The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1911-01-05
NEVADA is GIVEN FAVOR
In the Disposition of Reclama-
ton Funds, as Shown
By Resume.

26th, when he allotted funds, aggre-
eating 100000 for carrying on
government irrigation throughout the
ensuing five years. Mention of the
disposition of the special $40, 900, 900
bond fund was published in the last
issue of this paper, of which sum the
Truckee-C Carson will receive 81, 1913, 900.
1t was believed from the first that this
project would come within the figuring
of the army board of engineers, but in
the event it was overlooked by the
board, Nevada's congressional delega-
tion would at once have appealed to the
President to apportion substantially the
same amount of money from the
general reclamation fund for the build
ing of the proposed Lower Carson
storage dam, for all reclamation officials
acquainted with this project uniformly
agree that the business success of the
project is altogether dependent upon
the storage of the food waters of the
Carson water shed. That the army
engineers took this view of the matter
is causing much jubilation throughout
this state and those within the reclama-
tion service naturally feel elated that
their views should be quickly adopted
by the army board.
Altogether, in summing up the
matter, it would seem that Nevada has
been well treated. Already, the govern
ment has expended for reclamation
within the state, several times the
amount of Nevada's total contribution
to the reclamation fund from the sales
of public lands. while other states,
vastly larger contributors. get even
less. Oregon, for instance, has con-
tributed nearly $40, 900, 900 to the fund,
and yet received from the Presidential
apportionment scant 1926, 900 for all
irrigation purpose during the next five
years, while Nevada, with contribution
of less than a million to the general
fund, received more. Naturally,
0regonians are up in arms. but the
wisdom of the Presidents action is not
to be doubted. This project was the
first undertaken. and without doubt
tactical error was made at the outset
when sum of money approximating
what will be necessary to build the
storage dam, was expended in con-
Meeting the Carson and Truckee water
sheds. Subsequently, it has been de-
termined that the governments rights
to the Truckee surplus waters were nil,
and during the last two seasons irriga-
tion water has been obtained from Lake
Tahoe only through the courtesy of the
big power companies, who apparently
successfully blocked every move of the
government directed at securing the
rights, that apparently at the outset
were the basis for the tremendous ex-
penditure, which was made by direction
of board of consulting engineers of
the reclamation service and approved
by Director Newell.
With this condition confronting the
operation of this project, it is now
mede to state that the building of the
storage dam has come to be an absolute
necessity, if the government was to
fulfill its water contracts. Otherwise,
its investment in this project would at
once assume anything save the nature
of judicious business investment.
Extensions would have been impossible,
and in the minds of those competent to
know, it is doubted if, under the limited
means of irrigation that would have
otherwise been available, fair rate of
interest would even have been returned
to the government for the more than
81, 900, 900 already expended in bringing
this project up to its present state of
efficiency. 1t would have been obvious
ly impossible for the settlers who are
now here to return to the general fund
the total cost of construction within
period of ten years from date of ex-
penditure, which is the spirit of the law
authorizing the projects construction.
But with the completion of the storage
dam, the entire status of this project
will be reversed. Further extensions
can and will be completed to vast tracts
of fertile land and the railroad company
will soon find it possible to colonize its
many thousands of acres of land,
situated within the scope of this project.
And with the acquisition of the thou
sands who will quickly avail themselves
of the opportunity of securing homes
in this valley, the burden of repayment
will be lightened upon those who are
already here.
Other states that have contributed
little to the reclamation fund have
been rovally treated by the President
in his Christmes distribution of funds.
Montana receives approximately $8,-
900. 900; Idaho gets more than $7,000,-
900; Wyoming over Sc, 600, 900; Colorado,