Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-09
LAND RECLAM ALTON
UNITED STATES ENGINEERS DIS
sUss GOVERNMENT PROJECTS.
Congressional Delegation From South
Dakota Attend the Conference To-
day-Subjects Considered.

ThA engineers of the United States recla-
nation service resumed their conference
this morning, and were addressed by Ray
mond F. Walter, the engineer in charge or
the Belle Fourche project. This project is
, located on the northeast side of the Black
Hills, and comprises an area of approx
mately 10000 acres of exceptionally fine ag-
ricultural land. The water supply will
come from the Belle Fourche and Red
Water rivers, which meet near the city of
Belle Fourche. s. D. Since its earliest set
Element the Belle Fourche valley has been
famous as a stock range. The valley is not
properly to be classed as arid, as it is only
In exceptional years that the land does not
furnish excellent grazing. The rainfall,
however. is not sufficient for the successful
production of crops.
The Belle Fourche project requires
small diversion dam in the river, an inlet
tunnel six and one-half miles in length, a
storage reservoir and about $50 miles of
distributing canals. The estimated cost of
the project is 100000. A reservoir site
has been found. having a storage capacity
of 100000 acre-feet. The impoundlng dam
will be 4,500 feet in length, 100 feet in
height and will be constructed of cart!
The completion of the project will add ] o.
new farms to the valley.
While agriculture in this region will prob
abIy continue Tor many years as an aG
tunct to stock-raising, the soil and climate
are well. adapted to diversified farming
ana the hardy fruits, IL Is claimed, do ex-
ceptionally well when irrigated. The lands
IN the valley today range in value from 50
TO $40 per acre. With the completion of the
proposed irrigation work by the govern
nent the land. 1t is estimated, will have a
VSlue OF $40 per acre. Irrigation will thus
Increase the value of land more than Sc =
100000, a sum tar in excess OF the present
taxable wealth OF the entire county In
live stock, farm implements and machinery
another million Will be added.
Estimated Annual Income.
The annual income from the irrigated
crops will be no less than s1S0O,OOO. Under
the present system of farming the live
stock industry has attained its highest state
of development. and is now on the wane.
Adjacent to the valley the range stretches
far to the north, east and west. and for
years to come not less than 5000 eco acres
VIII furnish free summer grazing for vast
herd.
The South Dakota congressional delega-
ton. composed OF Senators Kittredge and
Gamble. and Representatives Burke and
Martin, were present at the meeting today
They interrogated Engineer Walter as to
the important features of the project, and
expressed their pleasure upon learning that
the government will probably begin actual
construction by the first of next April The
Secretary of the Interior has set aside the
sum of $2.100,0OO for the construction OF
this work. The plans and detailed estimates
have been prepared and finally approved
by the consulting board of engineers
Water, Alkali and Drainage.
The committee ON duty of water. alkal
and drainage called attention to the i'm
portance of these points as viewed from
the past history of irrigated lands in tn,
west The accurate determination of III
duty of water is an essential factor whiel
has to be ascertained before the building
OF an irrigation project and before thu
capacity of canals to irrigate an area o
land can be estimated, and 1t is also neces
sary in order to determine how much LAM