The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-02-15
DARK FOR PARK Plan
Representative Wilson Opposes
ShoshOne Falls Project.
CONFIDENT OF SUCCESS
VAST TRACT WOULD BE RE-
CLAIMED BY IRRIGATION.
Special to The Herald

Washington, D. c., Feb. Ex-senator
Shoup and Representative Wilson mad a
conference today with the commissioners
of the general land office regarding the
restoration of lands within the propossd
Shoshone Falls national park 10 public
entry. They We're informed bv the com
missioner that he was in receipt of letters
. LIOLn government agents in Idaho favor
ing the restCFatiC n, which with one of his
own IN IaVor of restoration, he has re-
teTIeu 70 the secretary of the interior
. Representative Wilson is confident nj
IaNoraRle action by the secretary.
NJ A, Meyendorff, special agent of the
55C5IeldI Idnd once, with headquarters in
bQiSe speaks with enthusiasm of the nos
SlDihueS OF the SEOshOne land tract
Wnlch VIII probably be thrown omen ~
SsSIlenent' according to the Boise Capital
The tract contains about fourteen town
SS1iipS OF land and surrounds the great
S9hoshone falls, the Twin falls and tins
Blue lakes, in southern Idaho. 1t is now
PROBABLE that the state of Idaho will get
possession of this land. and under the
LdISy oct companies VIII be authorized
20 bulid irrigation canals Thus a few
years may see this barren plain converted
into garden spot.
Vast Tract May Be Reclaimed.
With the governor of Idaho's communi-
CdIlOn 10 the general land office was in
Guided plats and notes of the ,,roToee7
canal made by State Engineer koSt In
TINS communication it was expIained thar
II the project was carried out 30 OQl acres
OF land would be reclaimed in Cassfa
county and 5000 acres in TincoIn conntv
ms area, OF forty miles IL length and en-
miles IN Width, would embrace me sectiOn
capable of being watered
Agent MeyendCTff during his official trim
Went down the Snake river from the DOsut
OF the diversion for the proposed canal,
ana found the fall Of the river fer the
twenty-five miles down the western
boundary of the proposed park to be
ABOUT yiO feet, and the average fall of
land all sioped ten feet TO the mile
Soil is Fertile.
In going several miles into the interior
ne FOUND the general slope the same. the
eOrl iree from groupings of lava and sus-
the agent speaks of the difficulty of
itdEeIhg twenty-five miles through six
IiIcHeS OF Dust to view the park and saws
the ohOSnOne and Twin fails will continue
70 roar ana tumble unseen unless rail
roads are built to take travellers in there
Inc SlghISeer now has to make the Jour
n6y from ShOShOne station tWentV-fiVe
miles, through a sagebrUsh desert, TO
reach the Blue lakes FIVE miles more IA
Shoshone falls, and two miles further to
Twin falls "
During the last few years there has not
been over , per cent of the citizens of
ShOShOne and other accessible towns thar
have visited ShOshone falls. and sfiI1 less
the Twin falls.
The primary object of the creation of 4.
hauonal park IS to preserve the natural
attractions from vandalism - saws Mr.
MeyendOrh. Here the few attractions
G. nSlS ing CT ShOShOne and Twin falls the
Blue lakes and the Devils Corral are
permanent and indeStructibIe The only
danger is the diVerting OF the INN r
Snake river into artificial channels, but
this can not be prevented by the creation
Of national park"