Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-05-26
ENDORSE BIG WATER PROJECTS.
Speeches Of Explanation Made by
State Engineer DOremus and At.
torncy T. S. Richards
FAVORABLE, UNANIMOUS ACTION.
Resolutions We're Received aud Adopt.
ed With Enthusiasm While Citizens
Generally Give Approval

one Of the most important irriga-
ton meetings held IN Utah county in
recent years was that which took place
at American Fork last evening, The
leading citizens and most prominent
landowners Of American Fork, Pleas
ant Grove, Lchi and Alpine were pres
ent The meeting was held I'm Science
hall and was called to order and pre-
sided over by Mayor Clark, who in
u0duced state Engineer Doremus and
Atty, r. ), Richards as the principal
speakers OF the evening These gem
tlemcn explained that they We're IN
attendance as representatives. Of the
state arid land reclamation fund COM
mission, the former as chairman and
the latter as legal adviser Of that body.
Mr. Doremus detailed at length, and
IN great clearness the proposition now
before the department Of the interior
at Washington, for the storing Of the
waters Of the strawberry valley, and
the manner In which 1t was proposed to
bring them through American Fork
canyon and by means of high line
canals, running north and south along
the base OF the mountains, distribute
them over the valleys Of Utah and
Salt Lake counties Aud how the north
{
POSSIBLY In Davis county TO connect
With a canal that would tap the Bear
Lake reservoir thus covering Cache,
BoXelder, Weber and Davis counties
IN the general reclamation.
Mr.. Doremus stated the Strawberry
reservoir would conserve about /, 500 600
acre feet OF water, all Of which would
be I'm addition TO waters that are now
being utilized aud that the supply
would be sufficient to irrigate all Of
the lands IN Utah, salt Lake and Cache
valleys. lie also directed attention to
the high quality OF the land I'm these
valleys their value on account of To-
cation and climatic conditions; ;hat
they were the best in the state. and
That the unrecIaimed land Ww'ild be-
come as fertile az that which Is al
roady famous for It's prOduCtiveness.
MIR, RICHARDS ALSO SPEAKS.
Mr. Richards dealt with the different
phases of the national irrigation law
the scope and purpose OF the act and
how 1t could DE applied where the land
owners desired No. That nasmuch as
practically all Of the land was I'm pri-
Nate ownership the government could
not aud would not 1ceed without tho
consent ana cooperation OF the land
owners Themselves,
II was stated by Mr.. Richards that
while there was a million acres OF land
IN the valleys named that are susceptl-
be TO Irrigation that only about one
third Of that dumber are really irri.
gated. Consequently the successful
carrying ont Of the project meant the
trebllng OF their agricultural product
iveness. He likewise explained that the
landowners would not be required 10
enter into any contract with the gov
eminent uutil the exact cost was
known and then would not have 10
commence paying until after the wa
ter WAS actually received After that
the landowners would be having the use
OF the water during the ten years IN
which payment was being made. huy-
ing all of It's benefits to assist them I'm
discharging the obligation
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
Following Mr. Richards were some OF
the citizens who gave hearty endorse
ment TO the project and thanked the
speakers for presenting the case so
clearly to them. Ex-State Senator Abel
j. Evans then arose and presented tho
following resolutions that were adopt
ed without a dissenting vote, and amid
enthusiasm and applause:
Whereas, The arid land reclamation
fund commission OF Utah, having been
successful In getting the government
of the United states, through the re-
clnmation service, 10 commence in
vestlgations 70 determine the irrigation
possibilities of Utah, Salt Lake and
Cache valleys, By means OF storing the
waters OF the Duchtsne river ana its
tributaries and the waters OF Bear river
and It's tributaries and the waters OF
intermediate streams, and afterwards
releasing and distributing said waters
upon the arid and semi-arid lands IA
said valleys, and
Whereas, There are large areas OF
land In said valleys which require
and there IS no other avail
able source from which wa Ter for tho
same can be- obtained, and the magni-
tude OF the undertaking being beyond
the reach OF community or private en-
terprlse, II 10 desirable that the national
government should carry out the pro-
ject under the provisions OF the ma
tlonal irrigation law; and
Whereas The greater part OF the
lands proposed 20 be irrigated By the
water SO obtained, is In private owner
ship, and the government cannot under
take work for It's reclamation, except
with the consent and cooperation %
the land owners directly interested upon
whom rest the responsibility OF or
gani2ing and placing themselves in q
position to receive the BENEFITS OF said
law,
Now Therefore, we, the owners OF
lands which would be benefited by the
proposed irrigation works, realizing tho
importance and necessity for such
works I'm tho full reclamation OF our
lands, do hereby indorse the action OF
the arid land reclamation fund COM
mission of Utah In the premises and as
sure 10 OF our earnest desire 10 have
the work already begun carried 10 n
conclusion, for the purpose OF ascer-
tanning the greatest possibilities Of re-
clamation, and fixing basis upon
which the land holders may operate
with the national government IN carry
ing out the provisions Of said law In
accomplishing tho reclamation OF said
lands,
Tho adoption OF this resolution, ami
the Willingness and disposition with
which II was done cannot he otherwise
than pleasing 20 the government on.
cials IN whose general charge the mas
ter o. and Who are as familiar with Il
hos