The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-09-21
HANNA Will
INVESTIGATE
VIII Act With House Iavesti-
cation Committee
In Big ARIZONA LAND PROBE
FARGO CONGRESSMAN, WHO Is A
MEMBER or HOUSE lNyEsTl-
eating COMMITTEE, WILL GO
AGAIN WITH OTHER CONGRESS.
MEN TO ARIZONA.

Cong. l.. B.. Hanna received word
yesterday afternoon from Cong. w c.
Hensley of Missouri that the congress-
Arizona irrigation and reclamation
system will resume its work immedi-
ately after the election, Nov. 5. NJ.
Hensley chairman of the committee
asks Mr.. Hanna to accompany the
other. members to Arizona to continue
the investigation in order to make an
early report to congress before the
close of the next session.
The purpose of the appointment of
the committee from the house last
year was to make a thorough investi-
cation in the Salt river irrigation pro-
ject which includes the Roosevelt dam
and storage reservoir. The committee
comprises three members, Congressman
Hensley of Missouri Galloway of Texas
and Hanna of North Dakota. Mr.. Han
ma is the republican member of the
committee, as both Mr.. Hensley and
Mr.. Galloway are democrats.
The Largest Reservoirs.
"The government has spent between
$10,000,000 and $12,000,000 in building
the dam, the storage reservoir, canals
latterals and power plants, and this
irrigation project is the largest in the
United States" said Mr.. Hanna.
Many questions have come before
the committee as to the cost of the
different parts of the project, as to
whether the money has been wisely
expended, and beyond this is the large
question that applies to all irrigation
projects in the country, as to the best
method of handling irrigation projects,
also as to the time of payment by
those who have land under the canals,
and many other questions which con-
gress will be called to act upon.
"One of the most vital questions TO
the man today upon an irrigation pro-
sect is the time given him to make his
payments. The reclamation service
has found that it costs from about $35
an acre to $65 an acre to put in u
complete service. Under the law, at
present, these payments are divided
into ten equal payments, SO the ex-
pense each year to the settler would
be from about $3.50 an acre to $3.50
an acre.
Burden Too Great.
"The commftte will make a report
TO congress-" continued Mr., Hanna,
aadvfsing that the burden is too great,
and the amount too much to pay each
year Most of the men who go upon
an irrigation project are men of small
means.
"They have their buildings to erect,
their stock and machinery to purchase,
and their living for their families AMI
themselves. Then in addition, comes
the charge of the project as stated and
in addition, on anual charge of from
so cents to $1.25 per acre for main
tenance of the plant, care of main
canals, principal laterals, and so no.
1T can be readily seen that for a
man just starting, that the expense is
so great as to be practically prohibit
tive
Mr.. Hanna's thought is, and he be-
Iieves that when the committee shall
make their report to congress that 1t
will be possible to get congress to take
action to divide the payments into
twenty five or thirty annual payments,
instead of ten, as under the present
law, and with the option of prepay
any or all payments, should any one
40 desire.
While the Investigation is being
made in Arizona, it will be of great
value to those in northwestern North
Dakota, who are interested in lands
under the WiIliston and Buford Tren-
ton irrigation projects.
i