Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1914-04-29
IRRIGATION PLAN
IS CHANGED BY
HAYDEN BILL
STATE TAKES THE LAND
AND CONSTRUCTS IRRI-
CATIONS WORKS FOR
THE SETTLERS

Hon. Carl Hayden. of Arizona. has
introduced a bill Iii. R. 1919 to
revise and amend the Carey Act.
The original act was passed in 1894.
and has been amended in a number
Of particulars since that time. but.
owing to the failure of a number of
the Carey Act reclamation projects.
there has been a growing demand
tor a general revision of this i'm
portant branch of the national irri-
CATION law. The chief obstacle in
the way at present is a general lack
OF confidence on account of the past
failures resulting in inability to sec
ure financial backing. The settlers
under a number of the projects have
suffered great losses on account of
the delay i'll constructing the irriga-
ton works. so that it is necessary
that confidence be restored in the
minds OF prospective homeseekers
on the arid lands of the West.
The Hayden bill provides for I
more strict supervision both on he
half OF the State and the United
States with respect to the feasibility
OF proposed irrigation projects, thus
protecting both the investor and the
settler. The bill reduces the area
that may be acquired by any one
person from 100 to 80 acres; and re-
quires actual residence on the land
Tor two years and the cultivation OF
one-half of the irrigable area of the
entry before patent can issue. The
settler is further protected by a
provision which prohibits the sale
or entry of land until water is avail
able for its irrigation.
The difference between the RECLAIM
alton law and the Carey Act is that
under the first named law the money
to construct the irrigation works is
furnished by the United States
through the reclamation fund. while
under the Carey Act the public
lands are donated to the States and
the irrigation works are constructed
under the supervision of the State
from the proceeds of bonds secured
by lien on the irrigation lands.
The bill by Senator Smith. of Ari-
iona. to extend the time of payment
on the Government reclamation pro-
JectS from ten to twenty wears.
which has passed the Senate, will
furnish relief 10 the settlers residing
on the two million acres irrigated
from the projects constructed under
the reclamation law. The passage
OF the Hayden bill is necessary in
order to complete the revision OF the
federal laws relating to irrigation
and will make it possible to irrigate
large areas OF land ;hat are now in
a desert condition. The reclamation
fund is exhausted so that it is neces-
sary to provide a means whereby
private capital Will he encouraged to
into irrigation enterprise.
The Department Of the Interior
has declined to make a report on the
bills introduced by Senator Smith
and Congressman Hayden opening
the Colorado river Indian reservation
to settlement under the terms and
conditions of the Carey Act, for the
reason that the present Carey law is
in such a chaotic condition that it is
feared that the project could not be
financed. If the Carey Act
can be amended so as to make it
workable. the Secretary of the In
terror will undoubtedly report fav-
orably on the bills opening this re-
'crvation to settlement. There are
over one hundred thousand acres OF
excellent land near Parker on this
reservation, enough land TO furnish
homes for at least fifteen thousand
people. and to add twenty million
dollars TO the taxable wealth of Ari-
IONA. There are number of other
irrigation projects in Arizona that
,ould be constructed under the Carey
Vet SO that it is of great Importance
hat this law be revised in the near
uturc.