408 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



On three previous occasions I have 

 had the privilege of taking the members 

 of this Society, with the aid of the stere- 

 opticon, to view some of the wonders of 

 our Far West, and have shown them some 

 of the work of the government's engi- 

 neers.* We have looked upon the tower- 

 ing structures of granite and concrete, 

 slowly rising to block abysmal canyons ; 

 we have in fancy traveled over highways 

 carved from beetling cliffs and traversing 

 waterless deserts ; we have seen the sur- 

 face of the valleys gashed deeply by 

 broad canals carrying whole rivers to 

 fructify a thirsty land. Tonight, while I 

 shall show you more of these creations 

 of daring engineers, it is also my chief 

 aim to make you more fully acquainted 

 with the real purpose of these great 

 works — the making of homes. One of 

 the best examples of the wisdom of the 

 national irrigation law is afforded by the 

 Huntley project, in Montana. 



THE HUNTLEY PROJECT, MONTANA 



On July 17, 1907, about 30,000 acres 

 of land were thrown open to settlement 

 upon the completion of the irrigation 

 works. This fine tract of land in the 

 valley of the Yellowstone was absolutely 

 virgin ; a plow had never scratched its 

 surface. It lay there as nature made ic, 

 storing for ages the elements required 

 for plant life. Lacking in rainfall, it 

 produced nothing but sage-brush and 

 bunch grass. To make up for the over- 

 sight of nature, a million dollars were ex- 

 pended on irrigation structures and ca- 

 nals. Three hundred families, from all 

 parts of the United States, established 

 themselves upon the 40-acre farms and 

 began at once to erect their simple homes, 

 to clear away the sage-brush, and pre- 

 pare the lands for crops. To most of 

 them irrigation was an unknown science, 

 to many farming was a new experience. 

 With the cheerful optimism and abid- 

 ing faith which somehow seem to char- 

 acterize the dweller in the desert, they 

 set themselves to their several tasks. It 



* See "Winning the West," February, 1906 ; 

 "Millions for Moisture," April, 1907; "Home- 

 making by the Government," April, 1908, NaT. 

 Geog. Mag. 



was a backward season, a cold, late 

 spring, yet nevertheless every man who 

 sowed reaped some measure of harvest, 

 and in many instances the rewards were 

 beyond reasonable expectation. It is re- 

 markable, but true, that notwithstanding 

 lack of knowledge, unpreparedness of 

 the land, and unfavorable season, not one 

 total failure is recorded ; nor has a single 

 individual uttered complaint to the Rec- 

 lamation Service. 



Especially interesting to me are the 

 experiences of those who came to this 

 new country without any previous knowl- 

 edge of farming. Their successes may 

 well lead us to believe that new avenues 

 of hope are opening to the careworn and 

 discouraged who are living miserably in 

 our crowded cities. 



THE MAKING OF PROSPEROUS HOMES 



A few years ago a young man, raised 

 on a Pennsylvania farm, came to Wash- 

 ington, D. C., and was enrolled as a 

 stenographer in the Post Office Depart- 

 ment. About three years ago he took 

 stock, as it were, and decided that a 

 clerical profession did not suit him. He 

 concluded to improve his annual leave by 

 taking a western trip, and stopped off at 

 Billings, Montana. He was attracted 

 strongly by this progressive young city, 

 and decided to remain. When the Hunt- 

 ley lands were opened, and he took a 

 chance, fortune favored him and he drew 

 a farm of 47 acres, all irrigable. A part 

 of the $1,500, which represented his sav- 

 ings as a government clerk, he paid out 

 at once for the erection of a neat cot- 

 tage; the sum of $176 was paid for his 

 first installment of water right. A year 

 ago last month the home was ready, and 

 after resigning his job he sent for his 

 family and moved in. He cleared 35 

 acres of sage-brush, plowed and leveled 

 it, and sowed 24 acres to oats and 4 acres 

 to wheat. He set out 250 apple trees, 

 and between the rows planted 4,000 

 strawberry plants, potatoes, currants, 

 grapes, strawberries, and blackberries. 

 About the house he set out quick-grow- 

 ing cottonwoods and many junipers. The 

 housewife, meanwhile, did not forget a 

 small flower garden, nor neglect a lot of 



