Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-12-16
Manager Of General Press Bureau
Tells Of the Development
OF Idaho
WORLDS FAIR MAN TALKS.
Relates What He Saw In The Gem State
This Week Among the
COlOnsts.

o few hours IN this city today on his
way home to ST. Louis from the coast
Mr. Benntt got IN this morning from
Idaho whore he stopped Of for a few
days and Investigated the resources Of
the Gem State He included In his IT,
inerary visit TO the big irrigation
ditch that is attracting considerable at
tentlon throughout the country. IN this
connection Mr. Bennltt, In an interview
with the "News" this afternoon, sald:
"To illustrate the activity In the taxi
Ing up OF l0nda on the Twin Falls tract
] may state that on Wednesday, the
day OF my arrival at the new city Of
Twin Falls O total OF 1870 acres was To-
Gated and first payments mode On
Thursday 1850 acres were taken, Not
Wlthstanding the fact that the new
town Is still 80 miles from a railroad
and lumber and all other building ma
terals except brick and stone have 10
be hauled TO the place by wagon about
rs buildings Of various sizes have been
put up. 1t costs $40 a thousand feel
10 haul lumber from Shoshone TO Twin
Falls City and the same price rules for
freight on q ton Of coal
"The stage line from Shoshone IS do
ing a Tremendous business, and the
road Is we'll sprInkled with 'relghtlng
outfits that 80 IN one day and out the
next on Thursday lively gale blew
up the valley and the biz Snaks river
was alive with whteCaps The wind
crippled the ferry at Blue lakes, during
most OF the day, The first time that ID
mas ever stopped from such a cause.
and long lines Of wagons on both Sides
OF the river waited for evening TO
come and the wind 10 die down.
several young men from Washing
ton were at Twin Falls the day / was
there and took W land with the view
OF going into the hop business Two OF
them were from Yakima where lrrl-
gated land at 500 to $50 an acre is not
considered high. Il may be imagined
now eagerly they seized the oppor-
tuni'y TO get better land at $3.50.
WHEAT Is GROWING.
THE soil at Twin Falls is very
fine lava dust that grows sage brush
and other desert plants I'm remarkable
luXurlance. considerable amount of
moisture falls on the tract during VIM
Ter ana spring and a very good crop
Of wheat was grown by Mr.. Hoxle. who
mas farm Two miles east Of the town
side, without irrigation Some of this
wheat about two feet high and well
headed, Is on exhibition
President G. b. Murtt OF the Invest
ment company went In the same dag
as myself with a party Of Illinois men
who We're visiting Idaho with the view
or getting some Of the new land.
The enthusiasm that Immediately
takes possession Of everyone who visits
me tract Is something beyond preco-
ueht lhey can hardly wait to get
our on the land and locate a farm
Most OF the land seekers come from
VVher irrigated sections and have
practical knowledge Of farming under
Falls.
70 those who may be unfamiliar
WIN the exact locality Of the Twin
rams tract | may explain that IL bor-
utrs the south side OF the Snake river
IN the northern part OF Cassia county.
Ihe tract begins at Miner where a
ihuge dam 50 feet high and 1900 feet
long has been thrown across the river.
ana ends AT the Salmon Falls River
canyon, 10 miles westward The main
canal y 80 feet at the bottom. with
panSs sloping one foot In three, and
VIII carry 10 feet deep OF water. This
Us 20 miles long and then divides into "A
hlgh ilne and a low line canal. Those
are each ~ feet wide on the bottom.
win banks OF the same slope as the
larger canal, and are each 10 miles
long They viii carry eight feet of wa.
Ter The dam Is within a few weeks
OF completion The headgates are I'm.
ana the main canal Is finished. The
low line canal IL done as far westward
as point opposite the ttwnsite. and |
is moving westward az a rapid rate
each day at cost OF $4,000 a mile. All |
the laterals as FAR west as the town. !
site, which II near the middle OF the
tract, are done.
Mr. z, s. A. Blckel. the engineer.
told me the water company would have
water for everybody, who would re.
qulre II the coming season.
IL Is only two years ago this month
when Mr. Bickel was asked TO make
the preliminary surveys for this system
which ranks as the largest on the
western continent, ana the largest I'm
the world built by private capital.
The system, as Is perhaps well !
known Is under the Cary act, and the
total acreage is 72l,000. The amount
thrown open TO date Is 10000 acres
The hlgh-line canal work upon which |
VIII begin as soon as the low-line canal |
IS done, win irrlgate another 100 600 |
acres, leaving 10000 acres to be covered |
by a canal on the north side Of the
river.
MlNlDOKA BRANCH
"The people at Twin Falls are hold |
Ing of In their building operations
somewhat until the 6s-mile branch of /,
the Oregon Short Line which has beer /
authorized, shall reach the town. Then /.
there viii be a great squirt I'M town. /
building The new railroad leaves the /.
main line at MiMdlka ana goes south- /
west through the MInidoka tract which |
is to be developed by the government |
under the reclamation act. Grading has /
been going on for some time and Z |
learn at Twin falls that the graders Will |
be at work ON the south side OF the /
river next week, The river viii be |
crossed M q point 10 miles above MIL /
ef"ff HftNA" wv NlH ANlNNA WfNlNEa MS D
town is named IN honor Of Col Miner .
OF Salt Lake II Is expected that the /.
fret bridge viii be constructed with /.
piles as soon as the ice Is out OF the /
silver TO be followed by steel struc.
ture In the summer when the heavy /
abutments may be put In Everything |
points TO an early completion OF the |
branch, With the grading done the |
track can be laid with ono OF the |
modern track laying outfits az the rate
OF a mile TO a mile and q half "a day. |
The new branch is destined 70 be |
very important part OF the short Line
system. The Twin Falls tract h the |
equal Of a principally IN It's area and /
its richness Is beyond the comprehen-
sion OF anyone who has not seen II. I
Almost every acre Is till |
able and splendldly drained. Il |
was adjacent to II four Of the greatest
undeveloped waterfalls ON the western
continent capable IT producing at least !