Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1922-04-21
GREAT ENGINEER D. KS
IRRIGATION PROJECT

: SAoI, ~ feasible 1rOm q COuStruC-
ton standpoint, since the various
structures which go to make up the
completed whole offer no engineer
ing difficulties and all have been sue
cesslully accomplished elsewhere.
Objection has been raised to the prof.
ect because of its size, but this is
not sound, for in any project the de-
! tails are the veXing questions. not
the magnitude; with the former sat
istactorily solved, the completed
whole follows as a sequence. ire
spectIye Of size. Larger projects
have been undertaken in Egypt and
India, and the Colorado river de-
yelopment we believe will be larger.
Feasibility of construction does
not in itself offer justification for
undertaking this or any other prof
ect, for in addition there must be
considered the question: will it pay
II completed? In arriving at a con-
clusion on this phase of the problem.
the character of the land, climate,
crops and markets. the cost of the
land and its preparation for water
must be considered.
Irrigated land in the state of
Washington adjacent to the Columbia
Basin has returned handsome profits
to the farmer and added materially to
the national wealth. The soil on
the Columbia Basin is deep, rich and
abundant and will be as productive
when brought under water as are
adjacent irrigated areas of Wen
atchee and Yakima.
-Four transcontinental railroads
with their branches, state and coun-
ty highways and water transporter
ton on the Columbia and Snake
rivers will afford direct means for
transporting the products from the
irrigated fields not only to nearby
cities but to all the markets of the
world"
Possibilities of Settlement
General Goethals calls attention in
the report to the statement of Secre-
tary Wallace of the department of
agriculture predicting population Of
$50, 100000 by 1850. and also to the
existing per capita decrease in the
acreage of farm land since 1890. To
maintain the present per capita acre
age in 1850 will require additions of
approximately 100000 acres of i'm
proved lands annually.
with the productivity of Yakima
so we'll known says the report,
similar land will not lack settlers
as soon as it is under water, provided
the cost is not prOhibitive.
Increase in crops means more
business for the railroads, which will
assist in securing settlement. No ap-
prehension need be felt concerning
the settlement of Columbia Basin
lands"
General Goethals draws the con
clusion in his report that the Column
bia Basin project is justified even
if irrigated land values were placed
as high as 5000 to 1915 per acre
instead of his estimate of $145.56
for water, plus $40 to $50 per acre
which covers purchase and prepare
ton of the raw land for planting.
In my judgment the project is
feasible" says General Goethals,
mot alone from the standpoint Of
construction but from that of eco
Monies as we'll
THE existing policy of the United
States government, so far as con-
Germs reclamation projects already
undertaken, is for the farmer or
land owner to reimburse the gov
eminent for the cost of the works,
no interest being charged for the
use of the money. Also, the farmer
is allowed ample time to make good
on his land before payments towards
capital are exacted. While the pol
icy is a liberal one, the irrigated
areas have increased national wealth
and returns are made to the nation
al treasury in other ways than
through the payment of interest
charges, so that indirectly these are
more than fully met"
Look to Government
"The Columbia Basin project can
not be financed in the ordinary way
through bankers, who loan on exist
ing securities and not upon those to
be created. The state is not finan-
cially in a position to undertake it,
so there remains only the federal
government. The U. S. reclamation
service, department of the Interior