THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



39 



We present in this issue a 

 This Month portrait of Geo. H. Maxwell, 

 of San Francisco, Cal. , Editor 

 of the National Advocate and. the California 

 Adrocate, and an earnest and energetic 

 worker in the irrigation movement. We 

 hope, later on. to present a sketch of Mr. 

 Maxwell, whose able contributions to the 

 AGE have made him known to its readers. 

 Next month we will give a portrait and 

 biographical sketch of Joel Shomaker. so 

 long a valued contributor to this journal, 

 and also one (we hope) of T. S. Van Dyke, 

 who may be termed the "irriga tor's favo- 

 rite." as his writings on irrigation sub- 

 jects, his dry humor and thorough knowl- 

 edge of the art of irrigation, have made 

 his name well known throughout the west. 

 We have much pleasure in di- 

 recting the attention of our 



A New 

 Contributor. 



readers to an interesting and 

 instructive article in this issue of the AGE 

 under the "Diversified Farm" department 

 entitled "Land and Product* An Ex- 

 haustive Analysis." 



The article is the more interesting and 

 the information the more valuable because 

 the writer. Wallace Harrington, is a man 

 who is not only master of the subject 

 treated, but is also a man thoroughly reli- 

 able for truth and integrity of purpose. 



Mr. Harrington presents an array of 

 facts and figures that shows the cattle 

 business in America to be of enormous 

 proportions, and yet conditions prove that 

 large as it now is. it will continue to in- 

 crease from year to year as new markets 

 are opened. The daily service of dressed 

 beef to Great Britain mentioned by him 

 will absorbe hundreds of tons every day. 

 and when this daily service is extended to 

 all Euroge the demand will increase. 

 But raising and marketing cattle, like any 

 other lucrative business, must be under- 

 stood in order to be successful. A mere 

 novice in the trade will not do. A man 

 must understand and be a good judge of 

 the different breeds of cattle, how to man- 

 age them and put them on the market. 



This article is Mr. Harrington's intro- 

 duction to AGE readers and we hope to 

 enable them to continue his acquaintance 

 by presenting other articles from him in 

 future issues, feeling assured that they 

 will prove as interesting as this one. 



The On October 21 the Nicaraguan 

 Nicaragua Commission decided that the 

 Canal. concessions granted to the 

 Maritime Canal Company of Nicaragua 

 expires October 20, 1899. The Nicaragua 

 canal has been talked of for years. Inves- 

 tigations have been repeatedly made for 

 the purpose of determining whether its 

 construction were possible at a reasonable 

 expense, and though many disbelieved 

 and still disbelieve in the feasibility of the 

 plan, its possibility is now quite generally 

 conceded. Many things apparently im- 

 possible have been accomplished and why 

 not this? 



The present Canal Commission consists 

 of three men, and though their official re- 

 port has not yet been presented to Con- 

 gress, all of them have stated, since their 

 return from Nicaragua, that the under- 

 taking is entirely feasible. Their opinions 

 regarding the expense varies from $140.- 

 000,000, Gen. Hains' estimate,to $90,000,000, 

 Prof .Haupt's estimate. Admiral Walker, 

 the other member of the Commission, 

 thinks the construction would not exceed 

 $125,000,000. The engineers of the com- 

 pany claim that a canal, with thirty feet 

 of water, and locks large enough to pass 

 the largest battleships, can be constructed 

 for a sum not to exceed $100,000,000. This 

 may seem like a large amount but since 

 the "Oregon"' made its famous voyage 

 around Cape Horn, there are few who can- 

 not see the desirability and value of such 

 a canal. 



Many ask why this canal is not con- 

 structed by private individuals: why make 

 a government project of it. The answer 

 to this is that since the Panama episode, 

 where so many millions were squandered 

 and stolen, capital has fought shy of simi- 

 lar enterprises backed by private compa- 

 nies. 



Warner Miller, in the November Forum, 

 answers the other question that probably 

 arises, as to why. if this canal be possible, 

 the government has not constructed it. 

 He says that it is a hard matter to con- 

 vince the majority of the people that such 

 a canal is either feasible of construction or 

 that it would be of any great benefit if 

 built, and the government is loath to em- 

 bark in such a stupendous enterprise with- 

 out the pressure of public demands. A 



