Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1913-06-21
SE'EJOR NEWlANOs
STATES HIS VIEWS
Continued from Thursdays Daily


keeRiver l would like to see full
Tater storage ACCOMPLISHED there,
& not only in the lake, but in the
Ssterritory around it. Washoe Lake,
,Simmediately to the east of Lake
STahoe, is 1900 feet lower than
the latter and if the water can be
stored there without injury to the
riparian owners has been suggest
sed. the dropping Of the water
Through a tunnel would develop
normous water power. 1 hope to-
BEE the time when not a drop of
water from the Tuckee river will
flow into that lake when it will
be diverted and used for irrigating
Land. Being at the lowest point
Yin the desert the water in this lake.
'aof course. serves no useful purpose.
81 THE HUMBOLDT RIVER
|8 The Humboldt is most import
Efant river. The railroad runs near
.sit for a distance of three or four
hundred miles. 1t flows through a
valley varying from ten to twelve
5miles wide, containing numerous
cattle ranches. The lands in these
s6anches were acquired for the
!; State at an early day, under an
educational grant. when the people
did not realize the advantages of
irrigation. These large holdings
have been an obstacle to irrigat
ion developmet, because as a rule
the cate man does not believe
in intensive cultivation by irri-
CATION. He raises some hay and
natural grasses on the swamp and
bottom lands and ranges his cattle
on the hills using the hay for win
ter food.
Every successful irrigation en-
terprise has been inaugurated for
25 or 80 miles east of Humboldt
Lake. The land is as rich as the
delta of the Nile, being composed
Of alleuvial deposits washed down
for centuries: Before it reaches
this place the water flows three or
four hundred miles and settlers
having the oldest water rights
find their supply diminishing every
year because the water is taken out
above for irrigation enterprises
4 Thus the man who is first in oppor-
tunity sometimes gains an advant-
age over the man who is first in
5 right. The result is that the set
tiers are in constant apprehension
regar ding their water rights and
4 disposed to litigate with anybody
who proposes to take more water
out above them. They are conse-
quentIy spending a large amount
of money in litigation without any
increase in the supply of wafer.
The money thus spent might be
invested in storage works and bring
an increase of supply.
The State Of Nevada is losing
the advantage of intensive cult
/ vation of small farms on that long
river, and there is no concert of ac-
/ tion among. the landowners for the
1 organization Of a system under
which the waters can be stored. !
S1save no doubt that the bench lands
J there. would be more productive
! than the bottom lands, if there was
/ facilities for watering them. If
I the United States Government
could go into this territory it
could at least bring about con-
Dcert between these property owners
and could demonstrate to them that
il is to their interest to divide their
large tracts into small buildings.
/ NEVADA APPEALS TO NATION
AL GOVERNMENT
/ IT seems to me that Nevada ap-
peals particularly to the National
Government 1t has a vast area Of
public land and Of land that is
worthless unless water is applied
to it. The sales of public land ia
Nevada are small because there