The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1920-01-01
GREAT RECORD
FOR RECLAMATION
NEARLY 100000 ACRES HAVE
BEEN RECOVERED FROM THE
DESERT AND POPULATED.
CROP RETURNS ARE IMMENSE
Total Increase In Land Values Due to
This Service Is Estimated at $685.
100000 - Fund is Capital In
vested.
BY JAMES p. HoRNApAY.

FEDERAL government has constructed an
irrigation system that supplies water
20 l,7SO,OOO acres of land All of this
ana has not been made to blossom rs
he rose. but all of 1t is producing
egetation On the government re-
lalmed lands are 10000 families in
Independent homes. The population In
tiles, towns and villages in these gov
rnment projects has been increased
y an equal number of families. That
; to say, on the 1,7S0,000 acres re
'aimed there are now protit0bly en-
loyed and satisfactorily housed 400
% people. AS creator of wealth, its
ervice to the nation and state has been
s great as In its principal task of
ONE making. Out of the uninhabited
nd almost worthless desert it has
arved an empire of nearly 100000
ores intensIvely cultivated and pro-
.ucing crops whose annual average
ross returns per acre are about double
hose for the rest of the country
Since the first government ditch be-
an turning its waters on the land in
9O5 the crops produced on the re-
'laimed lands have had a total value
# more than $250,OOO,OOO. The pres
mt annual crop returns are now more
han $7O000,000, not including the
value of crops grown on the million
lcres outside of pEoi2cts which are
supplied with stored water.
Land Values Greatly Increased.
The increase in land values has been
enormous. In 1902, the beginning of
irrigation work, the aver
age value of the desert lands I'm the
project did not exceed $40 per acre.
The total value, therefore, Of the
l, 7SO,OOO acres in government projects
did not exceed $17S0OOOO. Govern
ment irrigation has increased the
value Of the project lands 5000 per
acre or a total Of $356,0OO,0OO. 1t
has increased the value If the 600
coo acres in other projects by 500
per acre, or Sl00000,0O0. The increase
in the value of land In the cities
towns and villages within projects is
easily $100,0O0,000, or a total increase
in land values of $556,O0O,O0O due to
this work.
In connection with the above sum
mary no consideration has been given
to l,l3S,OO0 acres of land included In
projects which will be ir-
rigated when the engineering works
are completed, the present market
price Of which has Increased at least
$50 per acre by reason of this fact.
The increase in the price received for
state lands included in the projects
and now mostly disposed Of was at
least 100000 of direct revenue de.
rived by the states. Dividing the acre
age reclaimed--1, $50 0OO-into the net
cost of the works of Sl22 $4,000 we
have a cost Of approximately $50 per
acre for the lands in reclamation prof
ects TO which the government can
now deliver water This cost, how
ever, includes the cost Of serving
stored water TO about 100000 acres
of land If these lands be included
the average expenditure per acre bene-
fitted is less than $40, and this cost in
cludes large storage works and canals
useful for future reclamation on prof
ects now being completed, the utiliza-
ton of which will further reduce these
figures of cost.
Revolving Reclamation Fund.
Up to the end Of June, 1919, there
had been diverted from the United
States treasury and made available
for reclamation purposes Sl19.SS2,-
OS4.5O. OF this amount there was cash
on hand June 30, $IOOS,5O2.52 out
of the funds thus made available, in
vcstigations have been made Of pro-
posed projects which have mover been
for construction, requiring an
expenditure Of $1,2OI95I This leaves
a reimbursable Investment I'm irrga-
ton works Of $ll7GG5,G279 The Sc
curity for the return of This invest
ment is represented by constructed
projects
Under the provisions Of thc rcclama-
ton act Of June II, 1902, by which the
reclamation fund was created, this is
made a revolving fund SO that the re-
turn of any portion Of the investment
IS made available for reinvestment In
other operations, The reclamation
fund, therefore, can be compared with
capital invested in any business in
commercial enterprises, and the nu-
thority to so use the fund makes pos
sible the construction Of works aEgre-
eating a cost greater thar the amount
OF the original investment
Must Cut Government Expenses.
Every government that participated
in the world war Is wrestling with
the problem Of how 10 reduce
expenditure. Here in the United
States the problem is worrying con
gress and the executive department of
the federal government. many state
governors are concerned with It, aud
city, county and township authorities
are not able to Ignore II. The presi-
dent Of the United States ana the sec.
rotary Of the treasury are advocating
large reductions IN government ex-
pendtures. and the men in the two
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