The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-06-21
GIVEN GENEROUS ATTENTION BY
RECLAMATION BUREAU.
AS REGARDS CROW PROJECT
Most important Yet Presented to De-
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Great Ad.
vantages Over All Others.

Montana seems to be specially fav-
ored by the interior department and
the reclamation service as regards the
wish to put into speedy application
the provisions of the national irriga-
ton act. Engineers are at work in
different parts of the state making
surveys to establish the feasibility OF
the several projects called to the at
tention of the geological survey and
every promise apparently holds out
of their adoption and completion in
the least possible time.
Is the Most Important.
AS has been published a number of
times, a surveying corps is now run
ming lines through the coded portion
of the Grow reservation and the pros
poets for the installation Of a huge
system of irrigation are considered
as most f1attering. c. H. Fitch, engi-
neer in charge, is quoted as express
ing himself in confident terms as re-
CARDS the outlook there. Here is what
he is credited with having said to a
man who asked him concerning the
matter, although he is known for the
care he exercises in the expression of
opinions bearing on the work entrust.
ed to him:
Il believe the government work in
the Grow reservation is going to prove
the most important irrigation project
that has yet presented itself to the
reclamation service. The great ad-
tvntage we have there lies in the fact
that it is a virgin field. There are
of land and no conflict over water
rights.
"The area reclaimable is believed to
be very large, perhaps 100000 acres.
The land has a low elevation, the
soil is wonderfully fertile and the
climate adapted to a great diversity
OF products. Best of all, the water
supply is abundant"
As Regards Other Projects.
In speaking of other projects Mr..
Fitch said the one on the lower Vel
loWstone was growing more favorable
as it was delved into. The farmers
in that part of the valley are almost
a unit in signing an agreement to
repay the government the cost of the
work.
In this connection it may be said
that the completion of the project is
assured. The reclamation bureau has
appropriated the sum of 81, 200, 900 for
the work and the necessary prelimi-
nary surveys have already been fin
ished. The intended canal will have
it's source about Is miles below Glen.
dive and will end at a point opposite
Fort Buford, in North Dakota. Frank
Weymouth, the engineer in charge, ar
rived at Glendive last Saturday for the
purpose of meeting A. P. Quinton,
chief of construction, and the two
left to go over the field. Estimates
n plans of the canal are completed
and but little remains to be done be.
fore actual construction may be un-
dertaken. Chief Engineer Newell and
the consulting board of engineers are
expected to arrive soon and Join the
others already on the ground.
Then there are the Milk river and
the Sun river projects, as we'll as the
matter of retaining the Prickly
Pear valley. On the Milk river work
is progressing as rapidly as possible
and excellent progress is making.
The Sun river and Prickly Pear
propositions are still only in a tenta-
tive form, but much is expected of
them, as both have been looked into
and are regarded as practicable, while
the great areas of valuable land thew
Will open to settlement leaves no
doubt as to the governments ultimate
repayment of the outlay necessary for
their completion.