128 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



SOME POINTED ADVICE BY AN EXPERT. 



WYOMING AND ITS RESOURCES. 



If the man who causes two blades of grass to grow- 

 where only one grew before is a benefactor, then surely 

 Alexander McPherson, the subject of this sketch and tho 

 "best known" man in Idaho, is entitled to nothing short of 

 a niche in the Hall of Fame. This Nestor of southern Idaho 

 is a native of Illinois, and removed to Idaho twenty-three 

 years ago. 



Mr. McPherson has probably been instrumental, during 

 these many years of activity, in causing more blades to sprout 

 upon the arid plains of southern Idaho where none grew 

 before than any other man, of whom we have record. 



Incidentally it may be remarked that Mr. McPherson is 

 the father of three bright sons (total length eighteen feet) as 

 emphasized by him, one of whom has followed his father's 

 example by becoming a farmer, and who has literally "put 

 it all over his father" at the last Idaho State Fair; one a 

 civil engineer, while the third is yet attending school. If 

 the McPherson family ever adopts a coat of arms, it can 



Alexander McPherson. 



most appropriately be surmounted by a sheaf of alfalfa. 

 "Plant alfalfa, then alfalfa and then more alfalfa" is Mr. 

 McPherson's slogan. "Then you may turn it under and 

 thus enrich the soil to a degree that any crop suited to 

 this zone will thrive phenomenally." 



When Mr. McPherson first went to Idaho there was 

 but one irrigation ditch in that state the Ridenbaugh 

 ditch in the Boise Valley. He has been identified with the 

 irrigation interests of Idaho for twenty years, during all 

 of which period he has been in the employ of the State 

 conducting experimental horticultural and dairy work. He 

 has acted as the Agricultural Adviser upon many of the 

 Carey Act projects of southern Idaho, including the vari- 

 ous Twin Falls projects, Salmon river, Big Wood river, 

 Big Lost river, Medbury and Boise Valley projects. Upon 

 the Twin Falls tracts he organized the Farmers Associa- 

 tions for education through the medium of public meetings, 

 held nightly, and by practical work upon demonstration 

 farms during the day. Under this system inaugurated by 

 Mr. McPherson, he states, "Every settler on the Twin 

 Falls south side project 'has made good.' There is no 

 reason why the same results should not be accomplished 

 on all the more recent projects." Mr. McPherson has 

 latterly extended his activities to embrace other states. 



The state of Wyoming is entering upon a period of rapid 

 and wholesome development along many lines of activity. 

 Especially is this evident when considered in the light of 

 what has been accomplished under the provisions of the 

 Carey act, as interpreted by the land board. 



Wyoming has long enjoyed the enviable reputation of 

 possessing both a model code of Irrigation Laws and a sup- 

 ply of water for power and irrigation purposes sufficient to 

 provide for the needs of the State for many years to come. 

 These facts, combined with able management of its land and 

 water resources, have attracted investment-seeking capital as 

 well as settlers in great numbers. 



Mr. R. P. Fuller, commissioner of public lands, and Mr. 

 Clarence T. Johnston, state engineer, are in high esteem, 

 throughout the west, for their efficiency and integrity. Both 

 of these gentlemen attended the National Farm Land Con- 

 gress at Chicago. Mr. Johnston returned at the close of 

 the session to Cheyenne, while Mr. Fuller repaired to Wash- 

 ington, D. C, on business matters. Upon his return to Chi- 

 cago on his way home, Mr. Fuller was consulted by a repre- 

 sentative of THE IRRIGATION AGE. Speaking of his State, Mr. 

 Fuller remarked : 



"The agricultural sections of the state are being settled 

 up rapidly, and, what is most gratifying, by a superior class 

 of men, mostly farmers, and of American birth the great 

 majority of them coming from the middle west. The Carey 

 Act projects are attracting many of the more intelligent, who 

 realize the importance of adequate water supply and the 

 measure of protection which the state affords to settlers. ' 



"Wyoming irrigation projects being relatively smaller in 

 area than those of other states, have not proven attractive 

 to the speculative entryman, but this is rather a blessing 

 than otherwise, as their absence clears the way for the bona 

 tide settler, whose energies we need 



"As the abundance of the water resources of Wyo- 

 ming become better known to financiers generally, we may 

 justifiably expect an increasing flood of eastern capital to 

 unlock the treasures of our State. Notwithstanding the 

 number of irrigation projects now completed, or under con- 

 struction, the normal flow of our streams in the aggregate 

 has not begun to be fully appropriated, and when, in time, it 

 is, there will still remain adequate storage facilities to be 

 utilized. 



"However, my recommendatio_n is, that no power or 

 irrigation project should be undertaken without complete 

 engineering investigation and data. 



"Wyoming is fortunate in two respects. First, by 

 reason of its abundance of unappropriated water; second, 

 because our law-makers, profiting by the example of other 

 states, legislated wisely for distribution of waters, so that 

 the entanglements of over-appropriations, and of conflict- 

 ing interests manifest in some other localities, are not to 

 be feared. 



"No one can secure a property interest in our waters; 

 they belong to the State, and all that the appropriator is 

 granted is an easement or the right to the use of as much 

 water as he can apply beneficially. A license is granted, 

 not for the amount of water that is applied for, but for 

 the amount that is actually put to beneficial use as an adjudi- 

 cation may determine, if necessary. Our water rights cannot 

 be sold, neither can they be transferred from one tract to 

 another. 



"In the aggregate there are now seventy-six Carey Act 

 projects either segregated or in process of segregation, 

 averaging from 30,000 to 50,000 acres, each, but there still 

 remains room for many more. 



"Our agricultural lands lie at altitudes averaging from 

 :i,500 to 6,000 feet and are suited to all the crops of the 

 Temperate Zone. 



"Railroad development will take place rapidly within 

 the near future the Burlington Railroad has commenced 

 actual construction upon its north and south line, from the' 

 old road, beginning on the Northern Pacific, near Billings, 

 to Worland, and thence south to a connection with the 

 Colorado & Southern, 150 miles north of Cheyenne, thence 

 to Chevenne. This means much to the State, as it will 

 afford the fruitful Big Horn Basin, and the lands under the 

 Shoshone project of the Federal Government, a direct out- 

 let to Colorado, Texas, and the Gulf Sea Board, over the 

 Hill lines. We have every reason to be satisfied with the 

 outlook." 



