MsjurRichard J. Hmton, of tbe United^states geological survey, the engineer as^^signed to the committee, was seen last^evening by an iM'Hi.M'tM reporter and^asktd for bis impressious of the arid lands^of eastern Montans, and especially that^section comprising the great Yellowstone^valley. He secured a map of the region^and spoke interestingly a* follow*:
Ihave here a man and report forwarded^to the committee by the twiard of county^ommissioners of Custer county, and pre^^pared by the county surveyor. This may^be taken as a typical illustration of tbe^needs and prospective value of Irrigation^in your magnibcent eastern section.^Custer county, as you are aware, is watered^by the Yellowstone and it* tributaries:^fso by those of tbe Missouri^and tbe Little Missouri rivers^and Beaver creek. The valley*^of tbe Yellowstone a:^ among tbe most re^^markable within the dry area. These val-^ey* are ordinarily from twenty to fifty^miles long and from one to four miles wide.^The soil is a rich sandy loam, full of min^^eral elements, which when water is ap^died immensely increases in fertility.^\ here irrigat(on ha* baen tried these lands^eve proven of great productiveness. The^Yellowstone system alone gives 8X4 000^acres, all of which may be brought under^cultivation by meats of irrigation. In do^^ne this not over one-half ot the water sup^ply now available m i l be consumed. In^heae valleys to day I Sere are about 1,000^persons. I'ndi r a tuj system of irrigation^hev would readily support from 30.000 to^50.000 The Ieilows;^ne and lis tribute^ries pass through Custer county for a dis^^tance or loo miles. Its volume of water is^very large, carrying at ordinary stages^over 900.0 0 miner's inches^that is, a cubic^inch of water with a four inch pressure,^tinning at the rat. of one inch per second,^or pawing through an orifice about nine^gallons of water during that moment.^There are fifteen other streams within the^imits of Custer county, running at ordi^^nary reasons not less than 100 000 miner's^he*. It must be remembered that at the^peri.M ot auow-ni. ' ^- that Is the early^sunnier, the voluns-is greatly increased,^certainly not less Man nee fourth, the^^tal q'tautity of water carried by Cust. r^^un'y streams and available for irrigation^s not leas than 1.050.000 miner's inches.^There are at least :-.:,^^^ acres within^the border* of the county thr.t^^uld be placed under water if stor^^age basin* and (inches were low in ex^stence The total area irrigated by ditches^at present in operation is about IM.OnO acres^and the amount of water Med is about the^same number of inches. 