The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-12-25
MIR. BRADFORD'S PLAN.

MIR. BRADEORD'S PLAN.
He Believes Countiss Can PrsvIde for
Irrigation systems.
To Tho Independent:
In The various Efforts made in the arid
regions to provide ths most convenisnt.
and therefore the most desirable. method
OF construction Of water ways for SUPPLY
Ing water TO farming lands and 10 ths in
habitanss Of nunis!Dalitiss. either state.
county. town. city or special irrigation dis
triots. no mention. 30 far % oan discover.
hos been made Of utilizing ths old political
view OF their nsnsss in many ways am
surprised at the omission. Take Mon.
tans county. for example. say Lewis and
Clarke. II contains, amcng others. the
priokly Fear valley, containing about ~
GOO acres Of farming lands. OF 1000 forty.
~... .a9s seea D's1ssc s1ass s:
city Of Helena possibly would return
sross revenue Of 100000. Considering
these points in oonnsction with the locate
q the cana! would propose. the addi-
tions! areas It would bring under oulttvs-
.sion' We powers Of the county n the prem
ises. and it, general probability, II ID. to
say she least, an exceedingly interesting
proposition.
y being new proposition. consequently.
nos havin1 been discussed, II is not im-
proper to detail 10 some extent its various
phases. X
ns:sss ;,en T. ,.,s:a II. sons.sn ion 9,
AZ water now appropriated. or that may
hereafter be appropriated for sale. rent.
distribution OF other beneficial use y
- we'll as tho sites for reservoirs
necessary Tor collecting and storing tho
same shall be held to BE- public uss." etc.
Recognizing its universal necessity a. an
element in ths production Of wealth from
vegetation. j. necessarily must and does
vost powers In tho people to bring into the
greatest general use. at tho least possible
cost and with the smallest possible friction
and most decidedly without the inssrven-
sion Of private water monopoly. such
constitution Of Montana. reads a. follows:
mo city. town. township OF school district
shall be allowed TO become indebted In any
manner or for any purp pose to any amount
including existing indsbte lness, In the ag-
RreGats exceeding thres per csntum Of the
** - Provided, however, that
the legislative assembly may extend tho
limit mentioned in this section by author
izing municipal corporations to submit the
question to vote Of the taxpayers affested
thereby whore suoh increase 10 necessary to
construct q sewerage system or to procure
. supply Ct water for such municipality.
ply and devote the revenues derived there
from to the pay ment Of the debt" A quss-
tion a. to the definition Of the term nauni.
cipal corporation may here arise. but, bas-
Ing my opinion apon decisions Of the
courts. the classification Of counties under
tions" and ths general tenor Of
tho constitution bearing upon the
subject. am inclined to believe
county il . municipal corporation and
has the power TO issue obligations Of debt
to an unlimited extent for tho eonstruc-
tion Of works to supply its inhabitants with
water.
The details Of such plan may bs worked
ont on numerous lines but. for the sake of
discussion. / suggest tho following outline:
The county BY proper authority issue the
necessary amount OF nonintsrest bearing
war ants for materials and labor, the war
rants to he issued In denominations Of
Eon-dsssruotiblo papsr and the law to pro-.
vide for the renewal of N Initiated warrants.
The construction OF canal beginning .
little below the junction of the Jefferson,
Madison and GAilatin rivers. raising the
waters to an elevation of 1880 feet by
with fall Of one foot per mile around the
Grow Creek valley down the Missouri river
TO Canyon Ferry. across Spokane creek aud
around tho upper side of the Priokly Pear
valley. At or near the dam construct q
branch to the Missouri valley crossing the
river near Toston and down tho upper limo
Of the valley to the end. The main canal
valleys would be sixty miles in length and,
If Of size sufficient to convey 1000 second
feet on 5000 miners inches OF water. IL
would cost with tho dam 81, ,0oo. .000.
The canal would supply 100000 sores of
splendid land. which. divided into forty
by the average siz~d families would contain
q population OF 10 600 farmers.
An annual wator rental of 50 per acre IAN
exceedingly reasonable charRe) would pro-
duce revenue Of $780, to which add
tho probable income from the city OF Hell
ena (S2o0 c0o) would bring the gross In
como cioso to $500 600. from which deduct
$780, 900 for maintenance. improvements
and operating expenses. and We have loft
10 per cent. net upon S2.00O,OOO or 70 per
cent. net upon the actual cost. As no bonds
a. issued there ia no interest charge. SO the
net income may be applied to the Tedomr-
tion OF certificates of debt other BY accept
ina such certificates ar warrants for taxes
and for water rentals or redeem them with
cash. Providing. however. that only 10 per
cent. OF the taxes OF any one individual or
corporation could bs paid with war; ants,
and for the cancellation of all warrants
when redeemed.
The question nigh. arise as to whether
these warrants wero money or cur
renoy and subject to the national tax
OF 10 per cent. The fact that they would
be nunto ed and issued consecutivsly and
q record kept Of dates Of issue, to whom
and for what purpose disbursed. and in all
ways treated as warrants. would. I submit.
establish their character. Warrants are
negotiabls-so are bonds-but they are not
taxed. In addition TO the beneficial results
of such canal construction. . good our
rency would be placed in circulation, trade
would be inviRoratsd. farmers would sell
their produce, and life. during these times
OF world wide depression. would be worth
living. DONALD BRADFoRD.
Helena, Dec. "a, 1893.