The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1910-06-10
syria we're admirably adapted


SYRIA o. wore AuWilhhlA NNhNl'N
to H.
irrigation and Civilization.
our German ancestors were q
wild folk until they conquered me
irrlgatng peoples OF the South
and learned agriculture from
them Irrigation has always meant
civilization The most civilized ln.
diana. were those llylug ia the
puehlos OF the Southwest They
wore primitive irriEatioulstH, The
spaulards lrrgauonistu az home
brought Irrigation into Mexico
and carried sc up into Texas, Ar.
Aona aud California In some of
cur Southwestern projects We are
USING ditoheH century old and
more The MufmouH irrigated al
most un soon az they got 10 Utah.
The Greeley settlement In Colo.
RADIO also practiced irrigation
And va there was irrigation In
the West from the start. but Il was
primitive Ia type and unreliable
The United states WAS The first
government ON earth 20 go into
the work ON q graud scale when
the agitation for irrigation began
there WAS q great dispute whether
the individual states or the gov
eminent should take charge and
build the projects Public opinion
ftuctuated from one to the other,
but finally the magnitude of the
work demanded that the govern.
mont 10 a.
"Mai John ". Powell was the
true father OF reclamation. Early
tn the sos he persuaded the Smith.
sunian institution to send him
West 90 study the land iis work
there Ia drawing typographical
maps eventually developed into the
geological survey. and he waa made
director OF "
October 2. 1855. Maj Powell
was authorized by congress TO Ina.
yestlgate the possibilities OF rec.
lamation had applied 10 him
FOR a job. and be sent me out West
Clumsy at First.
We hardly knew how 10 so to
work or what information we want.
ed. Many Of the Western streams
arc dry for months during the year.
The Rio Grandc for hundreds Of
miles dries up 20 trickle So We
knew practical irrigation was i'm.
possible unless the rivers IN flood
times could store enough water to
last through the dry period
we began measuring the
streams with clumsy Instruments
After a great amount of work We
devised Satisfactory system 81
measuring flows day after day The
cowboys had much fun shooting up
our Instruments. and cuufiacated
apparatus wherever they found a.
Sew apapers jokei about measuring
the rivers Finally the cattle ranch.
ers feared Ne we're going 10 turn
their country into market garden.
They bad so much Influence they
we're able 10 have our apprupfia.
ton cut Off and the work stopped
AT last. though. the country de.
manded room to expand and the
agitation began until the Rpproprin
ton for the reclamation service
passed tn 1901 and we organized
for the work
I'VE began with four projects
the Roosevelt dam Cor the Salt riv
or project IN Arizona. the Trueksc-
Carson New project. in which
Senator Newiauds was Interested.
the North Platte project In Wyam.
ing. and the MIX river project In
Montana
THE first returns 81 water Pay.
uengs from the projects ar. now
coming Ia Settlers are beneililng
By the government work There
are millions OF acres that can stiil
be reclaimed. The service 10 now
on a selfsnpportinE basis II Is my
belief that the smaller. less erpen.
aive Irrigation projects ought 20 be
left Ia private capital TO develop
The government can undertake the
difficult. expensive ones