Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1906-05-31
THAT ISN'T FARMING:
IT'S MANUFACTURING"
An fasteners Idea of the Agricultural
Process in IddhO-ItS Sure
Thing Game.
sfactory CONSTRUCTION.

isfactory construction.
This method of procuring the lie
clamation of desert lands is note
worthy, in view of the efforts nov
being made by the national govern
ment. BY this method the state
procurcs the speedy building of the
works and the danger and RESPONSE.
bility for loss is assumed by the
builder. BY contract a maximum
price is fixed for the sale of the
water rights, and the state charges
fixed sum of so cents per acre for
the land
The difficulties of finance and
colonization are undertaken by the
construction company, and the own
ership and control of the canal and
works by the provisions of the law
pass into the hands of the settlers
themselves.
Under the Carey act, title to the
land may be acquired very rapidly
and is commonly obtained in a
single season. An entryman may
transfer his entry to any other
qualified person, who may transfer
it if he so desires. This speedy
acquiring of title to the land has
been of incstimable benefit in Civ
ing credit to the community and
contributing to its speedy upbuild-
ing. The government reclamation
projects require a residence of five
years. If the entryman becomes
dissatisfied or incapacitated through
illness he has no recourse. He has
nothing to dispose of except his
right of possession, and the new
settler must commence again the
five years residence period. The
good and wise people who made
our laws no doubt expected that
this long period of probation would
be very good thing for the settler,
and no doubt feared that if he were
permitted to acquire title sooner
that the land would immediately
become the property of large and
wicked corporations.
No greater example of the fallacy
of the lawmakers reasons can be
given than that which is apparent
upon the Twin Falls Carey act pro-
jet and the government reclamation
project Immediately on it's eastern
limits. On the government project
changes are constantly going on by
way of ACCOMPLISHMENTS. On the
state project at Twin Falls changes
are also going on by way of assign
meut of entry, but instead of the
land passing into the hands of large
individual holders or corporations,
the constant tendency is toward
small holdings. Originally 100
acres or more was the average size
OF the Twin Falls farm. Within a
year that average has dropped to 80
acres, and this condition is due
largely to the ease with which title
can be obtained and the facilities
afforded for transfers even before
the passing of title.
Compared with the state projects
the government projects are also at
disadvantage from the fact that
the price of the water right under
government projects is not known
until the works are completed and
the cost ascertained. While under
the state projects the cost is ascer-
tanned in advance and the loss, if
any, falls upon the contractor in
stead of the settler.
Conditions of soil and climate in
southern Idaho are admirable.
The average elevation of $500 feet,
coupled with the dryncss of the at
mosphere and its 800 days of sun
shine, makes the location extremely
desirable for health. Nowhere to-
day can the homcsecker who desires
to cultivate the products of the tenn
peratc zone find a more inviting
field.
With their moderate priced water
rights, ease of acquiring title, and
reasonable provisions as to residence,
the Carey act projects of Idaho offer
wonderful opportunities. Other
states are now taking advantage of
the Carey act, but here it has reach
ed its highest and best development.