The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1922-06-01
M'CUMBER ASKS
INVESTIGATION
ON IRRIGATION
Senior Senator from North
Dakota Introduces Bill
Providing Fund
TALKS WITH DIRECTOR
Situation With Respect to 1rri-
cation Made Public as Re-
suit of Investigation
TALKS WITH DIRECTOR

Senator McCumber has prepare I
bill appropriating 100000 to investi'
gate irrigation projects in North Da-
kota as a preliminary to further Con-
gressional action authorizing gen.
eral plan for the execution of projects
that may be selected as feasible.
AS far back as 1902 Senator Nc
Cumber secured the passage of law
approved June II of that year pro-
viding that the Secretary of the In
terror should "expend the major por-
ton of the funds arising from the sale
Of public lands within each state and
territory hereinbefore named for the
benefit of arid and semi-arid lands
within the limits of such state or ter
ritory." One of the states named in
the above section was North Dakota.
The money received from the sale Of
public land as named in the act was
to become revolving fund, to be paid
back by the beneficiaries and to be
used over and over again.
At that time the Buford and Will
liston projects were in the limelight
for Improvement but those projects
were not pleasing to many people who
were involved in their execution. The
cost of construction was large, and
many farmers questioned the wisdom
of the plan which contemplated turn
ing over to the irrigation association
of all their land except 40 acres
which was to be retained. Then too
that section of the country which had
suffered from drought was provident-
tally favored by sufficient rainfall to
make irrigation projects appear Of
less Importance than was the case
when these projects were first
brought before the public
Rendered Act Ineffective
The result of these conditions rem
dered the irrigation act ineffective so
far as it related to North Dakota. Its
provisions were not taken advantage
Of so that by an act approved June rs,
1910, this provision was repealed.
Secretary McCumber has taken this
entire matter up with the Secretary
of the Interior and the necessary Of
ficial machinery has been set to work
to formulate plans for an irrigation
project which will do all that was
previously contemplated except that
more feasible plan will be evolved
that is sure to meet the approval of
the farmers in the sections of the
state that have suffered from drought.
With the terrible experiences of the
last five years the area subject to
drought have been brought to full
realization Of what is needed and with
accumulated knowledge in possession
of the Department of the Interior Sec
retary Fall will be able to direct the
Reclamation Service in respect to fu
ture action.
C0nfers With Davis
Director A. P. Davis Of the United
States Reclamation Service has con-
ferred with Senator McCumber in re-
spect to these irrigation projects and
after investigation Mr.. Davis has
written the Senator in an interested
way about them. He advises the SEN
ator that the amount of money cred
tied to North Dakota as result Of
receipts from the sale of public land
exclusive of townsite sales and trans
ferred to the credit of the reclama-
tion fund, is over $12,000,000.
"In the original reclamation act"
states Director Davis, provision was
made that majority of the funds re-
ceived from any one state should be
spent in that state. This section Of
the law was repealed by the act OF
June Is, 1910. and the money is avail
able in the reclamation fund for ex-
penditure in accordance with appro-
priations made by Congress"
Mr.. Davis refers to the Bismarck,
Little Missouri, Mouse River, Nesson
Washburn-Oliver and Bowman prof
ccts and says:
"These Investigations were made
during the years 1903-19O9, but ir
Continued on rage 81