The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-02-06
ARID LAND BILL
MAY BE PASSED
Chances Bright for the New.
lands Irrigation Measure.
KEARNS WORKS
FOR WALKER SITE
ShOup and Wilson Ask More
Money for Boise.
Special to The Hera1d.1

Especial to The Heraldl
Washington, Feb. 5.-After- years OF
failure, it looks as if a, bill for the
reclamation of the arid lands OF the
west might be passed by congress. The
western senators and representatives
have agreed on a plan of action which
they thiak viii be successful. Many
eastern congressman who have fought
such measures in the past say they
will vote for the bill.
Another conference Of the leading
senators and representatives Of the in
termOuntain and Pacific coast states
was held at the residence of Congress-
man Newlands for the purpose of con-
sldering the question of irrigation.
The Newlands irrigation bin was
I taken up and considered. 1t was the
unanimous opinion of all that the bill
| offered the only present solution of the
reclamation question and that il should
| be vigorously pushed during the pres
en- session.
1t was agreed that Senator Hans
| brough Of North Dakota should intro
| duce the Newlands bill in the senate
/ and this programme has been carried
/ out.
1t is now intended TO push this bill
| to passage, and if consideration is not
| secured in the house. to fasten It in
the shape OF an amendment to the SUM-
| dry civil appropriation bill.
| A meeting OF the public lands com
mittee Of the house viii be held We'd
! nesday to consider the Shafroth and
| Newlands bills and the irrigation COM
/ mittee is holding bi-weekly sessions on
/ tie Newlands bill.
The latter measure provides that the
proceeds from the sale of public lands
! in the arid land states shall go into a
| fund to he used for the building Of
/ reservoirs and irrigation bitches.
Kearns Talks for Walker Site.
Senator Kearns of Utah made his
! first visit to the White House this
morning in his official capacity. He
was accompanied by Representative
| King. who presented him to President
4 Mckinley.
The interview was brief. but Of a
! very. cordial nature on the part Of the
| president, who expressed himself as
! greatly pleased that the representation
/ of Utah IN the senate was now COM
/ plete.
II the presidents ante-room Senator
/ Kearns and Representative King en-
/ cOuntered Mr.. Mercer, chairman of the
/ house committee or public buildings,
/ and the trio talked a few moments in
! regard to the recent controversy over
the Salt Lake public building site
| Senator KearnS expressed himself
as being satisfied with the selection
made by the treasury" said Mr.. Mer-
| Ger, later in the day, ana added that
/ he would do all IN his power to secure
the additional appropriation for the
/ building itself as proposed by the bill
reported by the committee.
Representative Mercer, chairman of
/ the committee on public buildings and
| grounds today introduced a resolution
| in the house to set apart Feb IL for
consideration of the public building
/ bill the measure reported out from his
I
as the public building omnibus bill
I This resolution was referred to the
committee on rules It of course in
cludes the Salt Lake and Boise City
appropriation bills.
In speaking of the prospects for pas
sage of his omnibus bill, Representa-
tive Mercer said today
I have no doubt whatever that it
will be enacted into law without ma
teriaI change As to the paragraph re-
latfng to Salt Lake, / have not the
slightest doubt that that city VIII be
given an appropriation for a S5O0,00O
building The question regarding the
site which has so agitated citizens of
Salt Lake, seems to have simmefed
/ down. and the location accepted by
the treasury department is now pretty
generally conceded to have been a good
one. and upon this eventually there VIII
be erected a building commensurate
with the greatness and growing needs
Work for Boise Building.
Senator Shoup and Congressman
Wilson called at the treasury depart
ment today with the hope of securing
Z from the secretary of the treasury
special recommendation to the speaker
Of the house urging favorable action
l. on the proposed additional increase Of
S1OO zoe for the completion of the pub
| lie building at Boise, Ida There has
/ already been expended out of an ap-
preparation of 5000 900 for the erection
/ of this building $35.501, leaving a bal
ance of S164,49S. In July 1893, this
work was put upon the market and
five proposals received. In order TO
have accepted the lowest proposal 1t
would have been necessary to have
had S100.G COO more than the balance or
the appropriation. The conditions are
peculiar. in that it is understood that
it viii be necessary to eXpend 80 per
; cent of the appropriation for freight on
, materials entering into the work As
the city is somewhat remote from
large building centers, It is impossible
10 get the close figures or the excellent
: competition which is obtained in cities
, more favOrably situated as regards
building material As it is not known
Lthat as favorable a figure as that
above mentioned can now be obtained,
and as the next lowest bidder was
I more than $4,000 above the lowest
: bidder. it is not considered probable
that the DulQlUE can Dt tuioti tiL-ctA
I unless the limit of cost is increased TO
! $325.O00
The bill as reported to the house pro-
20 vides only $4,000 additional, and un-
3 less this can be increased, when the
/, bill is under consideration in the house,
{ Senator ShOup will introduce an
, amendment in the senate. hoping that
the desired amount may be obtained IN
! / this manner.
No Shoshone Falls Park.
Senator Shoup and Representative
D Wilson also visited the interior de
Z partment and conferred with the COM
: / missioner of the general land Office
r concerning the proposed establishment
i of a national park in the vicinity of
Shoshone Falls, Ida. After carefully
considering the reports OF special
1 agents of the department. who had in
! vestigated this matter. and in defer
1 ence to recommendations of Senator
: Shoup and Mr.. Wilson, the commits
sioner of the land Office gave them an
- assurance that he would recommend to
the secretary Of the interior that the