Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1889-07-09
A Map and Statement
Presented by Count Surveyor
Harrison to the Board Of County
Commissioners on Irrigation
In Custer-What we Have and
What we Need and how What
we Have could be Employed
TO SECURE WHAT WE NEED.

TO SECURE WHAT WE NEED.
The Information on the IrrigatIng Condi-
tions ir Custer Which will he Forwarded
to Washington.
The board OF county commissioner
met yesterday to hear the report Of
County Surveyor +. =. II. Harrison,
who, pursuant TO request made npon
the board by the senate committee on
irrigation for information as to Custer
county's irrigation needs, had been
directed by the board to frame a map
and statement ss to the positions aud
conditions Of the streams in the
county aud how they could be tappeo
and employed In lrrlgating their ada.
cent lands.
The map was SO drawn as to show
the cause aud position of the several
streams with the area Of land adjacent
to them which might be irrigated
from them, as well as the position and
the territory watered by all canals,
cOnduits and bitches in the county.
This map was supplemented by a
statement carefully prepared, terse
aud TO the point, which presents the
existing condition Of the lands Of the
county as regards their being watered,
and suggests what might be done in
the way OF securing effective irrigation
upon the arrable lands Of the county.
The statement l. given as follows:
OFFICE OF COUNTY SURVEYOR, !
MILES CITY, CUSTER Co., Mont.
July SIh, 1859,
To the Hon. The Board OF County
Commissioners Of Custer County:
Gentlemen:-In accordance with
your instruction Cf July lst, 1889, to
prepare map of Custer county show
ing the amount of valley lands at pres
ent under irrigation and also all lands
that can be br ought under irrigation
In this county, and also report show
ing the available amount OF water In
the various streams and all other data
pertaining to this subject. said map
and report to be used by the SENATOR
ial committee and asked for by them
In their letter Of June 18th, 1859, from
Mr.. Hinton, the engineer Of the COM
mittee, / submit herewith the map
and following report:
Custer county is watered by the Vel.
lowstone and its various tributaries OF
the Missouri rivers and Beaver creek.
As the Yellowstone is the largest
stream, covering the greatest amount
Of valley land, will name it, as be.
ing the most desirable for government
aid in the construction of a system Of
irrigating canals. The valleys Of the
Yellowstone are ordinarily from
twenty 10 fifty miles long and from
one to four miles wide. lying alter
nately on each side Of the river. The
soil Is generally sandy loan and
wherever irrigation has been tried
crops Of wheat, oats, barley, corn. po
tatoes, Alfalfa and all other sorts O
garden truck have been raised, thai
are not excelled by the production o
the famous and fertile valleys of ia,
GallatD, Madison and Jefferson.
The valleys of the Yellowstone IL
this county comprise about SSi,OOI
acres, all Of which could be irrigated
still leaving half its water in th,
stream. besides what would get bacl
to its stream from seepage and th,
waste bitches,
These have doY n population of on
thousand people and would II brough
under irrigation, soon support thlr.,
thousand.
The Yellowstone passes through
Custer county for distance Of tw
hundred miles and carries about 906,
600 cubic or miners inches OF water 8
It's ordinary stages, and during th
months Of May, June aud July, IN
time when water for irrigation is mo,
necessary, it, volume II increased full
one fourth.
A ditch or cannl has been take
from the river ON the north side oppo
site the mouth Of the Big Horu rive
TO cover what is known ~ the Pen,
Bottom. This ditch l. only partl
completed, but the results obtaine
have been most satisfactory. ThI
ditch could be so enlarged and con
structed That after covering the Peas
Bottom IL could be cgrrled around th
face Of the bluffs in fumes and be use
in watering the valleys below and o
the same side Of the river. These va
leys embrace about 100000 acres.
4 On the south side Of the river at
point below GUYS Bluf. canal conl
he constructed covering the large Va