Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-04-09

of large private irrigation enterprises
in the West is not by any means an
unhealthful sign. according to L. G.
Carpenter, one of the foremost irri-
CATION authorities in this country. 1t
is partly reflection of the general
conditions in all lines of construction
throughout the country. Also it rep
resents one of the eras of quiet
growth. inevitably following the rap
id construction of large irrigation en-
terprises. These eras OF quiet are
made necessary by the fact that get
ting the settler on the land is always
the slowest feature OF any kind OF
reclamation work.
There is no one better qualified
than Professor Carpenter to speak on
the irrigation situation in the West.
He was professor of engineering and
physics at Colorado State Agricultur-
al college, irrigation engineer OF the
Colorado experiment station. and ir-
rigation expert in the department OF
agriculture. He organized the first
systematic instruction in engineer
ing and investigation along that line
in 1888, and was special government
agent investigating artesian wells in
1890. He was state engineer of Col
orado, and has taken an important
part in irrigation litigation in the
West. He was called into the case
of the government VS.. the Rio
Grande dam as an expert, and as
consulting engineer and expert repre-
scnted this state in the Kansas-C Colo
RADIO water controversy. He is now
representing Colorado in the suit in
stituted by Wyoming on account OF
the diversion OF water to Colorado
through the Laramie-Poudre tunnel.
Professor Carpenter is member OF
many of the leading engineering and
scientific societies in this country
and Europe.
Present conditions are not at all
unnatural in the light of irrigation
history said Professor Carpenter.
1T seems to be fact that most irri-
CATION enterprises are built too hast
lily. That is, they are too far ahead
lose sight OF the facA that settlement
is always slow. Settlement may be
faster in some places than in others.
but is never what can be called rapid.
Many great irrigation enterprises
have been built seemingly on the
theory that this natural law can be
overcome and that lands can be set
tied as fast as reclaimed. But facts
never bear out such a theory. All
make mistakes-govcrnm as well
as builders OF private enterprises.
But it will be found that time makes
these mistakes right, in most cases,
and that majority OF the enterprises
that get in difficulties at the outset
come out all right.
"ln a sense, irrigation enterprises
can be compared with railroads,
which are frequently losing PROPOSE
tions, so far as the stockholders are
concerned. at the outset. The Union
Pacific railway. no doubt. lost
great deal OF money, but it has added
enormously to the wealth of the
country. So with some of the irriga-
ton enterprises that have had their
ups and downs. They may not have
paid their stockholders from the out
set,i but they have materially increas-
ed the states land values and have
been great public benefits. The irri-
cation enterprises of the British gov
ernment in India are mostly paying
some of them yielding astonishing
profits-but they have almost without
exception lost at the outset.
so far as Colorado is concerned.
out OF approximately 100000 acres
irrigated or planned under irrigation
systems, venture to say that not
over 100000 acres are in trouble. and
a majority of these will work out all
right. Yet, unfortunately, it seems
to be these enterprises that one
hears the most OF.
The government reclamation SER
vice in its work in the West, for all
its supervision, seems to have fallen
into the same mistakes made by those
who have built private enterprises.
In many cases there has been under
estimation both in regard to settle
ment and water This is said without
the slightest intention to criticize. but
merely to point out that the govern
ment is no more infallible than the
private individual or the corporation.