Show o RISE AND FUTURE UTU E OF IRRIGATION I IGA TION IN U S SI I From a n Paper by Elwood Mead Export Expert In tn I Churgo Charge of ot Investigations OUica of 0 Experiment Sta Stations Stations at Washington D C Influence of Irrigation Results In 1 a Multitude of 0 Small Proprietors Work WorkIng Working j 2 Ing for h Themselves u L 1111 For Por the tho beginnings ot of irrigation In this thi country countr wo we must mu t go goto goto goto to the Salt Lake valley valle ot of Utah where wherein in In July 1819 the tho Mormon pioneers turned the clear waters of ot City Creek upon the sunbaked and arni alkaline soil poll ol In order that they might plant lant the very lest last of ot their stock of ot potatoes In the hope hop ot ut bringing forth a t crop to save swe the little company from starvation 1 Utah is i Interesting tot not merely he cause It U Is the cradle of o our modern Ir Iri j i gallon Industry Indu try but even more fo o as ns a j mowing how Important are arc tuna und end public control In the diver J Ulan lIon and UFO ue of oC rivers Throughout the pioneer period of or their the mi fet millers fetI I tIers llers of oC Utah were under the direction of oC exceptionally note and leaders who wore sere aided by the fact that their thell followers were wro knit together by br a n dominating religious impulse These leaders hUll hud the Iho to adaPt their methods methode and shape their Institutions to conform to the peculiar condi condl conditions tiona and environment of ot a land strange end and new lIew to lo men of or English speech They The found Cound that Irrigation was necessary to their existence in n the tho homo home that Hint they had chosen and that the Irrigation canal canul must ther fire be he bethe bothe hethe the basis of oC their industrial organisation tion which was ras largely larr ly cooperative hence the size of oC their the II farms farni which I Iare are ire less than 20 O 0 acres upon the tho average I tho the nature of oC their social relations which are close and ami neighborly That the tho great rent I results which quickly followed could have havo bon bien roil reil Iced Izod without the tho cohesion which came caine from tram an association as d by b rell reli r JI Clous discipline und and controlled d by the Intelligence Int of ot the head of or t tie tto a Mormon Church Is doubtful but that the character of oC Institutions In tn the val valleys valleys leys lems of oC Utah Ulah both Industrial and so BO social del cial was wall chiefly due to environments in which they were vere placed pieced Is beyond dispute Cooperation the dom dominant domInant principle simply because the th ret tiers were in a land without capital and It waR wan beyond the power of or the In Individual individual to turn the mountain current from Its course and amI spread It upon his lands Only the labor of ot many man Indi Individuals working under organization and discipline could make the canals or distribute the vaters aters A small farm unit wa was wae chosen choRen not because men were less lesa greedy gr for Cor land than In nIl all new countries but It was quickly seen that the thu extent of pf the tho water supply wa waft vais the measure of oC pro production and their ability to provide this waa aa small mali Diversified farming arming I ne of or the tho leading causes of cC the th even pro df dt Mormon agriculture was vas resorted to because the Territory was tree so tar far re removed reo removed moved from other tint thet th t It was to become absolutely The Tho small sinai farm irni unit nado near neighbors neighbor unit and this advantage taRe loge was still more enhanced by as Re rambling till the tanners farmers homes hOmell In con can convenient village centers One reason for Cor adopting this plan in the first Or t place was doubtless 11 for tor protection against the tho th Indians but It has become n a per permanent manent feature which Is i still Mill adhered to In making new ness ne settlements because most niost mo t satisfactory to the social Instinct The construction of o Irrigation works v N by b corporate capital as RS a natural It If not Inevitable evolution There earns camo camoa a n time In the districts first settled when the Iho opportunities to divert water cheaply had largely been utilized and when the expenditure required was be beyond beyond beyond yond the means of oC either cither the tue Individual or the tho corporation of ot many Individuals In this country corporations have hae so far ns OB construction Is concerned taken the tho place of governmental agencies In other lands Practically nil all au of ot the tho larger antI and costlier works built wl within the last lait two decades have been of or this character ehn Iven en In Utah cooperation was not sufficient to reclaim all of ot Salt Lake valley For forty Corl fert years the table land hand north of or tho the lake Inke one of the largest and best tracts tract ot or irritable irrigable land In the tho valley aile remained unoccupied while tho the sons of the tho pioneers wove were compelled comp to 10 seek feck homes In liv the surrounding states To reclaim this land hand a canal hi lied d to be carried for tor three miles along at the pre sides of oC Hour Bear River Kler canyon rann How flow of oC the rive had to be con controlled trolled by b an extensive dam lam and anel the Malad river twice bridged ell ly Iy long Ion and hish and 1111 tIm the outlay required VIP vio more than home homo seekers could provide pro le The creation nf f oomph complications rations came with the tho bull of or cor norato canals to 10 thi It hail been the Iho rub nil for fot tion lIo o who built hullt ditch ditches es Cs 11 to own this the land tb th hint v w Iter d and there we little as to whether r the right to wafer went vent with the or with the land hand because the ownership of or both was united ll In the paIne mine person But Dut when were vere organized or to distribute te water wlter for others to Irrigate with ani to derive a are revenue re nue from water rentals there arose lh the as to who was wall tho the owner of oC the right to the water divert diverted ed edthe the company transporting tile the water or lr th the farmer who used It The laws of or nearly nil all tho the western we tern states s mke the h owner Hie te appropriator This Ins hs rated Created a divided ownership I of ot land hand and water and many man canal companies have hare framed tramell contract on the theory of or ownership OBJECTIONS OBJECTION TO CORPORATE CANALS Having dealt with the benefits de lIe derived derivet rived rivet from tram corporate Investments In Ir Irrigation irrigation works work It U III i now proper to point out their defects Tho Thio most west so se rious one Is I that nearly all large can canals canale ale als have been bc n losing Investments nt Tho The record of thOse these losses Is so stupendous that it Jt Is U reluctantly referred to A single enterprise In one of the les ies represents to lie Its projectors n a loss los loso of o over oyer The Bear Dear flyer JUver ran can canal al nl In Utah which cost Over or a n million dollars was as recently sold Hold under n a Judg ment meat for about of ot this thi sum A single canal In California represents ft tL loss los to Its builders of at over Ocr Three These are not Isolated cases The rho reasons for failure should be more generally understood The tel fol lowing loving are the most Importing 1 The necessarily long delay dela In se so I curing settlers for tor the land to be Irrl gated gatell Ant and In paying custom customers ers era for Cor the tho water tobe to tob be furnished 2 The large lar e outlay and reverts years year enra of oC unprofitable labor required as Os n rJ ni rule rut 1 to put wild land In condi condl tion for tor cultivation Settlers of at urn lim means can not meet this outlay V end and In addition pay pa water rentals rental of the settlers settlors on en arid orld tirS men of limited means hence cam companies have hn at the outset to fur furnish furnish ur nish water at nt small cost coat or furnish to ton toa n a small number of m 1 t The unsuitability of ot the tile public land Ian laws to Irrigation n 4 The Tho acquirement of the this land lands II to tobe tobe tobe I be reclaimed In many Instances canals are competed by or holler holders who would do for Cor their Improvement 5 6 I Expenses of oC litigation Exper Experience trace lence has hal shown that In the estimates e of cost of oC a large canal provision should be ho made for tor a n large lafle and outlay for tor litigation It bs be b begins gins with the adjudication of at he the stream str nm and Is protracted through the theU U controversies over oyer water wat 1 rights Tm APPEARANCE AIl AND AiD ES OP Oh ARID The climate of or the western west fn half 1 1 of ot the United States takes Its chef charac characteristic front from Its aridity or dryness Tho Thu heat of ot Its southern summers and the cold of ot Its northern winters are alike tempered and mitigated by lack ot of humidity Neither tho the humid heat which prostrates nor the tile humid cold coil which penetrates to the marrow murrow Is known In the tho arid region The west Welt western ern era mountains and valleys alleys are a recognized natural sanitarium where thou thousands thousands thousands sands of ot Invalids are sent each year yeu yearby yearby by physicians to regain their health The dominant feature In the th physical appearance of or the arid regions is Its mountain topography On every hand handa a rugged horizon meets the view From north to south from Canada to Mexico co the Rocky Hock Mountain range makes the backbone of the continent Along Alon the Pacific coast the Sierra Nevada Neada and Cascade ranges lift their barriers to intercept the moisture and anti condense It Into luto snow Between these two prin principal u cla cipal chains chain with their connecting ranges range and outlying spurs are aro many minor systems so that the whole coun country country Country try Is Ig a I succession of mountains and valleys of ot forests forest and deserts of rag ing torrents and sinuous rivers winding to their sinks upon the plains or mak making makIng ing lag their difficult way to the he distant ocean The far west Is Ig thus a I land of o othe the this greatest scenic beauties and widely i celebrated as ass such lIuch The cultivable lands lie In the val viii valleys nl bye leys rising rl with gradual slope III ope on either side of ot the thc streams to meet the foothills Narrowing to the moun mountains tame these theRe valleys alleys widen as the river loses grade and approaches the sea or orits orIts orits its confluence with a larger stream There are ore valleys which will date hundreds others thousands or tens of ot thousands and a n few tell like the Sac Sacramento Sacramento In California where millions ns may dwell dw lI lIIn In the eastern portion of ot the arid re cc region reo gion Ion and In high altitudes farther west cst the land Is covered with nutritious natural grasses which furnish Ideal Ital l range ran o for Cor livestock nut But too the characteristic badge of oC the region Is the tho sagebrush This Thill brave brae plant of at atthe the tho desert dellert Is commonly held In derl flon Ilon by b those who behold It for tor the first time anti and until they learn to know It as all the shelter and dependence of range live tock stock when the terrible blizzard sweeps from the north and aa as It th sure lIure of ot good soil and the humble prophet of ot the th field orchard and garden Thus Thul It happen happens that to the th casual traveler the appearance of oC the tho region Is forbidding It Is only In localities where tho the work of ot recline tiers has been In progress prepress long enough to permit tho the growth groth of ot trees with farms and homes that the value of the soil Mil end and nd climate can be appreciated There art or am such lIuch Instances In all aU the seventeen sev ev enteen sTd territories of ot the far tar f I thA I h 6 V C n Salt River Volley VAile of ot Arizona Here the traveler after a I lonG lone anti and tiresome Journey through h waste fin himself suddenly tenly confronted with Mth homes rivaling In ta taste te and ond luxury those of or calera flutes and with Ith or cc orchards thirds chords and gardens which resemble more the gurns n of at Prance France and Italy Itah than A o creation of ot the last lut twenty years eRrs The writer then next describe the mineral mineraI wealth of oC the arid region and Its other sources of ot permanent pros prosperity the pr present ent and future of ot Irrl Irrigation gallon gation the tho growth of Irrigation and need of ot better laws the need Med of ot re rr reform form In the management of ark arid pub Jub lie Ill land how that the homestead law Is not adapted to 10 Recur the settlement of oC the arid orld regions sail and that the desert de ert land law was vas thevIs d 4 to Promote the Investment of ot capital rather than lien to encourage settlement ment Other topics tiN are the lie Carey Care n tiN att which rives Riven to each Mh state the right to segregate Io acres of ef land And to control both Its reclamation and anti to t the Influence ot of range rAe industries In the uncertainty cerl nty ns as to state and federal jurisdiction In the control of ot and complications complication from lack laek of uniform uni I law lairs Isn Is Th n to walle tamil u be 1 recognized In the tho arid land Is the tho right of use IUd and even cven this must be restrict restricted od ed to lo beneficial And economical use ulle useIn usein In order that the water supply may servo the lie needs of the largest t possible number Ownership of ot water should be vested d not nol In companies or Individuals individuals duals but In the this land Itself When this principle Is adopted the control of tho the water willer b U divided precisely like the land among a multitude of or pro proprietors Reservoirs and canals are arc then ihen like the streets of at tho the town sen serving ing a public purpose and permitting ready access to private property on os 01 ev cv every e ery cry hand Water monopoly Is ImpossIble ImpossIble Ible under this method and no other abuse Is encouraged by b It PUBLIC SUPERVISION AND CON CONTROL CO CONTROl OF IRRIGATION The entire discussion leads up to one ona Inevitable conclusion lon This Is la that Irrigation over and above nil all other In Industries Is a matter demanding pub He lie supervision and control Every drop ot or water entering the head gate and every drop escaping at the end of o othe the canal Is a matter of ot public concern The public must determine through constitutions and statutes the nature of ot water ownership The public must establish means for tor the measurement of ot streams and for tor ascertaining how much water may be taken token for tor each acre of at land under the principle of ot beneficial use The public must mu t see that justice Is done In the distribution of or water wat r among amon those who vho have pro properly property properly perly perty established their rightful claims to It We have thoroughly tried tho the methods of ot leaving all al this to private I Initiative and management and along I with magnificent material progress we wo have havo reaped a large crop of ot deplorable I financial results The national government alone can make the best and broadest study of or orthe the various economic questions related related related ed to Ue tte development of at agriculture al on arid lands This Thin Includes not only the themen measurement of oC streams and sur aur survey vey ey of ot reservoir sites but also a neon con consideration consideration of practical methods of ot ap all a plying water to thc thA soil and of ot social Facial pad Ind Industrial Institutions Institution adapted to the environment of ot o tho the Arid region The nation |