The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-04-03

canal for the some on the south side OF
Payette valley for the irrigation of the
lands Hereunder, or about is 600 acres
through the divide between the two riv-
eTs to $4,000 acres in the Boise valley
a diverting dam on the Boise river and
one or more canals and storage reser-
Voirs viii distribute water TO 241,O0C
acres of land on the south side of Boise
valley, while a canal on the north side
viii irrigate 80. 600 acres. Storage reser-
vOirs on the headwaters of the Boise
river viii furnish water for the late ir-)
rigatiOn of about 20 900 acres of land
along the line of the upper canal. The
complete utilization of SuccOr creek
on the south side Of Snake river, sup
plemented by a pumping system from
the latter stream, will supply 25,100
acres.
Millions For Water.
The estimated cost of the entire sys-
TEN is $40, 732, 600, or an average cost not
TO exceed $50 per acre for the land
which has no facilities at present for
irrigation. This amount includes MAIN
tenance for ten years, also the value of
existing works which would be utilized,
but which would not Rave to be paid for
by the government. and the purchase
of rights of way which viii have to be
provided from the reclamation fund.
The state Of Idaho, by the recent act
Of Legislature, and through its state
land board, has provided for cO-opera-
ton with the reclamation service, so
at the present time the following lands.
amounting to 49,, 900 acres, about 30 per
cent of the total area. are either direct
~ or indirectly bound to the project:
Acres.
Land in private ownership. 155, 900
Public lands subject to entry IN
der the conditions of the recla-
nation act --..........-. -..--.-.111, 900
State lands. ........ $4,000
NJ, 90, 40,
Total .......... 1872, 00O
AS the major portion of the reclama-
ton fund has been appropriated al
ready for various projects in the sew
eral arid states and territories, the en-
tire allotment required for the Payette-
Boise project could not be made at
this time. 1t was therefore decided to
select a portion of the project which,
though only an integer of the whole,
would yet be a complete project in it
self. and by beginning which would
serve to hold the whole scheme togeth-
er and direct development along COM
prehensive lines.
The division of the project which
has been recommended for immediate
construction consists Of the portion of
the irrigable area situated on the south
been selected because here the largest
area can be benefited by the exDendi-
ture OF the smallest amount of money
available, and because by construct
ing a large reservoir a connecting link
viii be formed between the more i'm
pOrtant irrigation divisions now eX-
listing on this side Of the river. It is
believed that by beginning the work in
the manner outlined the maximum ben
efitS Will result with a limited amount
l.
can be carried forward without any IN
necessary delay, and that a total area
of 126, 900 acres would at once begin the
payment back into the fund Of the cost
Of reclamation, as all Of this land would
| Immediately be benefited.
The Boise and Payette valleys COnSti-
tute one of the most attractive sections
of the west. In the past few years they
have undergone a transformation that
| is nothing less than marvellous. The
progress in agriculture is reflected in
the splendid growth of the towns ad-
iacent and the whole basin presents
an alluring picture to the visitor. and
furnishes an excellent example Of the
result of irrigation It requires no par
ticular acumen to see that these val
leys have entered upon an area of sub
stantial development which is destined
to unite them in one of the most dense
" populated, as we'll as one Of the rich
| est agricultural communities on this
continent.
The full utilization of the water supply
/ in Boise and Payette rivers viii make
| possible the complete reclamation of
nearly 100000 acres which, divided into
! farm units of eighty acres. will mean
/ 1900 farms, a. rural population of sc, 600,
| and a population in towns and villages
( of double that number. The agricul-
/ turaI wealth of the valley estimated on
/ the basis of the last census would be
mately-irrigated land. $50. 600 =
/ coo: farm buildings $4,000 900: nipple
ments and machinery, $1,410.O00; live
stock. SO. 800 500; canals and reservoirs,
| So. 600 900; total, $50. 10 800. I'm 1900 the
value of farm property for the whole
! state Of Idaho was S6T.271 200 It seems
/ safe TO assume that with the compile
! ton Of the BOiSe-Payette project the
/ farm property i'm this section would
| have a value equal to 80 per cent of that
| for the whole state.