Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1904-12-02
Irrigation and Railroads.

Irrigation and Railroads
w. w. Jermane, the Washington cor.
respondent to the Minneapolis Journal,
gives some interesting information
concerning the Belle Fourche irriga-
tion project and the Importance to the
twin cities of railroad extensions west
of the Missouri river.
"The government has now succeeded
in perfecting its plans for the irriga-
tion of portion Of the Belle Fourche
valley in South Dakota, and this work
when completed, will provide with
water ], 600 farms with total farm pop.
ulation of 5000, and as many more peo-
pie in villages and towns which will
grow up with the irrigation belt.
"Today had an interesting inter.
view with c. j. Blanchard of the gov.
ernment reclamation service, who spent
the summer in that country working
with the land owners to bring the pro-
ject to completion. What he had to
say is of the highest interest to the
merchants and other business men of
the twin cities, especially that part of
the interview in which he speaks about
the desirability of opening up railway
communications between the twin
cities and this new country which, un-
der the present arrangements, is direct
ly tributary to Omaha Mr.. Blanchard
says:
"'i consider the Belle Fourche pro-
Ject one Oh the best it has been nv
pleasure to visit this summer IL has
no dltlcult engineering features; the
water supply is ample, and the land to
oe irrigated is I'D a compact body, re-
quiring the minimum: mileage for ca
mails and bitches. The reservoir as now
planned by Engineer Walter will create
the largest body of water in the state
and is likely to become popular sum-
mer resort for the Black Hills country
and for other sections of the state as
we'll as Montana and Wyoming, both of
which Oh their eastern borders are de-
ticient in lakes
The lands in the valley range in
valae from s. to $40 an acre. With the
completion of the proposed irrigation
work this Land will have value of SIS
an acre. Irrigation will thus increase
the value Of land more than $4,000, ,OOO,
a sum far in excess of the taxable
wealth of the entire county. In live
stock, farm improvements and mAchjn-
cry 1t will add another wilton The
annual income from the irrigated crops
Will be not less than Sl,SOO,OOO. Under
the presant system of farming the live
stock Industry has attained it's highest
state OF Development and is now on
the wane. With assured crops OF hay
and feed the ranchmen can greatly in
crease their herds, and with winter feed
the quality OF the stock will be inn
proved end the prices will be corre
sponainely better.
"'Wlth such an era OF DEVELOPMENT
opening up in the Belle Fourche valley
1t Will net be surprising if the attention
of the railroads will be attracted there
to. Belle Fourche valley lies on a line
almost due west of the twin cities. It
is probably their territory. A direct
line of railroad from MINNEAPOLIS and
st. Paul penetrating the valley would
divert traffic which otherwise would 20
TO Omaha, now connected with it by
the Northwestern line. The matter of
a direct line to the Black Hills has
been discussed frequently, but the twin
cities have never been active for pro-
noting such a movement. The time is
ripe for such movement now. The
agricultural products of the valley
would find ready market in these
cities, and merchants and manufac-
turers in Minneapolis and st. Paul
would find the populous valley a rich
field for their business
"The Belle Fourche project, now that
all necessary arrangements have been
made with land owners, will be taken
up by the government at once, and al
most before the twin cities know it the
land will be ready for settlement and
will begin to I'll up with class of
thrifty farmers who will have more
money to speak of per capita than any
similar number of farmers in the north.
west, outside of those who live in the
rich live stock and dairy districts of
Minnesota and Iowa. 1t is this fact
which Mr.. Blanchard has in mind wheh
he calls attention to the Importance of
having this new territory connected
with the twin cities by rail.''
Union Veteran Union.
Regular meeting of General Custer
command next Tuesday, Dec. 6. Elec
tion of officers aud other important