Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1906-02-08
100000 Irrigating Project.

, ring the succeeding twenty-five yea
over $500, 900, 900 we're taken on
A large but evanescent populatio
hocked to the Valley, although tn
nearest railroad was 200 miles away
and everything had to be freighte
in and out. But only one crop o
gold could be garnered aud the ex
pectation was that when the pay dir
had all been panned the valley of tn,
Boise, like many other mining dis
tricts. would vanish from the map as
a producing locality. Not so, how
ever. The output of the valley today
from its hundred or so thousands of
acres of splendidly irrigated land,
is fast approaching the profits real
izod from. the mines during their best
days. Certainly when the enormous
irrigation works which are there be-
iug constructed by the government
are completed the output of agricul-
cure will contribute to the worlds
wealth every year aud for all times
thereafter. an amount much greater
than the annual products of the ."Ba-
sin diggings during their palmiest
days, while the valley will support a
population of at least 200, 900 peo-
pie.
The State of Idaho is larger than
all New England, but it has less
than two persons to the square mile.
What Is needed is water by the stor-
age of the melting SHOWS from its
vast mountain ranges, which run riot
to the Gulf of California every spring.
Its climate is delightful and invigOra-
ting, with a latitude of the south of
France aud northern Italy. The
Boise valley in the southwestern part
of the state, lies at an elevation of
about 2, 800 feet, and the lowest tenn
perature during the year is but very
slightly under freezing.
In Boise valley as in California in
the early days, the demand for food,
and the exorbitant prices for vegeta-
ble- and meat, induced some of the
hardy Argonauts to break the rules
OF caste and engage in what was then
the umblest of occupa-
tons, the growing of potatoes, cab
bage and small fruits. With splen-
did markets this industry prospered
sud grew, and when the placers we're
exhausted thriving farming commu-
nifty remained to develope these per-
resources of the valley.
But little of the Klondyke" of
1864 remains. Its restitution and
reckless prodigality are things of the
past To-day it is difficult to realize
hat this valley was one of the ia
nous theaters where reckless and da-
ing spirits were the principal actors
md where only the ittest survived.
Unlike many of the Klondykes which
nave had their day during the past
fifty years, this valley provided for
he overflow and the spirit Of enter
prise which prompts thousands to
brave all dangers in the search for
gold, found "A field here for the exer-
,ise of their surplus energy, in the
of canals and the recla-
nation of the lands in adjacent val
.eys.
Like the Mormon farmers, the ear
" tllers of the Boise valley found
irrigation necessary, ami since Il e
first crude efforts nearly 81, 600, 600
have been expended in the construc-
ton of irrigation works and more
than one hundred thousand acres of
land have been reclaimed.
Substantial cities and towns have
grown up, railroads cross the valley
in every direction, and from 30, 600,
600 to $40, 0OG, 600 have boon added
to the productive capital of the west.
But the limit for private enterprise
has been reached. The natural flow
Of the river has been fully utilized,
and it is only by the construction of
engineering enormously expensive
That the complete agricultural devel-
, s. tha 81.