Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-09-11
TO STUDY IRRIGATION
Senators win Examine RecIama-
ton Projects For Public Good.
T, H, CARTER TELLS OF WORK
Experts to Take Careful Survey OF
Vast Undertakings by tho United
States Government-Many Acres OF
Land to 30 Reclaimed.


/ States Government-Many Acres OF
|. Land to 30 Reclaimed.
thorough investigation of irriga-
ton land projects estimated to cost
more than $10o.0o00oo will be made
by a committee Of the United States
senate which passed through Chicago
the other day.
The committee is made up or ex-
perts, and includes Senator Thomas ID.
Carter of Montana, chairman OF the
senate irrigation committee; Senator
Francis e. Warren Of Wyoming, Sen
ator 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-
gress 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 maiadministration have;
been made, but complaints have been
received from time to time from vari-
GUS sources, and special Legislation IS
being sought in the interest of indiVld-
uals or communities. -,
Guide For Future Work.
lin 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
as have complaints to make or sugges-
tons to offer. .-. ... ~ T.. :.
"The entire trip will consume fifty
seven days, but as considerable por-ss
ton 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
8, portion Of September and to make
the journey through southern Call
fornia, Arizona and New Mexico In
November. n IS Ss.3ls e
secretary of the Interior Ballinger
will 60 with the committee over
large number Of the projects. :
''Thus far we have investedsffty odd :,
millions of dollars in construction, and
the completion Of the present projects 4
will 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. It will
thus be seen that the fund Is CON-
stantly increasing and being steadily
replenished. -. W. $@
I. Much Land to 30 Reclaimed. II
1.-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 600 z
to 5O,00O,0O0 acres. Il
'eThe 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-
CONS realize that the waste and value
less lands of the public domain irl,#
crease in value when water is applied
with such great rapidity that In some
instances sagebrush land has gone
up 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 1
growing thirty bushels Of wheat an
acre without any chance Of crop fall.
ure has a fixed value based on earning 4
capacity which clearly warrants its /
reclamation. .., II. s..5 5ss.rsss22 u.
-. s3 Homes For the Homeless. $f#
!, y 1T is the intent Of the law that this /
enterprise shall furnish homes for the N
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 a house and barn
with ordinary industry can meet ali /
payments and. in the course Of ten &
years acquire complete ownership OF a
valuable homestead. s.5s il
The demand for available produc-
tive government land never was as y
great as at present. To illustrate the
fact i need but call attention to some
10000 applications now on file for the
privilege Of taking land on the Flat
head and Occur d'Alene reservations,
where less thar ! 900 claims are avail
able. 5EE} y E55 3s5s3 sSsi
The high price Of the necessities Of
life at the centers Of population has
driven many to consider the propriety
OF owning a patch Of land on which
the family can be supported at mod
crate expense. @ Nh