The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1903-07-04
TWIN FALLS OPENING.

grand Twin Falls land opening on
July /. It is not clear just what is
meant by a land opening, but if 1t
be anything like an Indian reserve
opening, it may be presumed that
there was grand rush and scram-
Bile for desirable locations.
The Twin Falls irrigation enter
prise has now become famous
throughout the arid west. It's main
features may be described as dam
ing Snake river and turning its
waters into canal SO feet wide
and 10 feet in depth, which, ex-
tending some 80 miles in westerly
direction, supplies some 100000
acres of arabic land. Altogether
there are 244, 900 acres of land, but
a portion of this is served by
smaller canal on the north side of
the river. This immense tract has
been withdrawn by the State Under
the provisions of the Carey Act,
Federal Statute, which gives to
each of the arid States I.ooo, 900
acres of land to encourage irriga-
ton development. The State sells
the land to actual settlers at the
nominal price of so cents an acre,
which barely covers the cost of sur"
veying. The State has entered
into a contract with the Twin Falls
Land and Water Company, where
by the company agrees to construct
the canals mentioned to put settlers
upon the land and otherwise i'm
prove it, for which the company is
authorized to charge $25 per acre
share for water supplied. 1t is not
our purpose to enter upon a discus
sion of the details of the contract
which settlers are obliged to
make with the canal company;
but there is one feature stated
in the company's prospectus
which we would caution intending
settlers to thoroughly investigate
and understand. The statement
made in the prospectus is this:
"When half the lands or halt the
capacity of the canals is sold to set
tiers after completion of the system,
they then take possession and con-
troll it." The question is, What,
then, becomes of the Twin Falls
Land and Water Company? What,
if any, responsibility devolves on
it? 1t will still have a one half
property interest in the system and
the water it conveys, but owning
no lands making use of water, the
cost of maintenance of, the entire
system may devolve for years on
those who own only the half of it.
It is merely suggested that this
feature ought to be thoroughly un-
derstood.
AS to the project, considered up.
on the whole and on broad lines, il
presents splendid opportunities.
The water supply is safe and ample,
and the land is both excellent in
quality and happily situated. The
climate is well adapted to agricul
ture in all its branches and to horti
culture in its most important
branches. The cost of water right
is extremely reasonable, especially
when the terms of payment are
taken into account. 1t amounts
simply, to letting the land ane
water pay themselves out. Anoth
er advantage is the opportunity
which the company gives settler!
to work, thereby enabling them tt
pay off such portion of the cost o
water right as they may elect
while at the same time insurinl
them a living. We know of Mt
better opening for young or middle
aged men who want to make 70
themselves comfortable and indie
pendent homes. Always providing
of course, that the intentions ant
practices of the canal compan,
shall be honest and just. If w
may judge from such members @
the company as we have met, w
would feel no hesitation in pro
nouncing it all right.