The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1922-05-04
NEVADA MAY FORFEIT
GOVERNMENT AID

The Sparks Tribune rightly com
ments that Nevada stands in i'm.
minent danger of losing the aid OF
the federal government in the great
work of retaining its desert areas
Obstructionist methods have been
brought into play and without Civ
ing thought to the probable con-
sequences. The Nevada Valleys
Power Company, also called the
Canyon Power Company, filed some
years ago on a power site at a
point near Vista in the Truckee
canyon short distance west of the
McCarran ranch. Behind the power
scheme are a coterie of western
Nevadans who are singularly free
from vision or do not have the
best interests of the state at heart.
Every conceivable hindrance has
been placed in the way of the gov
eminent in fulfilling the Greater
Newlands Project plan, projected
many years ago by the late Sena-
tor Francis G. Newlands.
Governor Emmett d. Boyle, speak
ing before the Reno chomber of
commerce few days ago empha-
sized the obvious fact that the lack
of cooperation among state inter
ests has created a situation that is
likely to lose Nevada further fed
eral reclamation activities.
The patience of Uncle Sam has
been exhausted, it seems, while the
esprit de crops has been lesseneo
among those who settled years ago
on his reclaimed lands in the west
ern part of the state to bide the
time when the greater scheme would
be matured and bring the inevitable
reward for BODYBUILDING effort.
Nevada people never gave evi
dence of full sense of apprecia-
ton of the conspicuous service
rendered by the late Senator New
lads when he brought nearly ten
million dollars into this state for
arid land reclamation. Only man
of his great capacity and one en-
joying genuine friendships with
the influential lawmakers of the
east could have given Nevada the
great benefit which came to it.
While congressman from other west
ern states clamor for a share in
the reclamation fund in exact pro-
portion to the moneys contributed
through the sale of public lands
which went to create the reclama-
ton fund at the outset, Senator
Newlands proceeded in a most eff
fectual manner to get Nevada a sum
for land development many times
in excess of the states contribution
to the general reclamation fund.
1t probably happened that this
money was not expended wisely.
Engineers in charge gave little heed
to either expediency or economy.
The surplus waters of the Truckee,
or so much of them as could be
diverted, were made to lead away
off into the desert areas as lands
closer to the water supply Ian
guished. 1t was assumed without
warrant that the government could
convert Lake Tahoe into a reser-
voir and little thought was given to
the conservation of the Truckee
river flow that arises below the
great mountain lake. Great
stretches of fertile lands lie within
easy reach of Truckee river
diversion and these can only be
served by intelligent engineer
ing. The fact that these lands lie
within what is known as the Reno
area gives rise to wonderment over
the apparent apathy of Reno resi-
dents as to the great possibilities
that rest within easy reach of the
states largest town.
The subject of land reclamation
is one of tremendous Importance
to Nevada. To say the states in
terests cannot coordinate in the
fulfillment of an intelligent plan
so that the utmost can be realized
in bringing surplus water and viz
gin soils into contact is not a very
hopeful commentary at the present
time.