The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1904-05-06
IDAHO [ NEWS.
PERSONAL AND POLITICAL.

PEkSONAA AMI FVAA 1VA1s
Big Irrigation Project.-No Fish
Hatchery Yet. French and the
Timber and Stone Act.
From Our Washington Correspondent.
t MAY 2, 1901. AZ
Secretary Hitchcock has finally ap-
proved the plans of the Reclamation
Engineers and has set aside out OF
the reclamation fund the sum OF
s.. 600 for the work of construct
ing an immense irrigation system on
the Snake River about six miles south
Of Minldoka, on the Oregon and
Short Line Railroad. r
tits proposed to construct q rock
filled dam across the Snake River at
this point, the material for which
will be cxcavatcd from the upper end
Of the main north side canal. The
dam will consist Of an embankment
r u b /. = F
OF loose rock 575 feet in length, with
masonry toe-wall. The embaHk-
mcnt will be l3! feet wide on top,
and will he carried six feet above
extreme food level. Above the dam
site for many miles the Snake is in a
canyon, or very narrow valley, from
40 to l50 feet below the bench lands,
and the dam when constructed will
back the water up for distance Of
about 35 miles. by gravity canal II
is proposed to irrigate GS,oo0 acres of
good laud, and from the power devel-
opcd ut the dam, amounting to l0,-
600 horse power, 5000 cubic feet Of
water will be lifted and spread over
$1,000 acres Of higher land. Fifteen
pumps having an average capacity Of
about 10 sccond-feet will be utilized
for lifting the water. The pumps
will be submerged and will discharge
directly into the canal above.
The Secretary has decided that
homestead entry under this project
will be limited to so acres, except
within two miles Of a townsite, where
the amount is limited to 40 acres.
At the present. time all but 5000
acres under this project are vacant
public lands. On the basis OF an
cighty-acrc homestead entry this
tract will provide homes for more
than 400 families. or about 1000
people.
In speaking Of this project Senator
Hepburn said today:
lone Of the frst evidences Of the
benefits to bc derived by the State OF
Idaho from the Reclamation of l20,.
900 acres of land in the vicinity oi
Minidoka In the southern portion OF
the state. This project of reclama.
tiOn has received the most thorough
and careful investigation both In the
field and in the Department, and
involves the expenditure Of abou,
$2,600,00 Idaho has nearly this
amount to her credit already, and
there is no reason to doubt but thai
the sale Ut public lands In the state
will speedily realize the sum ncccssar,
to carey out the several projects fol
reclamation now under consideration
'.The successful Inauguration o.
these systems OF reclamation will con
vert the great grazing, arid and semi
arid lands OF Idaho into beautiful
homes, with orchards, green fields
and herds that will place the state II
the first rank of prosperity. 1t Is
source OF great qualification to see tn
plan Of reclamation thus early ma
lerializing in our state"
Congressman French said,
"A wonderful impetus win be gIvel
to the growth of Idaho by the worl
Of the Government on the Mini
doka project, The section to b
developed is one Of the most fertil
valleys 10 the arid West, and unde
irrigation will be changed quickl
from sage brush to productfv
orchards and fields Of alfalfa. Guar
antccl 40 ample and constant suppl
Uf water, these lands now valueless
will be easily worth from $50 to $40
per acre. An Increase Of 10000
acres IN The irrigated iand of tn
. state IS guaran teed W this project
Assuming that these lands will Aay
40 average value Of So per acre whe
cultivated, this project will sad
$1,000, 600 to the taxable lands Ut th
state. Using the averages Of the ~laS
Ccnsus it is safe 10 say thut it wi
add zlsn Sc $40. f)1O In yaluc of farl