The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-12-22
HITCH OCCURS in ST. MARY's
CANAL SCHEME.
BRADY WANTS TOO MUCH
Government Objects to Price Demand
ed by Owner Of Bowdoin
Lake Reservoir.

existing between the government and
an individual there is a strong prob
ability that next spring will not wit
ness institution of work on the first
federal irrigation project to be under
taken under the provisions of the ma
tional act.
The man who is said to stand in the
way of an early commencement OF
actual construction is T. e. Brady
of Great Falls. He is the owner
of the Bowdoin lake reservoir, which
was included in the government plans
of the st. Mary's canal project. The
price he is said to have asked for the
reservoir is much greater than the
interior department is prepared to pay
and negotiations for it's acquisition
are declared to have been broken. It
is also claimed that the department
officials are seriously considering the
advisability of ordering new plans and
surveys to leave out the Bowdoin
lake reservoir. If this is actually
done many months will of necessity
have to elapse before the project will
be advanced sufficiently again to be-
gin the work of construction.
Plans to Bring Settlers.
F. /. Whitney, general passenger
agent of the Great Northern railroad,
was in Helena a few days ago and
submitted to an interview on the sub
ject, as his company is deeply in
terested in the early completion OF
the project.
"This trouble between the govern
ment and Mr.. Brady has greatly de-
moralized our plans for the inaugura-
tion of an immigration movement
into Montana" he said I'VE have
arranged to bring upwards OF 5000
settlers into the state next spring In
case we receive assurances that con-
struction work on the canal will be
commenced. 1t is our plan to bring
these people into Montana, locating
them in the st. Mary's lake country.
They can there secure homesteads
and at the same time secure work
on the canal. 1t is the policy of the
government to give intending settlers
the preference in the matter of work
of this kind, and while waiting for
the water to be brought to their home
steads, these men could earn very
comfortable livelihood.
LAS say, we are ready to bring
these people into the state as soon
| as we are assured that work will be-
commenced, but you can readily un-
derstand that in case the canal pro-
ject is delayed our immigration plans
will have to lay on the shelf for q
while.
Matter Of Great Importance.
| "This is a matter of the greatest
/ Importance to the state of Montana,
and l sincerely trust that settle
ment can be brought about. AS I un:
! uC1 CuC CdoO, CAO AAlCA 1Ol UOPAA "
ment absolutely refuses to pay the
price asked by Mr.. Brady, holding
that this money, together with the
cost of the canal construction, would
put too heavy burden on the re-
claimed land, this burden, you under
stand, being one which will ultimately
have to be borne by the settlers.
GAS the law stands, the secretary OF
| the interior can use the funds devoted
to reclamation work on irrigation pro-
| jects in any of the arid states, and. II
no agreement can be reached in this.
matter the money originally intended.
to be spent in building this canal will,
in all probability, be devoted to some
other project in some other state.'
! Mr.. Whitney, in company with Max.
Bass, general immigration agent OF.
! the Great Northern, is on tour Of
the west in the interest of immigra-.
ton work.