Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-06-26
How to ITTigate.

i'Ni AuihSS' OlnCc Iue spirit
of cooperation is beginning to
move the waters" of our quiet val
ley and we each are eager for a
plunge into that pool that heals the
Financially afflicted, l wish to call
attention to a most valuable natural
resource lying dormant at our doors
and only awaiting the voice of CO.
operation to awake and transform it
into a producing reality. We agree,
almost to unit, that liberal sup
ply of water, intelligently applied at
the proper season, will make the dry
est and most barren acres of our val
ley abundantly productive; that these
acres properly cared for and irrigat-
ed, instead of being waste of men
acing foxtail to scatter it's seed about
the country or a harbor for digger
squirrels, can be converted into green
fields that will produce most of the
staple farm products and abundant
feed for stock which, when put in the
form of dairy products, pork, NUT
ton, beef, etc., will put dollars into
our Golfers instead of increasing the
debit column at our grocer's. Prompt
ed by an interest in the general well
fare of the community and an earn
est desire to see our people enjoying
nrnCnnritW. nWninn hnnnnC
debt and reaching out inviting their
friends to join us where we have ma
terial inducements to offer, and be-
ing fully convinced that irrigation
will greatly help to solve the prob
2 lem, / want to offer to our thinking
people suggestion as to how we
may have our lands irrigated at the
actual cost of construction work and
maintenance charges and show how
it may be done without any cash out
lay on our part, but in a way that
will bring about immediate business
activity and the circulation of money
in the communit. Physical condi-
tions favor us very much in this re-
spect. There are natural basins il
the surrounding country admirabl!
adapted for reservoir sites and the
annual snow and rain fall assures
abundance of water to fill them
Comparatively small dams and short
bitches will store and convey all the
water needed for our use, the
greater mileage OF main bitches being
supplied by nature in stream beds
Here we have the land-broad acres
of rich land which, with water, will
produce almost any crop grown in q
temperate climate. We have sun
shine to color and cure the crops
abundance of water. in the hills all
about us to water them, natural res
,ervoir sites to store, at comparatively
small cost. an ample supply, and
rock bottom creek beds to convey
the stored water without loss to the
lands to be irrigated. Yet our lands
parch and dry in the summer sun
shine year after year and we watch
natures lavish supply of water run
away to the sea, while we continue to
import annually, from abroad, tons
of feed stuffs, meats, groceries and
products of all kinds that might be
grown at home, and then complain
about hard times. There are men
here and there who are enterprising
enough to undertake an irrigation
project of their own if the natural
conditions would facilitate such to
the extent that it could be done at a
reasonable cost, but in the nature of
things the available water is too far
from the farming lands for any indi-
vidual to undertake it alone except
in isolated cases, hence his lands
must suffer along with the rest until
such a time as his neighbors wake
up to the possibilties-yes, necessity
of cooperation. We are living in
an age of cooperation, and concert
of action among producers is as es-
sential to their success as it is among
any other class of business men.
Why, then, with community of en-
ergetic and intelligent people, acres
of rich land ready for the plow, a
ready market for the product we can
raise, men anxious for work and wa
ter available for all our needs, do we
not enjoy its use? The reason, dare
say, is because we have not carefully
Investigated the situation and learned
that it is practicable to do so at a
reasonable cost, with outside capital
and yet own the system. / believe II
is perfectly feasible and will try tc
show how it may be done. Being
interested, in an irrigation project