THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



185 



engineer in that state Mr. George Gordon. Then fol- 

 lowed a period of mismanagement and extravagance 

 which did much to discredit the cause of irrigation in 

 Australia. Although Mr. Deakin visited America in 

 the early part of that period, and published a most 

 instructive and valuable report on irrigation in the 

 western states, showing how splendid progress was being 

 made without the expenditure of a single dollar of 

 public money, the lessons to be derived from this report 

 were entirely disregarded in Victoria. Under the au- 

 thority of a special Act of Parliament, irrigation trusts 

 were authorized to borrow money from the government 

 of that state for the construction of irrigation works, 

 and such trusts were rapidly constituted in all direc- 

 tions. Applications for loans quickly poured in, and 

 were met with a lavish hand. Xo time was lost in 

 spending the money thus advanced, while, at the same 

 time, the government energetically entered on the con- 

 struction of irrigation works, which were described 

 at "national." 



When the time arrived for dealing with the ques- 

 tion of bringing the works into operation and of obtain- 

 ing some return from them, the boom ended abruptly. 

 The irrigation trusts were soon found to be in an 

 unsatisfactory financial position, and there arose a wide- 

 spread demand for inquiry and investigation. The 

 result was that a Royal Commission was appointed 

 to inquire into the whole subject of irrigation and rural 

 water supply, for in addition to numerous irrigation 

 trusts there was a considerable number of trusts which 

 dealt only with water supply for stock and domestic 

 purposes. The report of the commission was issued 

 in 1896, and the following extracts will show that the 

 description already given of the state of affairs at that 

 time is fully warranted. In the summary of its con- 

 clusions, the commission's report has the following : 

 "It is now 10 years since the Irrigation Act was passed, 

 and the majority of the trusts are seemingly not taking 

 any more active steps for meeting their loan obliga- 

 tions than they were shortly after being constituted. 

 The principal reason for this unsatisfactory condition 

 of affairs is that in the case of many of the trusts 

 there was no justification for their formation, and in 

 the case of others- that the works were constructed far 

 in advance of the present requirements of the districts. 

 A contributing cause was that in many instances the 

 cost of the works greatly" exceeded the original esti- 

 mates. Our investigations have led us to the conclusion 

 that the great majority of the trusts never should 

 have been constituted, and never would have beeen, had 

 the schemes submitted for departmental approval been 

 considered from an ordinary common-sense standpoint." 

 i . . "Unfortunately, however, the public mind 

 was excited at the time, and the gospel of irrigation 

 was preached from one end of the colony to the other. 

 The farmers had been suffering from a cycle of dry 

 seasons, the price of produce was high, and the prospect 

 of insuring their crops against the exigencies of climate 

 by means of irrigation appears to have overruled all 

 prudential considerations. Schemes were hastily con- 

 ceived, and as hastilv carried out. The question as to 

 whether the cost of the undertaking would be commen- 

 surate with the benefits to be derived therefrom, or 

 whether the land could bear the burden that would be 

 placed upon it, was apparently lightly considered, if con- 

 sidered at all. Trusts have been formed and extensive 

 (Continued on page 187.) 



IRRIGATED 

 LAND 



Open to Settlement 



Some of the richest and most productive farm land 

 in the world lies along the Shoshone and the Big Horn 

 Rivers in the "Big Horn Basin" of Wyoming. Over 

 ten million dollars is being spent by the United States 

 Government and by private enterprise in building 

 great concrete dams and ditches in order to lead an 

 inexhaustible supply of water to irrigate some of the 

 best of these lands and make them independent of 

 rainfall. A great portion of this work is completed, 

 and these lands, with a perpetual supply of water for 

 irrigating them, are now offered you on reasonable 

 terms. 



This is an Unusual Opportunity 



to get a wonderfully productive farm, with water 

 whenever you want it, regardless of rainfall; in a' 

 country where a single crop can be made to pay for 

 the land; where 50 bushels of wheat or barley, and 75 

 bushels of oats are commonly grown to the acre; 

 where fruits grow luxuriously and where the glorious 

 air and sunshine, summer and winter, make life a 

 joyous thing. 



This wonderful country is developing fast. 

 Churches and schools abound. The population is ' 

 intelligent, Godfearing and law-abiding, and any man 

 out there who is half a man has the opportunity to : 

 make himself independent. 



Land in this great country is going fast. 

 If you have any thought for the welfare 

 of yourself or children, find out all about 

 this opportunity to -day. 



Send for our new folder with large map, and also 

 folders issued by the private irrigation companies and 

 by the United States Government Reclamation Service 

 giving all information about these lands, terms, etc. 

 Free for the asking. Study these folders and then. 

 come with me on my next excursion to the Big Horn 

 Basin and see for yourself. My excursions, which 1 

 personally conduct, leave Omaha on the 1st and 3d 

 Tuesday each month, on which days reduced railroad 

 rates are in effect. My services are free to you. . 



Burlington 



| D. CLEM DEAVER, General Agent 



Landseekers' Information 

 Bureau, 



59 Q Building, OMAHA, NEB. 



N. B. The winter weather in the Basin Country 

 is fine and lands can usually be seen to advantage all 

 Winter, 



When writing to advertisers please mention The Irrigation Age. 



