Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-05-30
CoNrEnRLArkD ExFERPDlsK
4 Rlan - ReelasD the Ara AAo1a
~ Snake RlveR.

1t - SAID thae COiOnei OoOFgo v
Bryan Is at work upon plan TO re-
claim the arid lands upon the banks |
Of Snake river, and that be bss been
in correspondence with several mem-
bers of Congress. in furthersnce Of
his scheme, which consists Of an At
tempt TO irngate the whole valley
upon the railroad plan Of alternate
sections 70 the government, and the
corporation that shall undertake and
accomplish the work. Besides turn
ing the water from its channel ont
upon the prairie tho company IL TO-
pay $1.25 per acre for al the land
they may take while the balance shall
belong to the government TO dispose
of Is it may deem most proper. The
proposition is that the corporation
shall own the bitches while the gov
eminent shall afix . maximum price
upon both its lend and water tolls, ~
we'll as its domain. The Colonel
wants Congressional committee ap-
pointed to investigate and report
He feels very confident that he could
enlist all the needed capital in New
York, Boston and other Eastern cities
to engage in the enterprise provided
he shall be able to secure friendly
Legislation at home and in Washing
ton.
The Democrat is neither opposing
nor favoring this stupendous scheme
Possibly the proposed company NIGH
content itself with owning alternats
sections of land and disposing OF wa
ter by inches for the prices stipu
lated in . bill passed by Congress
but it will be found difficult to max
we'll informed persons believe il
d They will rather believe that the sup
! Elementary efforts of the compan.,
would be aimed in the direction Q
o procuring the remaining sections
:, This might be accomplished by bid
$ ding it in at public sale, if cne shoul
d bc provided for, as it probably woul
j be. for such has been the case wit
e all high priced lands, or the proce'
y of hiring pre-emptors or Homestead
J. ers might be resorted to If necessar..
'e There are billions of dollars worth I
s. gold in the bars of the Snake riv'
to and beneath the bed of the strear
s. IL the bedrock were reached it is b
se lieved the wealth it would devele
IN would prove to be enormous. Fe
er lowing its meanderings it courses 81
to miles in this State. In many plac
n its banks are SO rich 10 the Aurifero
n metal that men have made very fl
~ wages with the simple process OF
ne rocker. To believe that any compa
n formed would, under such circul
h stances, be satisfied with the ava
ry of lands sold to settlers and the wal
'er sold, is an absurdity. 1t looks We
to much as if the enterprise as aspresent'
1t covered up a stupendous mini
is scheme. The Democrat does 1
lat mean to be understood as chargi
wn that such uses of the lands and wa
'ue would be improper or detrimental
aid the interests of the State. That
CT matter not yet fully considered. t
di- it would prove the greatest min
md scheme ever conceived and execu
to by man goes without saying.
&C. history of the world fail to affor
lay parallel. When It is considered I
in in many places the bottoms are thl
ess, miles from bluff to bluff, the
and amount Of water to be turned, the
am my of men required to do the n
red ing and those to whom it would I
use. erwise give employment, one beco
OPP dazed in view of the vastness of
ZION undertaking. And it would not
'on- the work of one, Eve or ten ys
ight but at least of half century. L
y OF the gold in the Snake valley coul
Iind added to the circulation of the "
nee, it would at once change the ratis
'ree. value between gold and silver,
and cause an immediate advance in
market price of all kinds of prop