Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-03-03
WILL OPEN UP A
GREAT COUNTRY
Southern Idaho Rejoicing w
The Completion Of the Tw0
Falls Project
HOW THE SNAKE WAS STILLED.
Fifteen Hundred People Witness the
Lowering Of the Big
Gates.
Special Correspondence.

| Special Correspondence.
Oakley, Cassia Co., Ida, March H.
| Today marks the most important
| epoch In the history of Cassia coun-
| ty. If not in the history Of southern
Idaho When the large iron gates
were lowered In the immense dam at
Miner and the hands OF Messrs. Mil
ner. DE Long. Bull, Kimberly. Filler
and others at the ratchet screws. said
to the mighty Snake river; THUS Ear
/ shalt thou go and no farther" the flu
ture development OF southern Idaho
became am assured fact, and the gem
tlemen who have invested over n half
million dollars In this enterprise were
seen to wear a smile OF entire salts
| faction.
March had been designated as the
date on which the Miner dam was to
be completed and the river completely
stopped I'm its course to the ocean.
The occasion brought the projectors
and financial hackers Of the enter
prise together to see the elimination
OF the task OF two years. Among those
present were Col S. B, Miner Of Salt
Lake City, principal stock holder; y.
1
Kimberly vice president, Sharon, Pa,
NJ b. De Long Twin Falls, secretary
and treasurer; w c. Filler, Salt Lake,
general manager; M. NJ. Murtaugh,
Miner assistant general manager:
r. S. A. Bickel Twin Falls, chief en-
gineer; j. y, Schuyler Los Angeles.
Cal, consulting engineer; r. s. Cook
lnham Miner, assistant engineer; I.
b Perrine, Blue Lakes, Ida, original
promoter; with X. w, Faris and S. Il.
Kesl contractors. The contractors
had worked against time and had ev-
erything In readiness for the import
ant shut down.
Ten o'clock a. m. found 1000 to / 500
people on the ground, from all parts
of the county and other parts Of Ida
no as well as outside points At the
hour named the work of lowering the
eight metal gates into the mouth of
the tunnel, that had been made
through an island in the middle of
the river and through which the water
had been turned while the dam in the
north main channel was being COM
pleted, begun and by II O'Clock the
leaping, Kissing foaming torrent
became as pacific as child and as the
water drained down the river from be-
low the dam. the old river bed turned
It's face up to the sun and displayed
it's black stormy gorge and lava pot
holes to view for the first time in CEN
turtles. Hundreds Of men. women and
children focked into the black valley
of stones from which the water had
so recently been checked, and began
search for hidden treasures. Some were
pannlng out gold dust some were hunt
ing for gold nuggets, and many were
catching Ash with their hands from
r. ..1a 4 90 Nav
TO say, no large fishes were SEEM II
was reported during the day that some
very valuable gold nuggets were found
A COMPLETE SUCCESS
That the dam was a complete success
became an admitted fact, and, while
the surface over which the water
spread was not extensive, the rise was
rapid, so that 1t required only a few
hours to bring the head up 70 to is
feet However, as the water viii even
tually back up the river for a distance
OF nine miles, and as the surface
spreads the rise will be less perceptible,
notwithstanding this fact, IL is estimat-
ed that the water will be sufficiently
high to pass over the floodgates I'm As
hours from the closing Of the gates At
the time the gates were lowered the
river contained 5000 cubic feet per sec
that will be made and the untold acres
of splendid land that will be brought
under cultivation with the rise of the
waters Of the mighty Snake river must
be left for the future to unfold.
TWIN FALLS CITY.
At present Twin Falls city. situated
20 to 30 miles west Of the dam, Is the
most important city on the canal.
Town lots have sold at the
magnificent price Of $1,000 each
with every indlvaton that the
price Will be doubled ere many
years have passed. This settlement Is
Immediately south OF Blue Lakes and is
being managed by Mr. L. B. Pewinc.
who, less than 20 years ago. lowered the
materials from which he had his build
ings at Blue Lakes constructed, over n
bluff Of 700 feet with ropes and who,
ever since that time, has displayed the
same heroic energy In the development
and upbuildng 6 southern Idaho, IL
was IN his fertile mind that the idea ana
feasibility of the Miner project first
originated. He enlisted the faith OF
capital Of Col. S, b. Miner Of Salt Lake.
who took hold OF the enterprise with his
characteristic energy; bringing into
activity In the work the capital 0f
Messrs. Bull and Kimberly OF Penn
hglNhlHhs anu NNilt tue udin WIS DclilS
built Mr., Perrine was framing ana
laying out his city, so that now, when
the water is turned into the canal 5000
people are ready to draw II from It's
laterals and train II on to gardens and
farms at Twin Falls II is also due TO
the Influence and energy of Mr. Per-
rine that the locomotive and cars win
soon be speeding over Cassla county
from Burley to Twin Falls. and on to
the coast. And still. with these public
benefits accomplished and others under
way, the principal mover modestly de-
clines to acknowledge that any credit
Is due him therefor.
Messrs. Faris and Kesl commenced
work on the Miner dam and two miles
OF canal, two years ago on the END Of
this month. They have worked UNI
ceasingly with an average force OF 200
men and 80 teams; and the cost, as
stated above, VIII exceed half million
dollars.
Much credit is due the contractors.
the foreman and engineers for tine
splendid success Of this piece OF work;
for truly II Is one OF the marvels of
the age.
OTHER SPECTATORS.
Among those who were at Miner TO
see the sights and celebrate the Inn
portant occasion were; William Ash |
ton OF Salt Lake, chief engineer Oregon
Short Line; II. u. Crtchlow Of SAT-
Lake, attorney for the company; Ralph |
Savage taking views for the Art Ba. |
gar OF G, II. Savage, A, G.. Smith and |
30 others from Marion; David Ward |
and son, Elba, Bishop Thomas Taylor
ha ~