The Holly chieftain., 1914-03-13
GOVERNMENT SHOULD
BUILD US RESERVOIRS
Senator Eristow Introduces Bill
To This Effect in Congress
Several Weeks Ago.

The great plains of Eastern
Colorado. Western Kansas, Wes-
tern Oklahoma, Western Nebras-
ka and Eastern New Mevico will
be watered by an immense sys-
TEN of storage reservoirs built
by the government. if a bill re-
Gently introduced in the Senate of
the United States by Senator
Joseph l.. Bristow, of Kansas, is
passed.
Senator Bristow has asked for
an appropriation of $1,000, 600 to
continue the investigation by the
reservoir system on the plains in
the above mentioned states, and
also asks for 500, 600, 600 for the
purpose of constructing reser-
voirs and lakes. The investiga-
tion already made has demon
strated that there are a number
Of reservoir sites on these plains
where irrigation systems may be
provided by the method of stor-
ing surplus water.
Senator Bristow said in part:
"We have expended practically $780,.
00O, 900 on the Mississippi River. This
expenditure has been made largely to pro.
tee, the lands adjacent to the river over
flow. The holding back of the surplus
waters during the rainy seasons upon
these great watersheds would supplement
the work that has already been done on
the Mississippi and tend to prevent the con.
gestion of waters there during periods Of
food. While serving this good purpose
it would at the same time be of inesti.
mab!e value to the inhabitants of these
srmisrid sections BY mitigating their
drouths. 1t would also serve to give a
steady flow to the streams by preventing
the surplus water from rushing in torrents
at one time into the rivers.
Ifit is right for the government to build
dikes and levees on the Mississippi, it is
proper for it to build lakes and reservoirs
on the plains at the headwaters of the
Mississippi.
II the production of this vast fertile re-.
eion of our country should be increased
10 per cent per annum beyond its present
possibilities, it would add every year to
the wealth of our Nation many times the
amount which ask to be appropriated to
construct these lakes and reservoirs.
Between line running from Canada to
the Gulf of Mexico, through central Kan.
sas and Nebraska, and the crest of the
Rocky Mountains, lies a vast region the
soil of which is Of untold fertility. These
probably is not such an area anywhere
else on the face of the earth that is its
equal in producing capacity if it had regu.
lar and uniform rainfall. 1t has been
short. sighted policy Of our Government
to neglect this region so long, when com.
paratively small expenditure could have
immeasurably increased its producing ca.
pacity.
Standing upon the banks of the Arkan-
sas and Platte Rivers in the sprinetirae
you can see great foods of water, millions
of cubic feet per hour, sweeping by on its
way to the sea. 1t is not only running to
waste but increases the destruction by
floods in the Mississippi Valley. This
great waste of water, SO useless then, but
in few months would be more precious
to the people living upon these plains than
mines Of gold and silver. 1t it were held
back and impounded to be utilized later
upon the country where it fell instead of
being an agent OF destruction and devasta.
ton as it is in the valley below, it would
be source of untold wealth, producing
more value per year than is taken from
the mines in the mountain beyond.
Every year there is sufficient amount
of this water that runs away unused to
irrieate thousans of acres of land that now
lies practically idle and unused. And in
addition to this direct benefit there would
be the advantage Of increased humidity
over the entire area during the growing
season, which would further increase the
the productiveness of the millions of acres
that il is not practicable to irreate.
This appropriation which ! suggest will
furnish the country d permanent and mex
haustible source of wealth tenfold more