Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1898-04-01
UTAH CANAL SCHEMES.
Agricultural Interests Promise to Succeed
tho Silver Mining Industry as an I'm
petus to Prosperity.

III the ara west may find much to in
terest him in the situation of Utah
The study is the more interesting be-
cause it illustrates a transition state
the change of investment and develop
ment interests from silver mining to
irrigation and agriculture.
In contrast with the disasters that
have come to the silver mining camps
is the great activity in irrigation and
colonizing enterprises and in the gold
fields. There has never been a period
in the history of the state when such
large investments in Industrial and
land undertakings We're assured; the
percentage of delinquent taxes just re-
ported were never smaller, and credits
are rated on a better basis than at any
time since 1898
Foremost among the new ventures
are the beet-sugar factories. Their
promotion has been stimulated largely
by the success Of the factory at Lehi,
forty miles from Salt Lake City The
Lehi people have demonstrated the
adaptability Of Utah's soil and the val
lie Of the irrigation system for the SUI
gar beet and have operated at a pro
fit for seven years. Encouraged by
their experience the people of Ogden
have raised funds and let contracts for
plant that will cost close TO 100000.
Negotiations also have been closed
with Chicago and New York capitalists
who have contracted to build a $780,
600 factory for the Mount Nebo Irriga-
ton Company, seventy-five miles south
west of Salt Lake City Both of these
plants are to be finished in time for the
manufacture of sugar next fall. Be +
sides the new capital required for |
these two plants, their operation means |
much to the agricultural communities
in their vicinity Each factory will re-
quire annually the beet product of
about 5000 acres of land. The Lehi
reports show an average annual profit
to the farmer of $14.75 an acre for a
period Of five years. On this basis,
which is regarded as conservative, the
two plants should furnish profitable de-
velopment of 10000 acres of land hith-
ertO uncultivated, with an additional
income to the farmers of the state
amounting to at least $15OO00 annual
ly.
Still another illustration Of the states
financial condition is to be found in
the readiness with which eastern CAPT
tai is taking hold of irrigation projects.
Until last year it was difficult to handle
large reservoir enterprises for the re-
clamatiOn of arid lands because there
was no way by which owners of water
rights could be secured control of the
land to be irrigated except by absolute ;
purchase of the land. Now that the :
Carey act has been accepted by the /.
state, however, 100000 acres is avail
able for selection by the state, which 7
may contract for the reclamation of the
lands, making the annual water rentals
q hn
By authority of the Carey act and the
coordinate state law, Philadelphia and
London capitalists have contracted I
with Utah, agreeing to construct a res
ervoir storage and irrigation system for
the irrigation of 216,000 acres of descent II
land in Juan and Willard counties The h
system will require the construction of n
main canals ten feet deep thirty feet il
wide at the bottom and fifty feet wide 8
at the top, with distributing laterals
aggregating a total length of $50 miles. Il
To supply water for these canals in the y
summer season three large reservoirs
will be needed. In these will be stored
he winter flow Of the Sewer river,
arge stream having its source near
he Arizona boundary, and discharging OF
n the desert of Willard county, where
t disappears. q,
This enterprise is notable in more \,
Kings than in size. 1t will open up a 81
arge area Of land at prices that will in
invite immigration. For years the
mount of land in Utah that could be
cached with water has heep con.p para in
lively small. High prices have been
he rule because of the pressure of nj
opllation on the irrigable land along
he streams. 1t is not unusual for land of
days ride from the railroad to bring
rs to 800 an acre, with a good water tb
ight, though land close by, without an
-ater, is not worth the cost of an alb TO,
tract of title. This scarcity of irriga-
lie tracts has been due to the lack OF
lpital for the construction of reser-
Oirs. The Mormon people early set
ed on most Of the land that could be thu
rigated from natural sources and so st,
cquired water rights that could not ala
2 infringed upon by later settlers. RAJ
18th the Introduction of reservoir sys- pa
ms this pressure for hOmesteads will III
, met and extensive regions opened to niZ
ttlers on a basis of mutual profit to an
e cOlonist and the owner of water. bra
AS an example of this fact the Mil ilo'
I'd county lands controlled by the M u.
tie will be sold at 81 an acre. one uis
urth payable in cash and the balance ue0
three years without interest. The az"
tier company contracts to furnish Il So So
rma Gent water right at SO an acre lrs
twenty-years time. with an annual pro
arge for maintenance and repair of ~
nails amounting to $3.50 an acre for ma
; first five years, $1.25 for the next .el
e years, and 81 a year thereafter. lec'
e total acreage to be reclaimed in app
s tract, it is estimated, will furnish
mes for 5000 families. figuring on A.
Utah average of twenV-seyen the
'es to the family. Rla1