The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1910-11-12
GREAT DESERTS ARE VANISHING
Sage Brush Wastes are Being Re-
placed BY Waving Fields
and Happy Homes

A quarter Of q century ago any men.
tim of the Great American desert call.
al up visions Of Q region Of limitless
extent, sunbaked, parched and desolate.
A country associated always with tales
AZ suffering and death, Of unfriendly
myages, and deadly reptiles, for years
|, was passed over by Congress as
worthless. The marvellous transforma-
lion which has been wrought in two
decades in this land Of silence and sun
shine furnishes one Of the most inter-
| ssting and inspiring pages in the annals
Of our republics development.
The great American desert is vanish
ing from the map. Its boundaries have
drunken and it no longer presents a
formidable barrier to the growth and
progress of the far West. Twelve
million acres of this rainless country
have been subdued by means Of aRri-
culture aud irrigation and are produc.
ing bountiful and assured harvests
every year. A quarter Of million
families are residing on farms aud as
many more have found homes and
occupations in the cities. towns. and
villages which have sprung up in the
midst Of the agricultural areas. Great
dams have been constructed to impound
the foods aud through 10000 miles of
canals and bitches the life giving water
has been turned upon the dusty desert.
The streams have been harnessed for
power and an era of manufacturing is
dswning in which all of the raw pro.
ducts of the farm, the forests and the
mines will be prepared for the markets
Of the world. The comforts and luxur.
les heretofore unknown in agricultural
regions already are obtainable in many
Of the western valleys. The farmer
light and heats his home with electric
ity aud his heavy work is done cheaply
by the same potent force. Trolley lines
bring the farm and town close to-
gether.
Ia a majority Of the irrigated dis
tricts the farms are small-not more
than 40 acres each. With I6 to so farm
families TO the square mile, isolation Is
slimipatsd and life in tho country be !
comes more nearly urban than rural
While pioneering in this new country
calls for a good deal Of grit and not a
little hard work the compensation is
sare and abundant. Carving out a
home in the desert is no child's play.
1t is a mans work, but there are few
places where nature responds more
quickly to intelligent industry than
the irrigated country.
On the Government projects the past
year has been conspicuously pros
porous one. The success of the average
farmer in many instances has been re-
markable. On several Of the projects
the crops on individual farms this year
have yielded enough to enable the own
ers to repay to the Government every
dollar of their obligations il they were
50 inclined. As the payments to the
Government extended over period Of
ten years without interest there is no
object in meeting the same in advance
and most Of the farmers therefore are
deyoiing their revenues to improving
their homes and in purchasing live
stock and implements. One of the
most interesting features of the up
building OF these new communities 8
the large number Of settlers who have
come from the cities and towns. Their
success is all the more notable because
they had little or no previous experience
in farming. especially farming by irri-
CATION. Under these circumstances
the call OF the open country is likely to
appeal to others who have grown tired
OF the stress aud fume Of city life and
the never ending struggle To make iu-
come aud outgo balance.
The West is filling mp so rapidly and
and the really choice locations are so
few that it is only question OF time
now when the increase Of land values
there will make it as difficult for the
poor man to get foothold as it is to-day
in the East. Letters are pouring in to
the statistician of the reclamation SER
vice at Washington. d. O.. for infor-
nation about the lands which are ready
for settlers on several reclamation pro-
jscts. Approximately 500 farms are
now open to entry under tue Home
stead Act. with water ready for irrigat.
ing in Montana, Wyoming, South
Dakota and Oregon.