The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-08-07

where the work to be done vas go enor-
nous and costly that it could not be
attempted by men acting alone or in
companies. An irrigation enterprise must
get on a revenue basis quickly or the
interest on the bonds, piling up with
mathematical certainty. will brow. It
into bankruptcy.
Some Of us believed I'm what was
known as the national policy of develop
ment other men thought the public
lands or their proceeds should he given
to the States and that the States should
work independently Senator Newlands,
OF Nevada. then a Representative in Con-
gress. and Mr.. George r. Maxwell. or
ganizer Of. the National Irrigation Asso-
citation. we're OF the opinion that the
government should do the work. Many
bills were introduced in Congress and
conventions were held in different parts
of the country 10 stir and educate public
sentiment. but nothing tangible was ac-
cOmplished until after Mr. Roosevelt be-
came President He signed the great
reclamation act on June Il. 1902
How Money Is Rcpnid..
AS q concrete illustration Of the
method by which the government obtains
the repayment Of the money spent for
irrigation enterprises. let mo tell yod
what Aas done in lie case Of the Salt
River project in Arzona. We estimated
that 10000 acres OF land woUld be -
claimed. or in otler words, that water
would be provided for that area of dry
lands. The cost OF the dam, bitches. ana
so on. we learned. would amount TO 81
an acre SO, following the law tn land
owned by the government was given 10
homosteaders free Of cost but was taxed
$40 an acre annually for a period Of ten
years. No interest was charged Each
farm was limited to 100 acres.
An association OF land owners was or
gained. in which there we're 10000
votes. OF one vote to each acre benefited
by the project. \ man with twenty
acres, therefore. had twenty votes one
With loo acres had leO votes Men own
ing more than 100 acres within the zone
Of irrigation had to sell the surplus or
90 without water, Broadly, that Is the
course followed everywhere. When the
ten annual payments have been made the
land owners will take over the dam.
lake. and bitches and manage and main
tain them under rules approved 10y the
Secretary OF the Interi-r but the title
to the property will remain with the gov
eminent
Further. to illustrate what the gov
eminent IS doing cvnstructively, let me
add that the Suit River dam is 80 feet
high and 1850 feet long; that the reser-
yoir is g51s square miles in area; thar
the canals are 26i miles long in the az
gregate: that up to the beginning Of
this year 100000 had been spent on the
enterprise. and that the irrigated lands
are now valued at from Sl0o 10 $50 an
acre"
water Is Conserved.
Ordinarily. where docs the water
come fromg" I inquired
81, falls TO the earth during storms
hieh ND among the mountains The water
PUSHES down into the dry beds Of the
valleys doing great damage. and sweep
ing on. soon leaves the beds as dry as
before. we conserve the water by erect
ing dams IN the mountains and by Great
Ing artificial lakes that are sometimes
twenty-five miles long. Then when crops
are growing IN the valleys below, we let
water through the sp llways from time
to time rs 8. is needed"
by what method is the water applied
to the iands2'
Many OF the stream beds in the noun
tof,,e to,-o a fort o. 70. eoo. 20 49, 80.