The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-27
RECLAIMING AN EMPIRE
TREMENDOUS IRRIGATION WORK
IN MONTANA
Canals Begun or In Contemplation
Which Shall Bring Under CuItiya-
ton 100000 Acres of the Finest
Land Out of Doors--AII of the
Work Done for Settlers.

Livingston, Mont, Special to N. Y. Sun.
Steps have begun here that involve
the expenditure of about $4,000, 900 and
the reclamation of 100000 acres Of
arid lands, every acre of which must,
under the agreement, be settled by
farmers in tracts of not to exceed 100
acres and probably averaging far less
Under the provision of the Carey act
appropriating without charge 1000. 900
acres Of government land to states that
will improve that land by bitches for
irrigation, work begins next month on
100000 ditch near this CITY. It will
follow what is known as the second
bench of the Yellowstone and will ex-
tend twenty-five miles. A total of Is
eOO acres will be laid under the water.
of which 10000 belong to the Northern
Pacific road, the rest to the govern
ment and individuals The canal will
be nifty miles long, and will be very
large affair, twenty feet wide at the bot
tom ana deep enough to furnish plen-
" OF water at all times for the irriga-
ton Of the %, 1000 acres of now value
lass land. With this canal started.
the state is to commence another near
Big Timber, in Sweet Grass county.
where another $780, 900 is to be spent,
and canal forty-five miles long, TO
carry $4,000 miners inches of water
Will be constructed. 1t will irrigate
10000 acres, also on one of the Yellow
stone benches, and of land as rich as
any in the state.
Besides these two enterprises others
are planned to make use of the entire
100000 acres granted by the general
government, at an average estimated
cost per acre of So. The funds for this
magnificent improvement, which is ex-
pected to add 10000 farmers and their
families to the population of the state,
Will be derived from the sale of irriga-
ton bonds that are to be q first lien on
the works constructed and the lands
under them and are also to be guaran-
tced by the state. Bonds for the first
canal will be negotiated by the success
full contractors, who anticipate no
trouble in disposing of them. The
Northern Pacific road will pay in cash
for the irrigation work touching lands
belonging to 1t.
There are no engineering difficulties
in either canal so far planned, except
a tunnel 1900 feet long in No. | and
great siphons under two small rivers
in No. 2. Canal No. will probably be
in Custer county and No. 4 in the fruit
region in the northwestern part of the
state. Another has for its field the Bit
fertile area lies outdoors. Still another,
and the most important Of all, contem-
plates laying the entire Sun River val
ley, from the foothills Of the main
Rockies to Great falls, under the water.
at a cost of about $4,000, 900, reclaiming
1885, GOO acres of rich land. On this great
proposition the arid land commission
Will act early in the spring
1t is not the object Of the state to make
any profit out of these" lands. The ground
having been given by the general govern
ment the state charges up only the actual
cost of the irrigation work. plus 20 per cent,
and sells the lands at this price. This will
make an average price for these lands of
about $12 per acre. which is very high for
unimproved lands in the far West. But for
this SO per acre the settler gets not only
land, but perpetual right to as much water
he can use, and without further expense
of any kind, and he has the water delivered
at his door the moment he takes possession.
Nowhere in the world are irrigated lands
suitable for the raising of all crops of
temperate climate, to be had for any such
price $12 an acre.
The conditions for successful agriculture
are not so favorable anywhere, even in the
West and high-priced lands in Eastern states
are not to be thought of in comparison. Any
fruits that will grow in Michigan will flour
lSh In Montana, whose winters are shorter
than Mich1gan's or Ohio's All vegetab les
and grains of a temperate cline flourish and
there can be no crop failure from drought
WITH an ample supply Of water and a per-
lecC system Oh denVery. Three crops per
year of alfalfa can be raised and stock can
be ranged free nine months in the year in
the uplands above the water benches
=, big object lesson In irrigation, perhaps
the most IMPORTANT far in the United
States, is now being completed by the general
government at Crow Creek Indian reserva-
ton, in Eastern Montana, south of this city,
where the tide of the Big Horn is being
diverted for the use Of the Indians A ditch
forty-fve miles long. skirting the valley and
inclosing about 100000 acres, is now nearly
completed. 1t is costing about $500 co., This
the others being less important but covering
about 100 miles Of bitches. A tenth, to re-
claim 100000 acres more. is yet to be built
With its completion every Individual in the
Crow nation, man, woman and child, will