THE CONQUEST OF ARID AMERICA 



little recognized, has been seized upon by the so-called 

 "boomers" and exaggerated to the extent of creating 

 distrust and depreciation. It is, however, one of the 

 most important of the natural advantages of the State, 

 and one upon which the foundations of prosperity must 

 be carefully laid. By a thorough employment of the 

 underground waters, with the best methods, much of 

 the vacant land of the State will be utilized for agricult- 

 ui'e, and the remainder can become a source of revenue, 

 indirectly at least. Taking the Arkansas Valley as best 

 illustrating these conditions, the general statement may 

 be made that water can be had everywhere within the 

 valley at moderate depths, and in quantities such as to 

 be inexhaustible to ordinary pumping machinery if prop- 

 erly installed." 



Referring to the very much larger territory lying out- 

 side of the river valleys, the same authority says: 



"In the portions of western and central Kansas where 

 wells cannot be obtained at moderate depth, it will prob- 

 ably be practicable to store considerable volumes of water 

 by closing the outlets of natural depressions. Favorable 

 localities, although somewhat rare, can be found in nearly 

 every county, and by the proper construction of substan- 

 tial earth-dams considerable volumes of water can be 

 held for use upon the lower lands. In one instance at 

 least water thus stored has been pumped for use upon 

 an orchard, and the success attained in this way should 

 induce others to try similar devices." 



The drought of 1890 made Nebraska one of the im- 

 portant irrigation States of the West. Canals had been 

 built on the North Platte river near the Wyoming 

 boundary, several years earlier, but the irrigation indus- 



111 



