The Washington herald., 1921-08-14

Reclamation service VIII AWARD ny iot </S
farms in the newly opened sections under irrigation
in the western part OF Nebraska and the southeast
corner Of Wyoming. So those boys who showed
lucky sreaks in handling "the bones" after payeal
would better get out their fetiches and polish them
well. Eighty acres OF the finest Of farm land hangs
In the balance in this rattle. Ownership will be de-
cided among the registrants by drawing numbers
those holding the numbers drawn being given the
land which they have made their application and
first preliminary payment
When eighty farm units were opened in March,
1920 at Fort Laramie the demand for information
and for the land fairly swamped the Offices OF the
Reclamation Service. For the 500 which were
subdvided into the eighty farms there over
letters OF inquiry and 3208 applications. Each
application accompanied by money to pay for the
first deposit the of retaining the desert land
amounting to about S. acre, and a total of ST.
Io2o4362 was sent in to back up the application Of
course the unucky losers had their money returned,
but there many heavy heart in the land office
when the results Of the drawing were announced,
number by number.
Winners Need Some Money.
THE reservations held exclusively for war
i veterans But they will need small amount of
capital to win success. even under the conditions Of
small payments for the land itself For they
have houses Of some sort and farm equipment, and
enough money to plant their first crops. After that,
with luck, and the weather man helping he gen
orally does the sailing should be smoother for the
lucky winners in the draw.
The two enormous dams, the "Shoshoue" and the
Pathfinder which back up the for the irrigation
systems for the new projects were completed
time ago. The work of getting the land into shape for
cultivation rather for irrigation, has progressed
steadily until there between 1900 and 10000
ready for the pow and the crop producing
Each of the farms is about eighty in extent
hax; heep at M c;ze hsct forf
average with small capital, who would Of
sity do most Of his work
The first project lies on the extreme western edge
Of Nebraska, where the North Platte River supplies
the water. The land section be opened is known
the Fort Laramie division, and small part of the
land the interstate division, lying the border
between Nebraska and Wyoming, but in the water
shed of the Pathfinder Dam the North Platte River
If you viii get out large map of Wyoming you
will find the town of Caspar down the southeast
corner. The big Pathfinder Dam is fully fifty miles
away. to the southwest. Small reservoirs supply the
water needed at various points along the route while
the big reservoir is maintained behind the DAM which is
feet high The main water reservoir is 227oo
in extent and the water which it backs UP would
be sufficient to 100000 to the depth of
one foot So the farmers need feel misgivings
about the water supply.
Development Rapid
NJ OR need they feel any danger about prosperity.
l Y The irrigation development under the govern
ment system and the several private irrigation systems
has built up increasingly prosperous section COM
posed of progressive, upo-dae farmers. This is evil
denced by the rapid and healthy growth of the several
in the valley and the increase in the class and
value of improvements being placed on the farms.
Numerous towns, for that sparsely settled section
Of the nation, have sprung up in the new irrigation
territory. Lingle has 36s people; Torrngton, 1900;
Morrill,, VS. Mitchell, 1900; Scottsbluf, 6,oso, and
Bayard, 2,I5o.
In addition to the cities and towns listed on the
Fort Laramie division, two more towns have been
started the extension of the Union Pacific Railroad
and the railroad company proposes place stations at
four other points. The valley served by two large
railroads the Chicago BurlinRon & Quincy and I1nnn