Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-05-10
TEXAS PIONEER IN
IRRIGATION SYSTEM
Indians Knew of Use Before
Whites Came in, Probably
Due to Scanty Rainfall
New York Herald.

FORT WORTH, TeX.-Texas, although
one of the youngest states in the union
in development, is the pioneer in irriga-
ton. The beginning of irrigation in
western Texas antedates any records SO
far found, and it is probable that i'm no
portion of the United States is the prac-
tice older, is the claim made by ]. c.
Maggie, who is professor of civil en-
gineering at the Agricultural and Me
chanical College of Texas. Scanty and
irregular distribution of rainfall, was
doubtless the cause of its use in the be-
ginning, and even at later dates, when
unnumbered acres of fertile lands could
be had for little more than the trouble
of preparing them for cultivation. Coro-
nado, on his journey northward in the
early part of the 18th century, so history
tells us, found we'll established systems
of irrigation in the vicinity of FL Paso,
utilizing water from the Rio Grande on
both sides of it's present channel
Tradition tells us that the Pueblo In
dams of Ysleta claimed that ancient irri-
CATION systems of great extent were built
centuries ago by the Yuma Indians on
the PecOs river in the vicinity of Pecos
and Grand Falls, but the constant raids
by the Comanche and Apache Indians
caused. them to move on to the valley Of
the Rio Grande, only to be followed there
by their old enemies and forced to move
out to the Colorado of the west. In The
vicinity of the Toyah Springs evidence is
found indicating that these waters were
used for irrigation purposes long before
the first white man found his way
there
At San Antonio where the Franciscan
fathers founded their missions, they d.
rected the construction of canals by the
Indians. These canals were used not only
for supplying water to the missions Tor
domestic purposes, but for irrigation as
well. Among the bitches constructed
between the years 1716 and liza may be
mentioned the Conception, Alamo, San
Jose, San Juan and Espada. In 1870 the
San Pedro ditch was built by immigrants
from the Canary islands, and was used
for conducting water to the cultivated
fields For many years this ditch was
conducted for field irrigation on farms,
and even to this day this old ditch is in
operation and being used constantly. 1t
supplied water for a large percentage or
the city lawns a few years ago in san
Antonio, and was extensively used for
domestic purposes.
At old Fort San Saba, near Menardville,
the present home of James Callain, presi-
dent of the Texas Cattle Raisers associa-
ton, the remains of an irrigation system
constructed
fathers can still be traced At this. time
Texas was under Spanish rule but since
then has sworn allegiance to and floated
five different flags. ,,-... 81. .
AS early as 1852 the fourth legislature
passed an act relative to irrigation. In
1882 the 18th legislature passed an act
making large grants of land for the
construction of irrigation bitches. There
were several classes and number OF
sections of land granted per mile of ditch
varied with the class. In 1889 and in 1880
additional regulations were established
with a view of encouraging irrigation
The The result of some of these enact
ments was the projection of numerous
irrigation schemes, many of which were
boom" propositions from, the start,
while others proved failures when con-
structed because of.the lack. of sufficient
photographic and other data.
AS west Texas wis pioneer in ancient
irrigation so 1t is in modern, as irriga-
tions along the lines now practised, be-
gan. to develop first in this section of
the state The first ditch in the vicinity
of Rel Rio was constructed in 1868, anoth-
err in 1860 and another. in 1915. On. the
Pecos one of the, present large systems
was built in 1875, another in 1887 and
another in 1896. It might have been ex-
pected that the older systems in the VII
entity Of FL Paso would have suggested
earlier extensions under presentsmethods,
but work of this character did not be-
come active until about 1889 to 1891 At
Fort Stockton and for the. Nueces drain
age area it began as early as 1875. On
THE Concho, San Saba, Lfano and other
tributaries of the Colorado river irriga
Elton systems began to spring up about
k1S75. and possibly earlier, and. these, were
added. to about 1879. but this work be-
came most active in the '9Cs.