The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1919-02-14

and MINING

The series of arid valleys srr-
rounding Phoebe for over fifty miles
hold greater possibilities for the
financial wellbeing of Lincoln county
than do the vast mining propositions
OF this territory. II the proper eff
fort is made by the citizens of the
county the federal government can
be induced to reclaim these immense
bodies Of land. and when once water
Is placed upon them Phoebe would
no longer have to worry about its
mineral resources AS a matter of
fact, the profit derived from the soil
would soon be utilized in developing
immense bodies of ore which abound
by the side Of nearly every valley in
the county
Nevada's representatives in con-
gress seem to be working with the
idea in their minds that the more
thickly settled northern districts of
the state should have all the federal
assistance in developing the natural
resources of the commonwealth. 1t
is Incumbent upon the business in
terests of Lincoln county to organize
and combat this wrong. The county
commissioners or some other body
OF citizens should take the initiative
and call meeting immediately Of
those interested in the upbuilding of
the county before 1t is too late. A
strong committee should be appoint
ed to work in conjunction with a
like committee from White Pine
county, and possibly Clark and Nye
counties, whose interests are iden-
tical with those of this county.
For over fifty years Phoebe has
imported most of it's foodstuffs. This
can now be stopped il the people
make the proper effort 1t is big
Job, but the gain is we'll worth the
energy required.
To show what the citizens of
White Pine purpose doing, the fol-
lowing, which is as applicable to Lin
coin county, Is reproduced from the
Ely Record:
"A meeting has been called by
Mayor A. B. Witcher to be held at
the city hall, Sunday afternoon at 2
O'Clock, for the purpose of forming
an organization with the object in
view Of securing federal aid to re-
claim public lands in various valleys
Of White Pine and adjoining counties
1T Is known that the government
Is about to appropriate millions oi
dollars for irrigation projects and the
reclamation Of swamp lands, either oi
which will require several years oi
preparatory work before the project,
are completed and the lands ready
~~- fer settlement end this sAeHssa. ter
is for the purpose of calling the at
tention OF federal officials to the fac
that in this section of Nevada are
thousands of acres of fertile land!
which can be put under cultivation
by the driving of wells to tap sur
background flows of water at deptl
of from sixty to seventy-five feet
from which an ample supply of watel
can be had for irrigation purposes
when equipped by pumps. 1t II
known as a positive fact that wate
In practically unlimited quantity cal
be had in Steptoe, Butte, Spring
Snake, White River and Lake val
leys by shallow wells, which will
proper development will be made t,
reclaim thousands of acres of land
Under the geological department dur
Ing the last year tests were made ii
Steptoe valley by the government
which established the feasibility o
the proposed plan, and all RESIDENT
Of this county know that PRACTICAL,
the same conditions exist in the val
leys above named. We all know tina
we have the land and the water, an,
III the government can be induced t
become interested in this enterpris
and send in feet Of drills for eacl
valley homes can be provided durin
the present year for hundreds OF set
tiers
"The object Of the meeting will b
to prepare facts and figures alon
these lines to be submitted to GU
senators and congressman in orde
that provision for this class of Ian
may be made in the appropriate
bill And II necessary it may be dc
sirable to send committee To Wash
ington to lay these facts PERSONAL
before Secretary Lane, that his infiu
ence may be had before the commit
tee having the bill in charge.
This is the biggest propositio
ever submitted to the people of thl
county, and II successfully carrie
out It means the settlement Of all {
our valleys within a few years. An
II can be made a success provided til
proper facts are placed before Seer,
tary Lane and the committee befor
the final report OF the committe
having the bill in charge. There
absolutely nothing new about I'll
proposition, for hundreds OF thou
ands of acres are now under cultiv,
tion by the pumping of surface wa
ers in all parts of the world. NJ
only can a vast area of land be ha
for almost immediate settlement
this manner, but the plan calls II
only small expenditure Of none
per acre as compared to general re-
lamation projects. With this metho
Of irrigation the farmer is not d.
pendent upon the season for water
neither is he dependent upon h
neighbor In any way, for he can ha,
the water whenever 1t Is needed.
III the government can be induce
to further this proposition, It is pro
able that all lands within the vale.
named would be Immediately wit
drawn from settlement while the d
velopment OF water was under pro
ress. These lands, of course. wou
be treated in the same manner as q
other irrigation projects. The 60
ernment would not only drive Il
~r,{th NJ nj