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Show UPLAND MStTTE. Mr. ScmciII, C. E-, t'aikr Cress-ExaaaiBatloa Cress-ExaaaiBatloa by JCaJor Bird. When Uie 2Cmva went to press on Wednesday afternoon Mr. Henry Beoagall, C. K.. was unJer cro-cxamlnaUon cro-cxamlnaUon in regard to tbe report of Major Powell, of the Geological Survey, on the subject of the arid regions of the United States. MaJ.r Bird called the witness' attention to the fact that Major Powell, on page C5 of his work, says: 'Lands washed by the brine of the lake (referring (re-ferring to the Great Salt Lake) bet come saturated with sait to such an extent that even salt-loving plants cannot live upon them, and it is a familiar fact that the sage (artemhtla sempervirens) never grows in Utah upon soil to saline as to be unfavorable unfavor-able for grain." He asked witness what he had to say as to this proposition propo-sition of Major Powell. Mr. Thompson objected to the question as incompetent-Witness incompetent-Witness I should say that Major Powell never for one moment gave a thought to tbe Irrigation of these lands, and as there appears to be no doubt that the waters or the Sait Lake at some previous period overflowed over-flowed tbe land several miles to the east of the present high water trial k, which i at tbe present day carrying carry-ing grain and crops of various sorts, this is harJly in conformity with the statement he makes. Major Bird Major Powell, continuing con-tinuing upon the same page, says: "The rains of many years, an J perhaps per-haps even cf centuries, would bo needed to cleanse land abandoned by the lake so that It would sustain tbe salt bating bushes." Is that art of his theory correct, In your opinion? Mr. Tbompon again protested against the qur JJoti. Witness To provide far this small rainfall is the very object or itfigation and the reclamation or land by anartiflcial supply or water. Pointing to certain contradictory statements in the coursa or Mr. Scougalt'a testimony as he went along. Major Bird referred to him as "a rambling witness." Major Bird You stated in your dlrtct examination that with a rise or three and a hair feet ef the lake the higher tortious of the land, In your opinlon,coulil still be reclaimed artificially. In describing those lands you started by saying that tho land following the Utah Central Railroad grade to tbo "V" would not be affected by this rise, and that they could be ruclalait 1. Now, understanding from your testimony tes-timony and from that also of Messrs. McCormlck aud Fitzbuzh that this grade from the ,-Y" as it runs from the land and leaves It at lb northern boundary is graded through or upon the sand bar, I will ish you bow you propose-to reclaim the part of the land through the south inlet that with such a rise of the lake must be covered with the water of the Great Salt Lake, as shown by your profile line II 17 Witness I will uithdraw the statement regarding tbe Utah Central Cen-tral Grade referred to and make my starting point the north end of the main dam, and not the "Y," ss shown or 1.x. B. I would reclaim the land between the north aud south end of the dam by allowing tbe waterto flow through the sand bar in or out, according to the rise or fall of the lake, and while the lake was at low tide should endeavor en-deavor to wash the land and cleanse it from all saline impurity. Should there be any fear or a rie in the lake after going to any expenditure to obtain a supply of fresh water, I should feel Inclined to place a puddle dam on the line of the old lake shore, and make this of ahehtht similar t what Is known as the sand bar. Major Bird You mean by that that you would dam cut the watera of tho Great Salt Lake and prevent them from overflowing the lands in question, if there was a rise in tho lake? Witness answered rlalnl) He was next questisutd as to the carrying carry-ing of fre-h Water ujwn the land. The laud on the sand bar, he said, would nqulrc to be thoroughly saturated sat-urated for several inches below the surface befjre any cultivation could bu attempted. The bar referred to was now compeJ cf sand and clay about as good a ma'crial as it was possible to extract salt and other injurious in-jurious matter fr ui by the process. The grcatdeptli ol sand waoiily on the tttfteriisloj-e. Tula ifternDOn Mr.IIenryIIim.u-in;, Mr.IIenryIIim.u-in;, practical eheml-t and mining engineer, this city, auathcr witness on behalf of tils prutestee, look tbe stand, lie has had twenty years' experience in his profession, lias been in the government service i.f Germany, in Austria former'- held tbe position orinpectorcrn..iieri,aud for some time was leading meteorologist meteoro-logist and counselor to tbe secretary of finance in the kingdom of Wur-temburg. Wur-temburg. Among otliir eppoint-ments eppoint-ments he has held that of chemist and mining cngineerin Xe Mexico, Mex-ico, Colorado and Utah. To Mr. Stephens witness sai 1 he was an experienced agricultural chemist, and during his residence In this country had devoted a great deal of time to the examination of soil an J plants in various States. He had made analyses or soil taken rrom various places on the lands in dispute. dis-pute. Witness was proceeding to cive the results of these when the Xews reporter left. |
