Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-03-19
AND A HALF
MILLION ACRES TO
Be IRRIGATED
Largest Reclamation Scheme
Ever Undertaken is That New
Under Way in MeSopotamIa,
Morning Journal Bureau.
6l3 Munsey building.
WASHINGTON II. e. Mnrrh Il

ANlitiNNOlf - va AiAitl Iaa
The Bureau of Manufacturers has
an itnerestine roport from Frederick
Simpich. United States consul at Bag
dad. Turkey, regarding the most ex-
tensive irrigation scheme heretofore
undertaken, the purpose being the
reclamation of Mesopotami.' The con-
sui says that III the plan should sue
coed only In part ii promises TO reVo-
lutioni2e commerce ana shift trade
balances and traffic in this part Of the
world" some 1000 coolies and the
necessary engineers are already at
work on the initial projects in north
ern Mesopotamia and agricultural
benefits are expected to follow in two
or three years.
About -. 800, 600 acres of land are
TO be irrigated and reclaimed, and
the work is expected TO occupy six or
sever years. The information is oh
tanned from official reports made to
the Turkish government which have
not heretofore been made public. The
cost for retaining over 1000, 600
acres is estimated to be $40 an acre.
while the value of the land when re-
claimed is fixed al S135 an acre ana
the rent at SO. The population now
is something ovcr 1000, 000, all Arabs
excepting not 10 exceed 500, 900 per-
sons. Egypt with less than one-half
the acreage has five times as many
people and ten times as many per
square mile. India is expected to
furnish the principal part Of the inn
migration after the land has been re-
claimed. The report states that the
land has stood still for 5000 years.
The heat In the summer time reach
es f25 degrees in the shade and Is
AvraA 4 M. gLta -. IL .xL4.NT.. 81. a..
time. This makes it unfit for white
inhabitants 50 far as labor is con-
ceined. There is no rain from Nav
till October, ana the average rainfall
Is only 8 1-2 inches annually. The
temperature falls at Bagdad in the
winter time sometimes to 20 degrees
Fahrenheit or IL below the freezing
point.
So fertile is the soil where It IS now
irrigated that almost any cereal or
vegetable thrives, but water is only
to be had near q river or canal. r.
rigation is now carried on in the anci-
ent way by crude wheels with earthen
jals fixed in paddle wheels, or else
the water is raised in buckskins by n
drawn by horses and bulls.
Wheat, barley, etc, are grown in the
winter from November till April. Cot
ton will grow advantageously and
there is expected when the irrigation
project Is carried out to be a large
production Of cotton. There is an
abundance of wool in the more ele-
waited portion.
In connection with this irrigation
project. the Bureau of Manufacturers
the construction of a railroad
from Bagdad to Damascus is contem- |
at a cost of $12, 000, 900 and tho /
Turkish government now has that uyi-
der consideration. There Is no mRnu-
featuring to speak OF in Mesopotamia.
There is an import duty OF s per cent
IN threads, cloth, etc, and an export
duty TO the same extent. while such
products are also subject to municipal |
TX. With irrigation, orange, lemon, |
ipricot and apple trees can he culti-
iated. tobacco grown, and many other |
.hings raised because Of the s,reat
productivity of the soil. Wages in Bag
are from Is to % cents a day
or bakers to so cents q day for mas
builders. which is the highest rate.
I is thought that much win be d0no
II the way Of producing manufacture
II products whe nthe country Ois SET !
led. There are only three steam fac
cries In the vallyet and they are uu-
mDOrtant. |