THE PROGRESS OF WESTERN AMERICA. 



HON. JOHN E. JONES, 

 Of Nevada. 



most interesting was the trip of a party of labor 

 leaders from Chicago with the purpose of founding a 

 cooperative colony. As yet nothing substantial ap- 

 pears to have come from the movement. The Merced 

 properties are among the most valuable in California, 

 and the Chicago gentlemen associated with the 

 matter are of the highest repute in financial circles. 

 It is to be hoped that they will go forward with the 

 development of the property by dividing it into small 

 farms and encouraging diversified production. The 

 colonies in Kern Delta have enjoyed a healthy 

 growth during the year and many important develop- 

 ments are in hand for the early future. Electricity 

 will be a feature of these developments, and this 

 will possibly be the field of the most advanced 

 colonies in the arid regions. 



There is less to note in the Intermountain 

 Colonies in ,_ -, . 



Utah and West. The most progressive efforts in 



Idaho. tn j s re gj on W6 re those under the Bear 

 River system of Northern Utah. The construction 

 of these works was the boldest feat ever undertaken 

 in the interest of irrigation in this country outside of 

 California. They were completed about three years 

 since, but no very energetic effort at development 

 was made until the administration passed into the 

 hands of William H. Rowe, a year and a half since. 

 Mr. Rowe inaugurated a vigorous colonization policy, 

 now at its height. He is bringing to bear upon the 

 problems of this company the rich experience of the 

 Mormon people and seems likely to repeat their 



marvelous success in the development of prosperous 

 industries. In Idaho the Snake River country, 

 around Idaho Falls, has witnessed a remarkable 

 colonization movement at the hands of Scandinavians. 

 The movement from the old Northwest to the eighty- 

 acre farms of the Snake River country promises to 

 effect far-reaching changes. In Western Colorado 

 there has been a steady extension of the fruit in- 

 dustry, and the peach display at Grand Junction in 

 September produced an unusual impression on the 

 public mind. More has been accomplished in colo- 

 nization in Wyoming also than usual. The lands of 

 the Development company at Granger have attracted 

 many new settlers and the movement is promising. 

 A good many people have been attracted from Kansas 

 and Nebraska to the San Luis valley. 



There has been a marked revival in 

 A Glance ... 



at Two irrigation interest along the northern 

 Extremities. rai i road i ines , in Montana and Wash- 

 ington. The construction of the Burlington railroad 

 into the Yellowstone valley, with its terminus at Bill- 

 ings, has had a favorable effect in attracting settlers. 

 In Eastern Washington some small constructions 

 have been carried on and there has been a slow, but 

 promising, growth of population. Oregon has nothing 

 to show for the year's work under this head. Passing 

 now from the Pacific Northwest to the Great Plains 

 region east of the Rocky Mountains, we find 

 that perhaps more has been expended for construc- 

 tion and surveys in Nebraska than in any other 

 portion of this region. The Kearney power canal 

 has been widened and deepened with a view to the 

 use of water for irrigation in a locality where it has 

 hitherto been regarded as libelous to say that irriga- 

 tion was necessary or desirable. A good deal of 

 work has been done in Northern Nebraska on the 

 Niobrara river, and something in the Southwest, on 

 the Republican and the Frenchman. In Kansas 

 there has been a marked growth in the matter of 

 small individual plants. This is also true in Texas. 

 This is the meager record which the year has to show 

 for the irrigation industry proper. It is doubtful if a 

 million dollars have been expended for new works. 

 But this is not in the least remarkable. It has been a 

 period of stagnation in investment everywhere. 

 Colonization has looked up decidedly, but it is only 

 the spray of the rising tide. As has already been 

 intimated, the real satisfaction of the year is to be 

 found in another quarter. 



II. THE YEAR IN IRRIGATION THOUGHT. 



The popular convention is the nursery of 

 Break of the American Idea. The newspapers 

 Da y- and magazines are the thermometers 

 which mark its rising temperature. And the Con- 

 gress of the United States is the final arena in which 



