The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-10-20
TO RECLAIM A VALLEY
Details of Irrigation Project
at Klamath Falls,
Oregon.

klamath Fails Is ono 0f The oldest
places in She state of Oregon There
has been town there for half cen.
ti,y, and o great deal of money has
been made raising sheep and cattle.
but owing 90 rs iacis 0f transportation
facilities and inacccsslblllly the town
has not made much hcadway. Ils $50
lation has been broken In upon. how
ever. and klamath Fails is bound &c
become a place OF great importance
soon because of an extensive irrlga
/ tion project which the federal govern
I mont has undertaken there under the
reclamation act. 1t is proposed to re
deem 2500OO acres Of land at a cost Of
about sloO0,oOO. This will require a
large force Of iaborcrs and an immense
amount Of material, which VIII give
temporary population and activity TO
the town. while not less than $4,000
people win ultimately take up farms
upon the reclaimed lond. says William
E Curtis the Chicago Record Herald
correspondent. writing from klamath
Falls
On both sides OF the boundary line
between California and Oregon about
midway between San Francisco and
Portland and about $50 miles east Of
the Pacific coast. between She Cascade
aud the main range OF the Rocky
mountains lies the klamath basin. an
extensive tract. embracing somc half
million acres Of land. All OF which is
now practically worthless except for
cattle ranges But by drainage and
irrigation It can be made worth from
$50 to $3.50 an acre About twO-thirds
Of this land Is in Oregon and onc.third
In California. The valley has a mean
elevation OF 400 feet From north
to south Il is about thirty miles in
length and varies in width from one TO
twenty-five miles. About 10000 acres
are now under cultivation. The re-
ms'rler is used for pasturage
About one-haIf Of the klamath basin
IS occupied by string Of lakes, lhe
largest of which are known as Upper
Klamath. Lower klamath, Tuie, Clear
and Goose lakes. with several other
bodies OF water of lesser Importance
II is proposed TO drain Lower Klamatn
lake. which has an area Of 10000 acres
an aver. Ie depth of eight feet and an
elevation or 4,i42 feet. and Tule lake.
which has an area OF 00.O0O acres. va
ries from FIVE 10 twenty-five feet aud
has an elevation or f,6Sl feet Several
smaller lakes ana svamps which sur
round them viii also bc draiued and
reclaimed The bottoms OF these lakes
are known TO be OF fertile soil Atone
time. according to the traditions OF the
Indians, both of them were dry. or at
least were very much smaller than
they are now The main trail used by
the indians going meth ana south in
The Klamath country used 10 cross
what Is now Lower Klamath lake
Upper Klamath lake and Clear lake.
are to be nude permanent reservoirs TO
rcceiye and store the drainage Of the
surrounding mountains for irrigntiOn
purposes. and . system Of canals viii
be dug to carry away the surplus wa
ter into the klamath river, which flows
through the valley suggisllly from
north to south for distance Of twelve
miles, then turns abruptly TO the west
and daShcs through picturesque can
yOn io the Pacidc TO drain tho two
lakes mentioned q canal fifteen miles
long. with grade Of 200 to 200 feet.
will Dee dug from ilem To the river.
which win carry OIL al the water
When the lakes are drained and their
bottoms become dry irrigation will be
necessary for their cultivation as well
as upon the upbnds bur in Upper Kla-
nath lake nature has not only provid-
ed an ample reservoir and all the wa
ter that can possibly be needed. but has
formed the Topography SO as to make
its Use simple aud convenient The
main canal. which will distribute the
water throughout the west part OF the
klamath basin, will be forty miles
long, with ifty miles OF laterals and
waste canals II viii have slope OF
one foot to the mile In order 10 reach
parallel valleys tunnels are being bored
through intervening ridges. The east
side OF klamath valley will be sup.
piled with water from Clear lake.
which will be made a reservoir large
enough 10 receive and store the drain.
age OF large area. A third reservoir
win he built in what is known as
liorsehy valley 60 supply land that is
slightly higher than Clear lake.
Mr. Lippine0tt and Mr.. Humphreys.
the engineers In charge. tell me that
they have found no difhcult engineer
ing problems. Nature has done almost
egerything for them The water sup
ply is abundant the reservoirs are al
ready crented. and II is only necessary
70 build dams to enlarge them and ca
nails 20 distribute the water as needed.
The work has already commenced
Some years ago private corporation
undertook 10 utilize the natural advan-
tages and reclaimed large area In the
valley, but WIS compelled to suspend
I operations for want OF capital The
government has purchased its lands
aud machinery and has indemniied Il
for the work already done.
About $4,000 acres OF the land to he
redeemed belongs to private owners,
aud some OF it ls in large tracts. TN
der the law private lands must be sub
divided and sold in farms not exceed
ING 100 acres, which is the limit Of
ownership that the government vii
recognize Several Of The land proprle
tors ln the valley have refused 70 sub
init to this condition Ihey prefer &c