The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-08-09
SEVEN HUNDRED
THOUSAND ACRES
BY IRRIGATION
This Is the Result Of the Work
of the Federal
Government
RECLAMATION FUND HAS
H|FTY:TW0 MILLION DOLLARS

ticipated But No More Than Is
Needed to Complete the Projects
Now Well Under Way.
Spokane, Aug. 9.-With a message
from President Taft, addresses of
welcome by Gov. NJ. e. Hay of WASH
ington and Mayor N. 8. Pratt of Spo-
kane and numerous responses, the
National Irrigation congress began
its sessions in the Armory today.
More than 1000 delegates had arriv-
ed this morning and many more are
expected during the day. George r.
Barstow, president of the congress,
replied to the addresses of welcome
for the congress.
One of the principal speakers at
today's session Of the congress was
r. H. Newell, director of the United
States reclamation service. His sub
ject was "The National Irrigation
Situation" Mr.. Newell said in part:
"The present situation in national
irrigation is that homes are being
provided for thousands of self-sup-
porting citizens at no cost to the
taxpayer. Seven years have elapsed
since the passage of the reclamation
act. Under its operation irrigation
works have been built in the thirteen
western states and two territories by
which waters are conserved and dis
tributed and nearly 100000 acres
already brought under irrigation, with
returns to the fund amounting al
ready to over a million dollars. The
success obtained may be said to JUS
tify the hopes of the most enthusi-
astic Of the early advocates of the
reclamation act.
The nation is concerned in this
work, not only because of the re-
sulting internal development, but al
so because of the Improvement on
citizenship and In stability of Amer
lean institutions"
Mr.. Newell said that while the gov.
ernment has done much in irrigation
work. private capital has also made
great advances and possibly at pres
snt five or ten times as large an in
.yestment in the aggregate is being
made by corporations in building ir-
rigation works as is being invested
by the government. Much of this
Investment, however, has been made
possible, or, at least, has been stim-
ulated by the government work." he
said. "The fact that the national
government has deemed 1t wise to
take Up the matter has been one of
the strongest arguments appealing to
capitalists to do likewise.
There Is no competition as be-
tween national and private funds,
but rather an attempt at all times
on the part of tho government to
stimulate legitimate enterprise
through obtaining facts upon which
investments might be safely made
and to avoid taking up such work as
could be handled successfully by
others.
Large Fund.
The reclamation fund has been
larger than, was expected, upwards
Of fifty-two millions of dollars be-
ing available to December, 1909, this
being twice as much as was fore
seen. There have been laid out sys-
tens which involve the ultimate rec
lamation of several million acres.
Large works, whose magnitude is
such that they have been passed ov-
er by private and corporate enter
prise, have been built In all, it may
be stated that in round numbers
there were ready for irrigation at the
beginning Of the irrigation season of
the present year over 5000 farms,
with an aggregate acreage Of zoo, COO
acres. Storage of flood waters had
been created and in actual use to the
extent of a million acre-feet. Canals
and bitches were ready for use of
an aggregate length of more than
1900 miles, distance equal to that
across the United States. Fifty
eight tunnels had been built of a
length Of $4,000 feet. Many thou.
sands Of smaller structures, such as
headgates, fumes, bridges, turnouts,
ETC., were completed. thousand
miles Of telephone in operation, and
yardages Of earth moved compare.
BILE to that handled at the same time
at Panama.
More than all this showing of ma
terial progress are the excellent re.
suits accomplished in carrying out
the purpose Of the act, namely, the
making of opportunities for homes.
Tho wise provision Of the law re-.
Stricting acreage has been enforced
md there is a we'll marked beneficial
result in tho subdivision of large
areas of irrigable land and the plac-'
Ing Of this In the hands Of men COM
petent to successfully cultivate the
soil and make permanent homes The
speculative element has been largely
absent
"The works now in hand will re-
quire all Of the reclamation fund for
several years. Each large work is
completed to q 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-
auirss considerable more money for