The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1905-02-28
TO SELL an
OLD RESERVE
Order to Dispose Of Fort Sher'
man Post Expected
March 9Th 1905

WASHINGTON. D. c.. Feb. 27-Sen-
ator Dubois has procured from the in
terror department promise to procure
release and regulations governing the
sale Of the abandoned Fort Sherman
military reserve on the 6th OF March
next, provided in the meantime con-
gress takes no action on the matter.
This. of course" said Senator Du-
bois. congress will not do"
This is the elimination Of bill
which Senator Dubois passed through
congress two years ago under the act
of July 5. 1884. providing for the sale
of abandoned and useless military res
ervations. This sale will be made at
Occur dAlene city at a time which will
be prescribed along with the rules and
regulations covering the sale by the Or
der above referred to from the interior
department on March 6.
The department assured the senator
that the only reason for the delay not
to issue today and issuing it on March
6 was that it would be courtesy to
extend to congress, in that the presi-
dent had referred to congress for such
action as they might see fit to take
request from the director of the geo.
logical survey to withhold from the en-
tire abandoned reserve some $40 acres
of this land for action at this session.
This $40 acres of land under a pre-
| liminary survey of the reclamation
service would by the terms of the orig
inal report to the geological survey be
flooded. but by letter of date February
a. 1905, Director Walcott of the geo.
logical survey, acting, of course. on
behalf of the reclamation bureau,
withdrew his request entirely. stating
that an extended examination of the
proposition showed the following facts:
| First-That the survey was made in
connection with what is known as the
Big Bend irrigation project in the state
of Washington, which had in view the
reclamation of one million acres OF
land.
/ Second-That the construction of
tunnel for a distance of twenty-seven
miles would be necessary.
Third-That the approximate cost OF
the enterprise would be $30.OOO.OOO
which is in excess by 100000 of the
entire fund that has been appropriated
for use by the various states under the
act of June II. 1902.
The directors letter stated that Il
was thought that it would be absolute
ly unnecessary to consider Big Benz
project from the view point OF raising
the waters of the lake. but on the con
. trary the plan would be pursued will
equal success by drawing of waters o
the lake. Consequently the recent de
cision of the interior department with
drawing objections to the speedy dis
position of the abandoned Fort Sher
man military reserve in no way affect
d the ultimate procedure Of the reclama
n ton division of the geological burea
e and its connection with the Big Ben
It project in the state of Washington.
l. In relation to the abandoned reser
n walton Senator Dubois said today
5 This, in my Judgment removes tn
e last of many obstacles which have pre-
= vented the sale of this abandoned re
IT serve l am very glad indeed that tn
y disposition Is so near at hand. In tn
Is city Of Occur d'Alene the necessities fe
l. moret ownsite are very apparent.
IS believe the department will make tn
D. order on March 6. and the sale, I
ne course will be made at Occur d'Aler
city under such reasonable regulation
as the department will prescribe"