no 



POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



designing and constructing under similar conditions, and who already 

 know the essential local facts from personal observation. 



The project board takes into consideration all the facts as to 

 water supply, foundations and materials for construction, the design 

 and operation of each part of the work, and the character of the lands 

 to be supplied, the climatic conditions and innumerable details. After 

 going over the conditions on the ground the project board prepares a 

 brief report and recommendations, these being submitted through the 

 regular channels for the approval of the secretary of the interior. 

 When instructions have been received from the secretary contracts are 

 prepared after advertising, in the usual fashion. 



Work of construction has already been begun in Arizona, Nevada, 



Typical View along Irrigation Canal, Arizona. 



New Mexico, Colorado and Idaho, and will soon be taken up in other 

 states and territories. In the two and a half years which have elapsed 

 since the passage of the act the conditions in the west have been thor- 

 oughly considered, and already funds have practically been allotted to 

 the more important and beneficial projects. The work has not only 

 been on a large scale, but it has been necessary to establish many im- 

 portant precedents and to create institutions which are designed to 

 last for centuries. 



The Eeclamation Act is very broad and leaves for executive dis- 

 cretion innumerable important details, but it guards carefully a num- 

 ber of points of possible failure. Discretion has been exercised with a 



