Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1899-12-29
TO FURTHER IRRIGATION PROJECT
Enthusiastic Meeting of Citizens Held
Wednesday Evening.

Wednesday Evening.
At public meeting in the Knights
OF Pythias hall Wednesday evening
the business men of Rathdrum took
their first step toward a fuftherance
Of the scheme proposed by the Spo-
kane Valley Irrigation company To IT.
rigate the contiguous prairie lands,
and Judging by the deep interest man
ifested in the project by those present
the move will result in much good.
The gathering, although very well
attended by the representative citi-
zens Of the town, was an imprOmptu
affair gotten up by few business men
who were DESTROYS of making a begin
ming In matter upon which much of
Rathdrum's future prosperity depends,
and was prompted by the presence in
town of the irrigation company S man.
ager and chief engineer.
DR.. Wcnz was elected chairman Of
the meeting, and the object of the
gathering was soon made known by
those who had invited the citizens to
assemble. Messrs. Benham and Nc
Intyre, manager and chief engineer,
respectively, of the irrigation COM
pany being present, were called upon
to explain the project upon which the
company had entered. The responses
brought forth the fact that the COM
pany had completed their surveying
and engineering, and were ready to
commence the ditch as soon as a sufIi-
cient number of landowners demon
strate their willingness to receive and
use water for irrigating purposes. 1t
was explained that the company had
prosecuted the work thus far upon
their ownresponsibility and that the
experimental stage had been passed
and they were now prepared to show
that the plan to irrigate either por-
ton or the whole prairie was entirely
feasible, Engineer Mcintyre explain
ed with a map showing the surveys
made, that four plans had been out
lined: the most expensive of these con-
templates bringing the water to the
highest point on the prairie, while the
other plans each contemplate the irri-
CATION of lesser scope of country, and
that IT would depend entirely upon
the landowners which plan is adopted.
After these explanations, further
interchange Of views crystalized in the
appointment of committee of six
whose duty it shall be to secure from
the irrigation company a statement in
writing, setting forth their plan to
furnish water for irrigatng purposes
ana what they expect in return. NJ.
y. Wright, Louis f.. Eilert, Joseph
Poirier, John G. Callahan, John Rus
sell and DIR. Frank Wcnz compose this
committee. When the committee have
agreed upon terms with the company.
general meeting of the farmers and
business men OF this locality is to be
called, and d. G. Corbin, president of
the company, will be present. At this
meeting plans are to be developed for
LANDOWNERS who desire to use water TO
enter into contracts with the company.
+ Several farmers were present at the
meeting Wednesday evening and all
seemed to look with favor upon the
project, prominent among them being
>. l.. Smith who seemed to be very en-
thusiasticand predicted great future
Tor Rathdrum and the tributary farm
ing country If the plan to irrigate sue
ceeded. Amid cheers Mr.. Smith Of
fered to deed the company one-half
his ranch for water to irrigate the
other half, and any right OF way need.
ed FOR the ditch he offered gratis.