The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1894-04-07
IRRIGATION FRCTS.
ROW Things are Managed in the Eastern Part
thirty and Forty Thousand Dollar Canals
What Set;iess can do.

EDITOR CALDWELL TRIBUNE: AS
the subject Of irrigation is one Of un-
questioned Importance to the arid re-
glOnS of the great west and Of late oc-
cupylng the attention Of people in yarl-
Gus parts OF our state. | offer few
items OF information regarding the set
tiers in this section as relates to the
subject of water Preston is located on
beautiful plain, formerly covered
with thrifty growth Of bunch grass,
and was a good pasture for stock. Ten
years ago there were but few families
here and now we have about l7o with
fairly good homes and piece OF ground
upon which to produce grain, hay, vege-
tables and small fruit. We have plenty
of land but not enough of water. Our
present supply is drawn from the
mountain streams Of Cub river and
Worm creek, through canal bearing
the name of both streams. The capt.
tai employed in it's construction was
almost entirely bone and sineW. The
settlers labOred under serious dlSadvan-
tages, especially the first three years.
They would work a portion of their
time on the canal, and then being short
of provisions and horse feed, would
seek employment elsewhere to obtain
support for themselves and families,
raising also what little they could by
dry farming The construction of the
canal occupied about five years, and is
estimated to have cost thirty thousand
dollars 1t is ten feet wide in the bot
tom and twenty inches deep, and it's
length from the head to the terminus
about fifteen miles. Each share is
$1,000 and allows of 4 hours watering
in even turns to parties owning stock
in the ditch The amount Of land
which can be irrigated in the time al
lotted to each share depends upon the
lay and quality Of the ground and the
size of the stream, the volume of water
varying according to the season, regu-
lated principally by the amount of
snow in the mountains. From the
same streams, Cub river and Worm
creek are taken canals which irrigate
the towns and farming lands of Whit
portion of Franklin. Another enter
prise in this line, now in course OF
construction, by the people of River
dale, Preston and portion of Fair
view, if known as the Preston, River
dale. and Mink Creek Canal. The
company was organized in 1889, con-
sisting of five directors from which is
chosen president and secretary. The
only officers of the company, expecting
that every man who takes stock is
treasurer and his capital consists of
horse flesh, plOWs, scrapers, picks, shov-
els, drills, sledges and human muscle,
backed up by energy and pluck. The
water of this canal is to be taken from
Mink creek, and to the top of the ridge
bOdering the farms of Preston is about
II miles by the meandering course of
the canal. The width of the ditch is ten
feet in the bottom and two feet deep
and with good fall will carry very
respectable stream. The probable cost
is fifty thousand dollars. Much of the
work is through lodges of rock and re-
'quires blasting. The manner of con-
Quoting the work is as follows: Any
one desiring stock in the canal applies
to the directors and obtains work,
either single handed or with team, by
contract or by days work, to suit the
individual. If by contract, he is al
lowed so much rod according to the
nature of the ground his contract COW
ers, ranging all the way from $500 to
$4,000. If by the day, man and team
$500, single hands $500 each in ordi
nary shovel work and $3.50 in rock
work where drilling and blasting has
to be done. Those who have done con-
siderable work ON the canal and have
more water right than they will need.
offer it at present for so cents on the
dollar. The canal is now about two
thirds finished. and by united effort
it is thought could be completed this
year. but owing to the straitened con-
ditions in which the people are placed
financially, this is not likely to be the
case the present year. The kind of
pay allowed for the work is simply
canal stock. The plan described above
in building canals simply by the CO.
operation of labor can hardly be ex-
pected to meet the necessities of some
very large projects now under consider
alton in southern Idaho, the cost of
which will aggregate hundreds of
thousands of dollars. We have in
Oneida county alone many thousand
acres Of good land and the subject of
bringing it under cultivation by irriga-
ton may furnish items for a future ar
ticle.
Very Respectfully,
NJ. F. CowLEY.
Preston, Oneida Co. Idaho, April 5, 1894.
SIS REWARD.