The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-06-14
Engineer Newell Brings Good News
to Utah.
TUNNEL THROUGH THE HILL
WILL REDEEM $4,000 ACRES
FOR 100000.

on the south is included in the work
blocked out by the department for the
next ten years. Just at this time the
efforts OF the department are concen-
tTated on the Strawberry valley prof.
ect When that is well under way,
other branches Of the general project
Will be taken up. In the meantime the
whole project will be studied in all its
details, the water of the various
streams and lakes will be carefully
measured. and everything will be re-
duced to d scientific and business
basis"
This statement was made last even
ing by Chief Engineer F H Newell,
representing the United States geOlOg-
zeal survey, department of the Interior
1t came in response to question as
To what was meant by Mr. Newell when
he said recently in DsnveT that he did
not believe any other great projects
would be outlined in the next ten years;
that the work already projected con-
templates the expenditure of the ap-
preparations of the next five years
$50. 600 000-and the reclamation OF
coo. 900 acres of arid land. and that in
three years there had been enough
work blocked out to keep the depart
ment busy for ten years.
This assurance from Mr. Newell that
Utah is in out of the wet and that the
great work mapped out by the govern
ment IL to be pushed as fast as the le-
gal obstacles can be removed that land
Is to be redeemed that viii add at least
$50 0OO 900 to the value of the state. and
that many beautiful homes are to he
made possible in the valleys and on
the hiIIsides, will carry pleasure and
hope throughout the state
Efre& I i,L ~ Tt,a Cbafp
The chief engineer spoke with enthu-
siasm and confidence of the Strawberry
valley project. This part of the Utah
work was taken up first" he said. be
cause it presented the f5west ObSta-
cles. A reservoir is to be constructed
near the headwaters Of the Straw
berry. From there the water is to be
conveyed through the WaSatch noun
tains in a tunnel 10000 feet long and
emptied into Diamond creek. one Of the
branches of the Spanish Fork From
there it viii be spread over the land
in Utah county, beginning as high up
as possible. A volume Of water as
great as that of the Provo river viii
be secured in this way. enough to re
deem 1000 acres of land. This project
viii cost 81 600, 900. Professor George
l. Swendsen is now at work on the
Strawberry project It will be present
ed to the board of supervising engin-
GERS in about two months. The board
in this case will most likely Be com
posed of Supervising Engineer H n
Savage. Constructing Engineer a J.
Wiley and Consulting Engineer W H
Sanders The me ting Of the board
viii be in salt Lake"
Has Unshaken Faith in Utah.
For years the Utah lake project has
of he hnh Of
gineer Newell. As this project spread
out TO include the Bear river and Bear
lake project. the Weber river project
and the Strawberry valley project, he
has watched if with eveT-grOwing in
terest. He still believes it to be one
of the most promising projects in the
United States. He said last evening
that no engineering obstacles stood IN
the way of carrying forward this mag
nificent piece of work The obstacles
are all human So many persons have
secured rights in the water. and all /
these rights must be -adjudicated be
fore the general government will take
hold of the work. This is why the
valley project was taken up
fTSt-becaUse there were so few of /
-hese legal complications in the way
Yesterday Mr. Newell held a confer /
snce with Professor Swendsen- He was |
also in consultation with Governor Cut /
er. Senator Sutherland and others with |
reference to the entertainment Of the !
congressional party soon to visit Salt /
AXE He viii go from here to Hazeu, /
Nev-. where he. in company with En- 4
yiueers W. H. Sanders and L. II. Tay- /
OF, will open bids and close contracts /
N the Lake Tahoe project. From there I
he viii meet the congressional party at 4
ome point in Nevada and return with /
hem to salt Lake next week.
An Empire in Idaho.
Idaho stands high in the estimation /
IF Mr. Newell He looks for great de- 4
in the southern part Of the 4
tate- The MinidOka project just I'M /
iertaken by the government he de- |
iCTibeS as follows
The MiuidOka project provides for I
he reclamation of about 100. 600 acres /
II public land on both sides Of the i
snake river. in southern Idaho. Water
viii be taken from the river about six
niles below MinidOka station. at d
,oint where it has cut through the lava
idge-an extension of the great lava
ieIdS that approach the river from the
north between American Falls and
Iinidoka
The conditions are very favorable for I
he construction of a dam at this place.
The top Of the lava ridge Is about !
water; the formation of the river bed
5 solid lava rock, and the river from
his point to American Falls is in a
IarrOw canyon or valley from forty to
80 feet below the bench lands It is
proposed to erect a diversion dam fifty
eet high and $50 feet long on top,
which VIII back the water up the river
or a distance of thirty-five miles.
canal To carry water to the north
ide lands, with "A carrying capacity of
600 cubic feet per second. viii be tax
n out at the dam. The south side ca
al, about thirteen miles in length, will
rrigate 5000 acres by gravity, and
Onduct water TO the pumping stations
or elevation to a capacity of about 500
ubic feet per second Considerable
'Ower viii be developed for lifting the
water to bench lands above the line of
Tavity bitches.
The area to be benefited by this prof.
ct is all government land, and home
tead entries within "A radius of one
no a half miles from the center of
ach townsite are to be limited TO forty
ores, and those on all other lands
ndeT this project to eighty acres The !
oil Is excellent-a deep sandy loan. 1
rec from alkali. and now producing a
hrlfty growth Of Sagebrush. The
7nds are tributary to the Oregon |
hort Line railroad
The secretary Of the interior pro- 1
lSionally has set aside s.. 500 zoo for |
he construction Of this work