IRRIGATION UNDER THE CAREY ACT. 485 



small tracts came properly under either the Homestead Act or the 

 Desert-land Act. 



The first application for se^egation in Nevada — List No. 9, that 

 was approved — was approved l\y the Department of the Interior jMay 

 28, 1910. Since that time much activity has been displayed. One 

 other segregation has been secured and construction work commenced. 

 The remaining projects are in their preliminary stages. 



An interesting problem has arisen in connection with the applica- 

 tion for five projects to be irrigated from artesian sources. These 

 projects were reported favorably by the State engineer, and the State 

 land register applied for their segregation. The General Land Office 

 held all these for rejection, the specific reason for such action being 

 as follows: 



The object of the Carey Act is not to interfere with the existing laws of the 

 United States affecting the disposal of land to individuals. 



The obvious intent of the Carey Act was to segregate to the States large 

 tracts of desert lauds which could not. because of tlie magnitude of the under- 

 taking, be successfully irrigated by individual efl'ort. Nor would it seem to be 

 good administrative policy to allow the Carey Act to encroach upon the province 

 of the Homestead and Desert-land acts. 



The Government would thus lose the payment required by the latter act, and 

 the entryman would not be required to make the expenditure and cultivation 

 i-equired by the Desert-land Act. 



Nowhere does it appear from the record that the reclamation of these tracts 

 could not be effected through desert-land or homestead entry. 



The State engineer submits a plan showing the wells in the vicinity ; from 

 this it appears that flowing wells are struck at a mean depth of about 200 feet; 

 the best well is at a depth of 325 feet. 



Upon the face of the record, it would seem that the water was within the 

 reach of the ordinary farmer and that the land could be reclaimed much more 

 expeditiously under the Homestead or Desert-laud acts. 



In practical effect, reclamation without recourse to the Carey Act would be 

 more profitable, both to the Government and to the ultimate purchasers; the 

 Government would secure the payment of $1.25 an acre, while the purchaser 

 would be spared the promoter's profit. 



The State took an appeal from this decision of the General Land 

 Office, and final action is still pending. 



The following summary and table presents figures on Carey-Act 

 operations in Nevada from their beginning to the present time: 



SUMMARY. 



Total area granted to State : acres__ 1. 000, 000 



Total segregations, contracted, aiijilied for, and tempo- 

 rarily withdrawn acres 173, 215 



Number of projects awaiting development 13 



