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Show making investigation of the matter and in the suooessful pmsecntiog of violators of the timber law. IRRIGATION. Navajo Remtion, Arizona and New Hexic0.-A report on the progress of irrigatbn work on the Navajo Reservation since July 1,1896, was rendered September 6, 1897, by George Butler, superintendent of irri-gation on that reservation. It may be summarized as follows: The Carriso Creek Ditch, named for the creek from which it diverts water, is situated about 70 miles to the north of the Navajo Agency; total cost, $1,133.73. The amouut of arable lands reclaimed by it is about 300 acres. The Wheatfield Ditch is about 40 miles northward from the agency. It draws its supply of water from Wheatfield Creek, is 3 miles long, and covera about 500 acres of fine farming land lying on the north side of this creek. It coat about $2,500. The agency ditch, diverting water from Bonito Creek, at a point about a quarter of a mile above the Navajo Agency, was begun last spring and completed in August last, at an expense of about $3,600. It will irrigate at least 150 acres of land, and with judicious mauage-ment the acreage can probably be materially increased. Its construo-tiou presented greater difticnlties than that of the other ditches, but the disproportionate expense may be considered fully warrauted by the protection afforded the agency in case of fire, and by the provision thus made for irrigating agency and school gardens as well as adjacent Indian lands. Water was turned into this ditch at the earliest possi-ble moment, and was used on this year's crop while the work was still in progress. August 17 last, work wis begun on Cottonwood Creek, and it was expected that the ditch would be finished and ready for delivery to the agent about the end of September, 1897. The next work is to be the repairing and completing of work begun by the preceding superin-. tendeut of irrigation in the Red Lake country-diversion of the water from Black Creek into the Red Lake reservoir for storage and its appli-cation to the land lying under the reservoir site. Superintendent Butler has been engaged thus far in repairing, modi-fying, and improving, as far as practicable, ditches previously oon-structed, some of which seem to have been unskillfully coustrueted, and others to have fallen into disrepair. He has employed Navajo Indians, who have proved apt and interested pupils, learning rapidly and showing no small degree of intelligence and skill in the perform-ance of snch labor. Understanding that the appropriation for irriga-tion on Indian reservations is to give the Indian8 manual training as well as employment, and to furnish them with improvements which will form a great factor in their ultimate support and self-maintenance he has employed Indians in every position possible, reducing white labor to the minimum. |
