/ chant. and manufacturer. Many ~ fbs
farmers are meeting with such success
I mat their friends IN the East are going
westward 10 join them Another Non
tana project just open % settlement Is
the Lower Yellowstone, where 6s 90 nc-es
OF land, lying near the junction Of rha
4eiloWstone with the Missouri Rire- f.
rapidly being fled upon The man who
wants a home there viii have 10 hurry
A little farther south 20.0Q9 acres viii
oe opened during May. IN the ShoSh0ne
project wyoming. near Buffalo BfTs IA
Forlte Old stamping ground In order "a
compete tnis project dam 32s feet high
the highest IN the BOrld-waS bl7ffr- a
road eignt miles long. and tunnel three
niles Ia length were cut through fhe
solid rock. and hundreds OF miles u
canals we're dug
otiu farther south. 1900 acres p-iU IA
&Faliaoie tor settlers IN the Uncompah-
gre project. n Colorado Forty thousand
acres VIII be added 10 the irrigable area
( IN the so-called Truckee-Carson profecr
Nevada. water being taken from Lake
7 Tahoe under a special agreement virh =
7 private irrigation concern A tract ~
/ lig0 acres IN Southeastern California
under the Yuma project. VIII be opene9
/ IN October next There tropical fruits
can be grown almost without cultivation.
The Yuma lands lie on an Indian res
/ ervat.cn. and a small payment must be
made 70 the red men owners in order n
obtain possession This IS true also 81,
the Huntley project. Montana, which was
+ part of the Grow Indian reservation. AS
I fast as Congress authorizes Il. the recIa-
nation service Is placing Indian lands un-
DER Irrigation. This year. besides those frst
/ mentioned. lands having an area Of near
I y 5000 acres. located on reservations
/ in Montana and Washington. viii be
I thrown open 90 the settler. and they are
expected 20 Be entered quickly. as they
embrace some OF The most valuable fruir
+ land in the world. The construction ~
irrigation works on the Fort Peck IN
dian reservation, Montana. VIII be corr
menced as soon as possible.
The latest project 20 receive Approval
Of the government involves the reclaus-
tion of 5o.ooo acres OF fne fruit lands IN
Grand Valley. Colorado. II wiu rsta
4 several years TO complete The works
which win include a canal Sky miles
long, pumping stations, &c. 20 irrizsts
land on several levels. The Grand Val
ley apple and peach orchards are world
famous. The fruit growers setting g &
box Tor their product There are mar
{ velouS tales from Grand VALLEY Of oats
! growing eight feet high and yielding Is
bushels per acre. Of potatoes producing
40 bushels 70 The acre. and OF canteloupez
and vegetables. planted between rows q
( growing trees. which pay for the farm
4 before the orchards bear
+ The government is extending The bless
I ings OF irrigation at public. expense 10 TIE
/ people Of Porto Rico a 10000 bond
issue has been sold there and The pro-
Iceeds are being devoted to the construc-
ton OF irrigation works. AS q sort OF
supplement 10 irrigation dry farming is
/ tpracticed extensively in the West on land
which cannot be watered- Under z new
/ isw 2oo6.eo0 acres OF land In Wyoming
are 10 be thrown open az once 70 settlers.
7ffis<e vii be permitted 70 acquire 50 acre
homeSteads for dry farming purposes. Il
tis not known how successful this expert
ment VIII be
/ While the government encourages
I home-buiiding Il objects 70 frauds on the
public domain IN violation OF the recIe-
nation Law. or any other statute. A mil
I Ion dollars is now being spent BY the
general land Of1Ce and 20 special agents
I are being employed TO investigate and
prosecute the guilty persons in S2no0
I cases Of alleged land frauds involving
$lio,oo0oo0 worth Of lands The Depsrt-
ment Of Justice IS prosecuting 250o8 de-
fendants IN Oklahoma IN an effort 70 r.
cover several million acres Of land a.
/ legec % have been fraudulentIv sc-
quired.
A Few years ago one had only % travel
westward a short Journey 10 see nothing
but public land from skyline 70 skvIi,e.
To-day bands of steel extend from, ocean
I q ocean, the Great American Desert e
( fast disappearing under the ONSLAUGHT %
/ irrigation and dry farming. and cities
and towns and wide green osses
COT the landscape. The proDertv
OF the nation. which a. one time en-
oraced nearly two bs.-taus OF acres OF
land, has been reduced to something IKE
nai a billion acres. Out OF our free lanes
nave arisen twenty vigorous Couuo1-
weaiths and an agricultural empire that
IS the marvel Of the world to-day.
tCcpy1sat. 800 b. Frcsc7ic J. Hsskirl
TO-mOrrovv-The Hemp Industry.
As Requested.
Fr0n Harpers WessIy