OTHER STREAMS.
A few smaller streams are also tributary to the Colorado and Green within the Territory of Utah, but they mostly flow in deep cañons, are often dry in some portion of their course during every year, have at best only a few acres of arable land anywhere along their courses, and have been omitted in this report.
The following table gives a summary of the facts relating to the flow of the several streams and the amount of arable and irrigable lands in the districts described above:
| Name of stream. | Estimated volume of flow during irrigating season. (Feet per second.) | Square miles of irrigable land. | Acres of irrigable land. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin River | — | 30 | 19,200 | |
| Kanab Creek | 15 | 2¹⁄₂ | 1,600 | |
| Paria River | 40 | 6 | 3,840 | |
| Escalante River | — | 6 | 3,840 | |
| Fremont River | 269 | 38 | 24,320 | |
| San Rafael River | 1,118 | 175 | 112,000 | |
| Price River | 189 | 11 | 7,040 | |
| Minnie Maud Creek | 16 | 3 | 1,920 | |
| Uinta River | 1,825 | 285 | 182,400 | |
| Ashley Fork | — | 25 | 16,000 | |
| Henrys Fork | — | 10 | 6,400 | |
| White River | 1,468 | 75 | 48,000 | |
| Browns Park | Green River | — | 10 | 6,400 |
| Below Split Mountain Cañon | 4,400 | 50 | 32,000 | |
| Gunnison Valley | — | 25 | 16,000 | |
| Grand River | 4,860 | 40 | 25,600 | |
| Total | — | 791¹⁄₂ | 506,560 | |
CHAPTER X.
LAND GRANTS IN AID OF INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
By Willis Drummond, Jr.
The land grant system in favor of internal improvements has become a well settled policy of this Government, and has attained not only a social but a political importance.
Like other American institutions its growth has been rapid, and donations of that character now cover millions of acres of the public domain. Of grants for railroads, wagon roads, and canals alone, however, will this chapter treat, and no reference other than necessary to a proper examination of the question will be made to concessions whose terms place the lands under specific disposal by the States, such as those for the establishment of schools, reclamation of swamp lands, etc.
The majority of grants, therefore, coming within our notice will be those in aid of railroads, though many have been made in favor of wagon roads and canals. The latter have, however, almost become things of the past, and are rapidly being superseded by the railway. More than one canal has given way to the more popular and general means of transportation, and it is safe to say that no further donations for canal purposes will be made, unless the circumstances should be such as to absolutely demand that means of conveyance. At any rate, they will not be made for purposes of general improvement.
The object of this chapter is to point out the origin, growth, character, and extent of these concessions. It is therefore necessary to inquire into the early donations for various purposes.