The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-11-29
GREATEST IRRIGATION
PROJECT IN COUNTRY
Salt Lake and Idaho Men Arrange With Eastern
Capitalist to Finance Reclamation Enterprise.
Land Affected Lies Along Snake Rver-Aea Onethd That of
the State of Rhode Island.

THE largest irrigation project in the
United States has received backing
OF such magnitude that its sue
cess is assured. This is the Twin Fails
Land & Wafer company which has an
enterprise involving the reclamation Of
zn,000 acres of land along the Snake
river in Idaho, an area One-third as
large as the state of Rhode Island.
While the final arrangements have
not been completed preliminary
agreement has been entered into where
by r. II. Buhi of Sharon, Pa, has
agreed to finance the project, pending
an investigation of titles and the COM
pletion of surveys, to make sure that
everything is in .first-class shape. Mr.
Bull is an old associate Of p. L. KIM
berley and is already heavily interested
In Utah iron. Granted that the deal
goes through. an investment of 81 ,500.
600 will be made, providing for the con-
struction OF two immense canals, with
capacity of 3,4OO cubic feet a second.
Besides Mr.. Bull, the principals IN
this deal are Colonel S. 3. Miner Of
Salt Lake; I. b. Perrine of Blue Lakes
Ida, and Frank Knox of Salt Lake.
They have given an option on the con-
tvOl of the stock carrying title to the
land, reservipg for themselves two
townsites and the water power.
. There are only two irrigation projects
in the world of greater magnitude than
this. One is in Egypt and the other is
in India
Preliminaries Are Closed.
The preliminary agreement was
closed in Salt Lake yesterday by Col
onel Miner and Mr. Perrine on one
side and Mr.. Buhl and Mr.. Filler on the
other. BY the terms of the deal, which
will be carried out if al 1.-The legal de-
tails are satisfactorily arranged, Mr.
Bull and his associates are to be given
control of the stock. provided they
make an investment of 81 500, 600 for the
completion of the canals and for the
development of the land. 1t is expected
that the final papers in the deal will be
signed in two or three weeks, and that
actual work on the great canals viii
commence early in the coming year.
This vast project does not stop at the
reclamation of the land. Colonel Mil
ner and Mr.. PeTrine retain control of
the immense water power at ShoshOne
falls and Twin falls which viii be de-
veloped and distributed electrically.
Two towns viii be built. and an cleo
trio railroad is planned from Shoshone
TO Twin falls. viii h is the name of the
principal town.
Vast Area of Land.
The vast area of land which is to be
thdhe productive Dy aiidylnS JUS thirst
lies on both sides of the Snake river
in the vicinity of ShOshone falls and
Twin falls. The portion on the south
side comprises 230. 000 and that on the
north side Al, 900 acres. The average
altitude is 1900 feet and the climate is
~mld. The land includes the tract set
aside a couple of years ago for a ma
tiOnal park by the secretary of the in
terror. This was done to preserve the
natural beauty of Twin falls and the
magniicently weird surrounding seen
cry.
After the land had been withdrawn
from entry, the secretary was persuad-
ed that the ground was too valuable
for agricultural purposes to be thus
taken away from settlers, and it was
restored to it's original status. The
present company secured it under the
provisions of the Carey land law.
In this area is some of the richest
grain and fruit land in Idaho. Mr.. Per
rine's famous Blue Lakes ranch. which
has produced prize-winning fruit for a
decade. lies in the heart of this region.
For his 500 acres Mr.. Perrine was re-
Gently offered $4,000. and he is some
thing like fifty miles from a railroad.
The building of the contemplated rail-
road into this locality will make cul-
tivated land still more valuable.