OCR Text |
Show THE RECLAMATION OJTL00K. Certainly the Federal Government Is acting upon the general proposition for the reclamation of the arid lands of Utah' In a spirit of helpfulness and promptness prompt-ness which leaves nothing to be desired. And tho plan of reclamation Is one so comprehensive and thorough that tho Irrigation question for all the lands In the valleys in the northern part of the State will be settled for all time. The plan contemplates first the Utah Lake Improvement. This is to go forward for-ward without delay, now that it has been determined not to wait any longer for the acquiescence of those who have been stubbornly resisting every plan proposed for the union of all interests concerned in the supply of Irrigation water. The companies consenting to the waiver of right to any free supply above sixty second feet will get that amount, free, and as much more as they desire by paying for the excess. Those not going into the plan will get, free, what they can prove legally they are entitled to, and they likewise will havo to pay at the regular rate for any excess they may need. This is an excellent plan, and It promises prom-ises an Immediate solution of the diffi culty by ignoring tho obstructionists and arraying the supporters of the proposition in a solid body In aid of the improvement; it Insures an ample petition peti-tion to the Government to go on with the work, which will involve the expenditure ex-penditure of well along toward a million mil-lion dollars of the public money, which will have to bo repaid only In annual installments of one-tenth each year, the repayment to begin only after the completion com-pletion of the work and the receipt of Its benefits. Then will come along in due order the other projects which are In contemplation, contempla-tion, the Improvement of the Bear river through the utilizing of Bear Lake; the complete utilizing of the Ogden and "Weber rivers, the Strawbery Valley project, and so on. The latter is now under investigation, a Government force having gone to the scene for the purpose of maklncr the preliminary' in vestigation of its feasibility; whether there will be enough water derived from that stream to pay for the cost of diverting it to the Spanish Fork water system. All these projects contemplate the reinforcing re-inforcing of the water supply for such lands as- are now partly supplied, and the full supply for such as are practical of tillage, and situated above the present pres-ent irrigation ditch lines. A million acres of lands are, it is estimated, to be affected in this county, and in the counties coun-ties of Davis, Utah, Weber, Box Elder, Morgan and Cache. It will permit of the addition of population by the ten thousands, and will, at a cost which Is merely nominal by comparison, add thirty million dollars to the value of the lands to be benefited. All concerned, including especially the Arid Land Reclamation Fund Commission, Commis-sion, aro to be highly congratulated upon the result of their effectual presentation pre-sentation of this comprehensive and practical plan; the prompt and energetic ener-getic action of the Department of the Interior in ordering the preliminary work of Investigation to be proceeded with for the whole system of reclamation reclama-tion as urged by the Commission Is the best eulogy of its work. |