THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



263 



and we take pleasure in showing a half-tone of the fine 

 institution over which he presides. This building is 

 constructed of red sandstone and would be a credit 

 to any city in this country. 



We are in receipt recently of several let- 

 Proposed ters from people interested throughout 

 Increase for the West concerning the proposed in- 

 Hydographic crease for hydrographic work. One letter 

 Work. written by a railway official states that for 



the past few years the hydrographic branch 

 of the United States has had an appropriation of $100,- 

 000 annually for the purpose of conducting their work 

 and that the amount has proved inadequate in view of the 

 immense field which is to be covered. Our correspondent 

 states further that the work in question comprises the de- 

 termination of the amount and character of surface 

 and underground water resources of the United States, 

 the adaptability thereof for irrigation, navigation, pub- 

 lic water supply and manufacturing purposes. There 

 is also involved the question of flood prevention which 

 annually does more than $100,000,000 of damage. The 

 work of this branch 'has to do with the investigation of 

 stream flow, the determination of the method of flood 

 occurrence and the facilities afforded for storage in 

 the various river basins. The developments that are 

 dependent upon this work comprises the entire reclama- 

 tion work of the Federal Government as well as that 

 of private enterprise. 



Our correspondent goes on to say that up to July 

 1906, the work of the hydrographic branch of the 

 Geological Survey had been continued in good order 

 under an appropriation made by Congress of $200,000 

 per annum. In 1907 this amount was reduced to 

 $150,000 per year, and that at the last session of 

 Congress it was reduced still further to $100,000 per 

 year, at which figure it now stands, and his impression 

 is that in view of the inadequate data available for 

 people who are studying the subject of the develop- 

 ment of the West that this sum is not sufficient to con- 

 duct the work so as to produce results which will en- 

 able the large railway companies and private individ- 

 uals to secure data which will enable them to make 

 a comprehensive estimate of the conditions in various 

 sections of the country. Our correspondent is no doubt 

 correct and as he is a railway official it is reasonable 

 to suppose that he is more than anxious to have the 

 government take over all of the work of this character 

 and be in a position to deliver to the railway companies 

 and others complete data when called for. He con- 

 tends that it would be absolutely impossible for any 

 private corporation to attempt work of this kind as it 

 would be necessary to have as complete a corps of en- 

 gineers as may be supplied at any time by the govern- 



ment. Others who are interested in the subject, how- 

 ever, claim that the large corporations should stand 

 ready to give assistance or do the work of this kind 

 themselves. It is apparent from the tone of this letter 

 and other letters received that an effort will be made 

 at the next session of Congress to increase this ap- 

 propriation so that it will reach its former figure, $200,- 

 000 per year. 



We are publishing in this issue an article 

 Announce- on the industrial enterprises, including 

 ment irrigation, of the towns surrounding 



Santa Maria, Santa Barbara County, 

 California, by our Western representative, Mr. A. T. 

 Taylor. Mr. Taylor will soon leave California for 

 Idaho and other Western states where he will continue 

 his good work of developing circulation for THE IRRI- 

 GATION AGE. We hope through the efforts of himself 

 and assistants to be able to increase our circulation in 

 the state of Idaho at least 5,000 copies before the first 

 of January, 1909. 



A feature of the celebration of the arrival of the 

 fleet at San Diego is the Union Pacific gasoline motor 

 car which President Babcock of the Los Angeles & 

 San Diego Beach Eailway had installed as a treat 

 and novelty for the world-girdling jackies and the 

 thousands of others who flocked in and out of the 

 Southern California city while participating in the 

 festivities of the occasion. President Babcock thought 

 it would be a novel experience for the sailor boys and 

 sightseers to have the pleasure of riding through the 

 sunny California climate on one of these modern and 

 up-to-date mediums of transportation, and it is safe 

 to say those who had the opportunity will agree with 

 him. 



The trip of this motor car to the coast was a 

 noteworthy one. Ordered at a late date, that it might 

 reach its destination on scheduled time, it was neces- 

 sary to start the car from Omaha without the cus- 

 tomary trials or breaking in. The monster 200 horse- 

 power engine propelling this car was not put together 

 and tested out until the afternoon of April 6th, and 

 had but three hours of actual service propelling the 

 car before starting on this long trip. 



