Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-12-03
The Sweetwater Ditch. |

AlA 1sOu8 tuGOu8u Su0 0ACAtoJu0ut
occasiuned by the artificial rainmaker's
experiments, the Sweetwater Irriga-
ton Company have said nothing but
kept on saving wood. They have not
been scared out by Dryenfort's bonn.
bardments or paralysed by Melbourne's
wizard spell, but believing that water
from any and all sources would be In
active demand always In this section,
they have kept industriously pegging
away at the rocky lodges along Sweet
water canyon, and 1t now seems that
they will be first In the field with q
water supply for irrigation purposes.
Jno. p. Vollmer and Jno. Denny, two
Of the principal projectors Of the plan,
piloted party Of Lewistonians, con-
sisting Of C. c. Bunnell, Chris Weis-
gerber, o. c. Bunnell, E. w. Eaves
and the TELLER representative, out
over the line Of the ditch Sunday last.
It was matter Of surprise aud interest
to see what had been done and what
could be done by means Of the pro-
posed plan. The ditch heads on the
west branch Of the Sweetwater, about
fifteen miles from Lewiston. The
head gate is laid In the level Of the
stream from which the company have
cooperative rights to use 1000 inches Of
the water supply. From the head the
ditch runs on = survey Of / Of an inch
to the rod, leading along the canyon on
the west side. It winds In and out
around the ravines, making in detour
nearly twenty miles before It reaches
the fats south OF Lewiston. Fully
three miles Of the ditch has been COM
pleled, and taking the obstructions to
be overcome into consideration, fully
one half of the dif{iculties are already
passed. Wster Is now running In
about two miles Of the ditch, and
watching the stream for few mom-
ents will convince the most skeptical
that an immense amount Of water will
pass through the ditch in twenty-four
hours. Still the ditch IL only running
half its carrying capacity. The ditch
itself is splendid piece Of engineering
skill and reflects great credit upon the
engineer, Mr.. Maxon. After cutting
less than three miles more the ditch
will be brought across the divide aud
will skirt along the hills above Tam
many till 1t comes out on the fats.
The company expects to come out to
reservoir with fully 500 inches Of water.
The ditch In spring aud early summer
can furnish easily double that am nunt.
The water will be put In Q storage
reservoir, located on the school section,
from which bitches will convey it to
the lands to be irrigated. Five hum
dred inches Of running water does not
mean much till you begin to make
estimates as to what effect It will have.
Using the California estimates for
lands under irrigation, one inch Of rum
ming water will irrigate ten acres. Five
thousand acres then can be irrigated by
the water running In this ditch under
Its present capacity, and this will be
increased from time to time till the
1000 inches are taken. A clear, spark.
ling stream, flowing through the fats
above, will be q big boom for the dry
ranches. 1t means prosperity and
plenty to many now struggling with
the adverses Of the dry seasons. The
cost Of the ditch, completed, IL esti'
mated at $12, 600, and the work will oil
be done in the coming summer