The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-08-22

land before the expiration OF the tie
years in which payments are to b
made. Upon delivery OF the waite
in the main canals, ready to be turn
ed into the minor canals or bitches
the government would surrender cor
troll to the land owners This expla
nation was taken as meaning that tn,
government would construct the feed
ers and the land owners would be ex
pected to build the ~iaterals or sid,
bitches necessary to lead the waite,
to where it is wanted.
In answer to Mr.. Moss question a.
to the best way to go about startins
a movement calculated to hasten mat
tiers, Mr.. Newell said that the differ
ent parts of the state should get to
gether and agree upon some particu
lar locality which they deemed should
be reclaimed before any other: by
making representations accordingly
to the secretary of the interior, he
believed much could be accomplished,
Again speaking of the Lake Basin
section, Mr.. Newell took up the mat.
ter of retaining what is generally
known as the Huntley flats. He gave
it as his opinion that any effort to
induce the government to reclaim
those lands would meet with a prob
able refusal. He said their reclama-
was n of the easiest matters in the
world. All that would be necessary
in that direction was an enlargement
of the Big ditch. There is no, use in
going to Washington with anything
you a do yourselves he said.
I. D. O'Donnell spoke Of the trip
they had made during the day and
the localities visited by them, and
then mentioned some of the irrigating
schemes that al Ndifferent times have
been discussed in connection with
the Lake Basin section and some of
the other lands hereabouts.
Answering Judge Goss' query as to
whether the business men Of Billings
could do anything to assist the de
partment, Mr.. Newell advised the ap-
pointment Of a small committee to
gather facts concerning the probable
routes Of canals, etc, which would be
of help to the engineers and others
with the reclamation serv-
ice. 1t might be possible that such
help might net be needed, but in case
it were it would be needed badly.
Mr.. Goddard wanted to know if
the government could o be induced
to do something in the way Of building
storage reservoirs in the Rock creek.
and Musselshell valleys for the con
.servation of the waters from the melt
ing SHOWS and early rains, which are
now permitted to run to waste, SO
the settlers already there would
be assured water in the dry seasons.
Mr.. Newell said that the people in
those valleys would have to make the
first move in that direction; that the
initiative would have to come from
them. They would have to show
they would handle the water and
agree among themselves upon a divi-
sion of it and also give the proper
assurance that they would pay for it'll
Mr.. Davis now volunteered the in
that his department wasr1
now engaged in making a series
surveys in the Musselshell for res
and canals.
Mr.. O'Donnell took occasion to say
something about what irrigation has
accomplished in this part of the yell
owstone valley and said that one
# the strongest arguments President
Maxwell had used during the past two
ears Was to quote the figures show
ng what irrigation had accomplished
or Billings, how it made a town pos
ible; had supported hundreds of fam
lies and given employment to nu.
ferrous men, not to say anything about
wealth produced in the way Of
took and agricultural products.
Mr.. Davis corroborated this and
aid that he was astounded at the
developments made possible here by
eason of the successful introduction
+ irrigation.
Mr.. Newell spoke of the hard strug-
lie made by those who had been in
in securing passage of
ne irrigation law and said that much
t their success was due to the help
iven by Billings because of the ir-
argument contained in the
cures furnished showing what irri-
had done for this community.
lie also paid a graceful tribute to
lr. tODonnell for his public spirited
ess and said that Billings was
nown to all interested in irrigation
S the home of Mr.. O'Donnell. He !
lsO gave President Roosevelt fn11 !