Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1889-05-23

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and has been predicted BY many that
. great calamity would befall this
section the present year, owing to the
protracted drouth and the consequent
fall Of the river, calm survey of the
situation at present fails to show any
real cause for alarm. A few of the
settlers on aud near the Island will
doubtless be unable 70 procure water;
but this will be entirely due to their
bitches not being built 90 - to tap
the river At the proper points aud the
want of any system of combination
among them or any regulations what
ever in regard to water distribution.
The water when left in its natural
channel sinks rapidly. and in many
places the river is even now dry; but
when it is taken out in bitches it can
be carried any where and to any dis
lance with no perceptible loss. The
adoption here of such system Of
water distribution as that of Colo.
RADIO, for instance, would insure an
abundance of water, even during such
season a. the present one-if such
. one should ever again occur-for
ten times the population now here.
I we'll remember that as far back "a
1912 there were complaints Of
scarcity of water among the settlers
along the South Platte river, near
Denver, and the water of that stream
was considered to have been fully
appropriated and lawsuits over water.
rights we're becoming very common.
Now, ten times the amount OF land is
cultivated and twenty times the popu
lation are abundantly supplied, main.
Ily from the same source. Here, not
withstanding the fact that more watei
sinks away and disappears in the
gravelly channel of the river within
a distance of Eve miles than has eve
D been used IN the entire valley, man!
settlers will be without water to irri
d gate their crops. This scarcity, more
over, will be at places where the rive
y 10 past seasons has been scarcel..
Is fordable during the irrigsting season
. No, Lost River will not get sci
y. back ON account of the water ques
ton. The experience Of other local
8. ties will be repeated here. Me
r. claiming priority of appropriate
q will go on with the same wasteful an
expensive prsctises now i'll vogu'
There will be many lawsuits ov'
"a water.rights, and then it will be den
ou onstrated that under . sensible an
easily practicable system of distrib
ton there ia water enough for eve
OF acre of agricultural land in the vale
~ and land and resources enough he
to support population Of more TIL
ur 10000.
'g' During the past week we have h
'e' some fine rains and the growing Gro
:. have been greatly benefited tberet
49,. So at the worst there will be no ent
er- failure of crops, even where there
al no water for irrigation. The grass
growing finely and there is every
I'M, dication OF an abundant hay crop.
,et The farmers near Houston q
all above where there is no apprehens
OF q scarcity of water are putting
the largely-increased acreage and, W
tts' the whole, the present indications
'I =" that there will be as much or IN
produced on Lost River than e
,rse before.
SEES: There is now promise OF immedl
lure revival in the mining interests. S
..h. eral capitalists and experts are
hes, stopping at Houstos and are exam
vel. ing all the mining claims in
less neighborhood. They have pu
force OF men at work on the CT
aT' Prize mine and it seems prob
-. that q sale will soon be made OF
mily and several other well-known ola
low 1t is now confidently expected
ners. Houston will "come agsin" wi
's;s ' mining boom. II the sale is ma'
81. is the intention VI the parties
wing once start up the smelter and
riesy mence operations on large scale
~, .y Mr.. Temple, the special ager
, that the Land Department. IL here inv
l--s:.- ~o,<.sn s.po~n1 rifiAa IN