THE IRRIGATIOX AGE. 



139 



three great results might be obtained, that 

 is. the convicts could be made self-sus- 

 taining without encroaching on the domain 

 of free labor; secondly, a great variety of 

 food could be raised for the eleemonsyary 

 institutions of the state ; third, the estab- 

 lishment of an experimental station in the 

 arid region might be of incalculable value 

 to the state, as it is possible that scienqe 

 will discover products capable of being 

 raised at a great profit upon these arid 

 lands without irrigation. " 



THEY CAN BE IRRIGATED. 



O. R. Holcomb. commissioner of arid 

 lands in Washington, in his report to the 

 governor and legislature of 1898. under 

 the head of "General Remarks," claims 

 that the department of irrigation and arid 

 lands is second to none in the state. 



It is estimated that there are about 

 3,000.000 acres of arid lands in the state, 

 and of these at least 1,000,000 acres can 

 be profitably irrigated. As the demand 

 for land and the products of the irrigated 

 lands increase, an additional million acres 

 may afterwards be economically irrigated. 

 Experience has demonstrated that irriga- 

 tion, under control of the state, is most 

 economical and satisfactory to the farmers, 

 and that when properly controlled, irri- 

 gated farms are the most profitable as well 

 as yielding the greatest returns. It is 

 therefore suggested in the report that the 

 state take control of all irrigation devel- 

 opment as is done in Wyoming and other 

 western states, to the extent of regulating 

 the use and distribution of the streams and 

 bodies of water, keeping in view vested 

 rights and the rights of prior appropria- 

 tions. 



If the department of irrigation or some 

 other department of the state were charged 

 with the duty of administering equitable 

 and wholesome laws in relation to these 

 matters, it is believed that irrigation de- 

 velopment would rapidly increase and 

 take large proportion s,as well as adding to 

 the certainty of farming by irrigation, and 



consequently to the profit of the farmer. 



In support of the plea for spending 

 more money and attention to be devoted 

 to irrigation in the state. California is 

 cited as having spent millions of dollars 

 in the development of her irrigation enter- 

 prises and the reclamation of prairie lands. 

 More money has been spent in that state 

 for one dam and storage system than is 

 required to run the entire state govern- 

 ment in this state in two years. That it 

 is profitable to spend money for irrigation 

 purposes there can be no question. One 

 acre reclaimed and put into cultivation 

 under irrigation will produce more than 

 "three acres, on an average, in the regions 

 where irrigation is not an absolute neces- 

 sity. 



Construction works, under a co-opera- 

 tive method, is an excellent thing, if it can 

 be done, but when materials such as lum- 

 ber, iron, machinery, etc., are required to 

 go into the construction, it is necessary to 

 go into even the commercial world, and 

 one must then have the cash. It is there- 

 fore hoped that irrigation development 

 will be assisted by necessary appropria- 

 tions asked. 



The expenses of the department of arid 

 lands from November 1, 1896, to November 

 1, 1898, including commissioner's salary 

 and incidental expenses, are $5,036 .81. 

 Owing to the uncertainty as to the status 

 of the commissioner of arid lands from the 

 passage of the act of 1897, approved 

 March 19, 1897. relating to arid lands, no 

 work was conducted by the office until 

 the decision of the supreme court deter- 

 mining the status of the commissioner. 

 A change was thereafter made by the ap- 

 pointment of the present incumbent March 

 29, 1898, and further litigation to deter- 

 mine the legality of the appointment was 

 undergone before any further work could 

 be commenced. The last litigation was 

 ended in May, 1898. 



It's a poor farm that can't acquire a 

 mortgage. 



