The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-04-20

DUST STORMS
Herewith is the fifth article o
series on dust storm 1nt
drought conditions as reported bl
James L. KiIgGllen, 1Dho is max
ing tour of investigation i,
the affected areas of the Middl'
and Southwest for international
Ne,DS SerUice.
BY JAMES L. KILGALLEN
E copyright. 1885. by International
r. News Service)
LAMAR, Colo, April 20 G.N.SO
Banker J. C. Goudy, cashier Of
the First National Bank Of La
mar, in the agricultural center
of the Arkansas Valley" today
declared the best thing the Fed
eral Government could do fol
Ehe drought-stricken farmers anc
Btockmen in this territory woulc
be to appropriate $9,000,00 fol
the construction of the Caddos
Dam across the Arkansas River
He said:
That's what we are fighting
fOr-the CaddOa Dam. This
section which has been hit by
dust storms and drought, needs
irrigation more than anything
else"
The banker sat in his private
office and talked rather Opt
unsteady about the situation OF
the farmer. Discussing dust
storms, he asserted that the
trouble was the farmers have
"over-ploughed" their land and
also failed to set aside enough
pasture acreage for the grazing
live stock. He continued:
''New machinery pulverizes
the soil more than did the old
time plough. That's one reason
why we have these recurring
dust storms. An ash pile will
blow away, whereas a cinder
pile will not"
DROUGHT BLAMED
Admitting that some of the dry
Farmers in this section have been
put out of business by the con
tinued drought, he said the irriga
ton farmers, who comprise Is per
cent of the rural population in
this section, have Jared much bet.
ter. Mr.. Goudy asserted:
"We're not discouraged. We
know conditions are not normal,
but give us irrigation and watch
how quickly we will come back.
"SOme of our merchants are
complaining, but others have
done a nice business. Take our
bank, for instance. We are DO
ing all right. On March 4, 1893,
the day of the moratorium, cur
assets were $616,818.55. On
March 5, 1884, the banks assets
were $72S,917.56. On March 4,
1885, our assets increased to
S9l7 ALB. Savings have in
creased in proportion to other
deposits.
"This means farmers are not
spending their money as reck-
lessly as they were in 1928, 1929
and 1880. People are banking
and waiting for opportunities to
make investments. What we need
is confidence. Conditions are so
unsettled people with money are
too afraid of the future and
therefore are very cautious"
Construction of the Caddoa Dam
across the Arkansas River would
give the farmers in this region an
adequate storage of water and as
sure them of irrigation, according
to Mr.. Cloudy. The dam would
catch the flood, waters and also the
freShets which come down from
the Rocky Mountains, and the tor
rental rains as well. The dam
would store the water so it could
be used during dry spells and
whenever needed.
Would Aid Dry Farms
Mr.. Goudy said the dam would
afford immeasurable relief to the
hundreds of this sections dry land
pulation-farmers and Stockmen
who have acquired land which be-
cause of lack of rainfall in the
past three years had to abandon
their properties and many of them
go ION relief"
The banker recalled that when
he came to Lamar in 1928 this re-
gion was "a garden spot, beautiful
and green" all the way from Sa-
Ida, Colo, to Garden City, Kan.
Now much of this is arid land,
subject to intermittent dust
storms which Wreak havoc.
High wheat prices. he said, was
the bait that caused farmers to
"overplough" their land in 1928
and 1929. He remembered that in
1929 one mill at Lamar had more
than 100000 bushels piled on the
ground after all the elevators were
filled. He expressed the opinion
that the smart thing for farmers
to do would be to put one-quarter
IF their land in farming and the
balance in pasture. He concluded:
"Give us irrigation and you'll
zee how soon our land will come
back nice and green. That's
why we're fighting for the Cad
I~~ novNa -