THE IRRIGA TION A GE, 



191 



canals, reservoirs and wells costing upwards of seventeen million dollars. 

 Utah has the Bear River Canal, representing an outlay of two and a quar- 

 ter millions, for constructing canal, mains and laterals one hundred and 

 sixty miles in length, to convey water to two hundred and fifty thousand 

 acres. The Pecos Canal, in New Mexico, extends one hundred and twen- 

 ty one miles, with mains and laterals completing a system twelve hun- 

 dred miles in length and capable of furnishing sufficient. water for irri- 

 gating four hundred thousand acres. Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Mon- 

 tana and the Dakotas have numerous irrigation canals costing immense 

 sums in construction. 



While capitalists have accomplished many things individual colonists 

 could not even attempt, co-operation of farmers has resulted beneficially 

 in developing irrigation enterprises. The Mormons have three hundred 

 and twenty cities, towns, and villages in Utah, and many others in the 



surrounding states and territories, where co-operative irrigation canals 

 supply the water for all purposes. These enthusiasts always settle in 

 colonies under the direction of their several church officials, and work 

 upon the plan that labor is the basis of all wealth and money is only a 

 necessary evil. They construct canals, build bridges, make roadways 

 through the mountains and perform all public or colonial labor upon the 

 co-operative principles of an interest in the enterprise and individual 

 honor through community prosperity. The effect of this colonial sys- 

 tem has been felt in every state within the realms of irrigation, and far- 

 mers co-operative canals are in operation in many sections. By the 

 union of labor and interests canals can be cheapty constructed and easily 

 kept in repair, thereby saving the original first cost of a water right and 

 the annual maintenance fee or rental demanded by corporations. The 

 cost of construction is usually about ten dollars an acre and the co-oper- 

 ative repair fee from fifty cents to one dollar an acre annually. 



