THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



VOL XIII. 



CHICAGO, JUNE, 1899. 



NO. 9. 



THE PROGRESS OF WESTERN BMERIGS. 



Give t's 

 Your "Ad. 



We are constantly receiving 1 

 letters from various parties 



asking for information as to 

 irrigating machinery, where it is manu- 

 factured, the best systems to use, etc., etc. 

 We would like, therefore, to carry the 

 advertisements of dealers in everything of 

 this character, so that inquiries may be 

 promptly answered by sending a marked 

 copy of the AGE, thus saving us the time 

 and postage otherwise required in ans- 

 wering each letter personally. The fact 

 that we receive such queries is proof 

 positive of the value of the journal as an 

 advertising medium. We want every 

 dealer to send us his catalogue aiid price 

 list for us to refer to, and we also want his 

 ad. Rates will be gladly furnished upon 

 application, and sample copies sent. We 

 also want everyone who has land to sell to 

 communicate with us. 



What is to be done with our 

 .Montana 



Takes avid lands how they can best 



the Lead. be rec i a j mec i an( j ma d e homes 



for the poor of the crowded cities is one 

 of the many perplexing questions which 

 call for answer from those who have the 

 welfare of the masses at heart There is 

 many a man in the city, struggling to 

 keep the wolf from the door, who would 

 gladly embrace an opportunity to become 

 independent on a small tract of land, but 

 alas, his means are so scanty as not to 

 admit of his buying land, no matter how 

 low the price, since he would not have 

 enough left to provide for his immediate 

 needs until the first crop were harvested. 

 The opening up for settlement of Clark's 



Fork Valley by the state of Montana, bids 

 fair to be a partial solution at least of the 

 puzzle. This is the first instance in this 

 country in which a state has undertaken 

 to put settlers upon the land and give 

 employment with which to support them- 

 selves during the first year, and it would 

 seem a worthy example for other states to 

 follow. 



Colonies or associations, usually banded 

 together by some religious ties, have been 

 formed and have been in most cases suc- 

 cessful. An instance of this is the Salva- 

 tion Army colony at Holly, Colo., founded 

 by Booth-Tucker. If such colonies can 

 succeed why not those founded, along a 

 little different line. Donald Bradford, 

 vice-president and general manage of this 

 state arid land grant commission. Writes 

 us that the method employed by the state 

 of Montana is really in the nature of a 

 loan at seven per cent, interest, to be paid 

 back at cost, giving them five years in 

 which to pay it in annual installments." 

 He further says. "Were the states to lend 

 their credit, through the agency of a state 

 commission like our own, I am satisfied 

 that the people of the state would not have 

 to bear one per cent, of the burden, and 

 that on the other hand the incoming 

 settlers and the increased wealth would 

 meet every engagement made by the state 

 in their behalf." 



In another portion of this issue we give 

 a more complete account of this project, 

 which we think should be agitated in 

 everv state. 



