THE IKRIGATION AGE. 



359 



enjoy extensive trading relations with them. Through 

 this means our European rivals control many of the large 

 private enterprises in South America, such as banks, rail- 

 roads, steamships, etc., while our influence amounts to 

 nothing. 



Much dissatisfaction is expressed by the 

 Dissatisfaction citizens of western Colorado over the 

 in the delay on the part of the United States 



Grand Valley, Reclamation Service relative to the 

 Colorado. terms of the contract which the settlers 



on the land to be irrigated are asked to 

 sign. When the United States government or the Recla- 

 mation Service undertakes an irrigation project the plan 

 has been to secure contracts from land holders specifying 

 their willingness to take water under the government 

 project at a given sum per acre. These contracts have 

 been forced upon the people under various projects where 

 the water is used just as a private corporation would do 

 in order to settle the question of the return to the govern- 

 ment of the money expended on each project. It is said 

 by the people in western Colorado that no corporation 

 has ever offered such a contract as the one which the 

 Reclamation Service has circulated for signatures in the 

 Grand Valley. 



Under this contract the settler would be helpless, so 

 it is stated, as the government makes no promise to the 

 settler as to when water will be delivered. The repre- 

 sentatives of the Reclamation Service have not, so we 

 are informed, been able to let the settlers know the ulti- 

 mate cost of the water per acre. The price mentioned 

 by the federal representatives varies from $50 to $70 

 per acre. 



A correspondent for a western newspaper states that 

 on other government irrigation works the ultimate cost 

 of water has been two or three times the original esti- 

 mates of cost, and that if the Grand Valley Highline 

 canal shows a similar increase the water will be too ex- 

 pensive to use for irrigation. It is furthermore stated 

 that the contract offered by the government puts upon 

 the settlers the burden of determining their rights to the 

 use of the water of the Grand River in other words, this 

 correspondent goes on to say that the government as- 

 sumes no responsibility as to delivery of water. 



It seems that the writer of the article referred to must 

 be in error in this case, as there certainly should be some 

 definite knowledge on the part of the Reclamation Service 

 as to the rights of the settler in the matter of water taken 

 from the Grand River, otherwise the whole project would 

 be up in the air and it would place the settler in the posi- 

 tion of a man who pays cash for a deed to property 

 when he has no assurance that the deed will be of any 

 value when delivered to him. 



This correspondent goes on to say that the contract 

 offered puts the settler absolutely under the control of 

 the secretary of the interior. The settler who signs the 

 paper agrees to obey without question anything that the 

 present or any future secretary of the interior may tell 

 him to do with reference to the use of water. 



The statements of the correspondent are so unusual 

 and extraordinary that one is inclined to the belief that 

 he is exaggerating the condition. 



In any irrigated country the water is its lifeblood, 

 whoever controls the water controls the community, and 

 the arid states recognizing this have passed laws which 

 absolutely control private corporations, but the power is 

 not granted the state against similar conditions offered 



by the United States Reclamation Service. Furthermore, 

 the delays in the construction of this project have been 

 unusual and a great deal of complaint has reached us 

 concerning the manner in which it has been handled. 



Some years ago a private corporation offered to build 

 this canal and agreed to have it complete in three years 

 if the government would step out of the way, but this 

 the officials of the Reclamation Service have not been fit 

 to do. Several crops, so it is stated, could have been 

 raised by this time by the land owners had the offer of 

 the private company been accepted. 



There are, no doubt, two sides to this case, but there 

 must be some cause for complaint on the part of the 

 settlers, otherwise we would not hear so much about it. 



There are, no doubt, many in the valley who cling to 

 the idea that a canal controlled absolutely by the govern- 

 ment or a water users' association dominated by govern- 

 ment officials, would be better than a private system. 



When this work is finished there is no doubt that it 

 will be more stable and last longer than any similar work 

 which could be produced by private individuals, as the' 

 government does not usually "half do" its work. This 

 is one reason why the expense is higher than would be 

 encountered if the work was performed under private 

 control. 



Mr. Newell, the head of the Reclamation Service, 

 has shown a tendency lately to handle these matters with 

 much fairness and it is strange that a condition as de- 

 scribed should be permitted to exist in the face of a strong 

 demand for water and a desire for definite knowledge 

 as to its cost. 



Our correspondent in that section does not inform 

 us as to what methods have been taken to remedy these 

 conditions. No doubt the subject has been presented to 

 the proper authorities at Washington or the local repre- 

 sentatives in Colorado, with no apparent result so far. 



If Mr. Newell could be induced to take this matter 

 up personally there is no doubt that he would be inclined 

 to assist the people under this system and it is the hope 

 of all that he may go into the matter and do what he can 

 for them. 



GIVE EXTENSION TO THE FARMER. 



Water users of the Fort Shaw unit of the Sun river 

 irrigation project in Montana who were unable to pay the 

 operation and maintenance charge due March 1, 1912, 

 which amounts to $1 per acre for irrigable lands, may 

 receive water during the irrigation season of 1912 and 

 'have until December 1 to pay the charge, according to 

 notices sent out by Samuel Adams, first assistant secretary 

 of the department of the interior. The conditions under 

 which this concession may be had follow: 



"Every water user shall fully pay the unpaid balance, 

 if any, of operation and maintenance charges for 1911 

 and prior years before any water is furnished for his 

 land in 1912. 



"Every such water user desiring such extension of 

 time shall on or before August 15, 1912, make written 

 application therefor to the project engineer, accompanied 

 by his affidavit that he is unable to make such payment 

 at this time and agreeing to make the said payment not 

 later than December 1, 1912. 



"For all persons to whom such extension is granted, 

 the charge for operation and maintenance for 1912 shall 

 be $1.10 instead of $1 per acre of irrigable land." 



Send $1.00 for 1 year's subscription to the IRRIGA- 

 TION AGE and bound copy of THE PRIMER OF IRRIGA- 

 TION. If you desire a copy of The Primer of Hy- 

 draulics add $2.50 to above price. 



