Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-02-12
Eight Million Dollar
Irrigation Project

'"S '"' S"NN'NNihS '"'h'yHNe wars
oN" s2o0, oDo, GOA wore taken out, 4
large but evanesrent population rock-
ed 10 the valley although tae nea es,
rlilroad was 200 mics away and
everything had TO DE irmghtci in aud
ont, but only one crop of gold could
be garnered and the expectation was
that when the pay dirt had all been
PANIED. the valley OF the Boise, like
many other mining districts, would
vanish from the map as a producing
locality. Not so, however. The out.
put OF the valley today from its
hundred or so thousand acres OF
splendidly irrigated land liz fast ap.
preaching the profits realized from
the mines during their best days.
Certainly. when the enormous irriga.
ton works which are there being con.
structed by the government are COM
pleted the output Of agriculture will
contribute 10 the worlds wealth every
year and for all. time thereafter. an
amount much greater than the annual
products OF the "Basln'' diggings dur
ing their palmiest' days. while the
valley will support a population Of at
least 1000 people. ps ~
The state Of Idaho Is larger than all
New England, but Il has less than
two persons to the square mile. What
II needs Is water; the storage Of the
melting SHOWS from It's vast mountain
ranges which run riot to the Gulf Of
California every spring. III climate
10 delightful and invigoratlng. with
q latitude Of the south u France and
noFthern Italy. The Boise valley IN
the southern part Of the state lies st.
an elevation Of about $500 feet, and
the lowest temperature during the
year 10 but slightly under freezing.
The Boise valley al In California In
the early days, the demand for food,
and the exorbitant prices for vegeta-
bles and meat, induce some OF the
hardy argonauts to break the rules Of
caste and engage In what was Their
the humblest OF occupa.
tions. the growing OF potatoes. cab
bage and small fruits. With spler-
did markets this industry prospered
and grew. and when the placers were
a thriving farming commu.
nifty remained to develop these pes
manent resources OF the valley.
But little OF the "Klondyke" Of 1864
It's disappointments and
rewards. its restitution and
reckless prodigality are things OF the
past. Today It is difficult to realize
that this valley was q Of the IA
nous theatres where reckless and dar
ing spirits were the principal actors
and where only the nttest survived.
many Of the Klondykes which
have had their day during the past
sixty years, this valley provided TO-
the overflow. and the spirit 0f enter.
nrise which prompted thousands ,o|
brave all dangers Ia the search OIL
gold. found q field here for the exer
OF surplus energy IN the construc-
ton Of canals and the reclamation Of
the lands in adjacent valleys.
Lake the Mormon farmers, the ear
" tillers Of the Boise valley found ir
rigation necessary, and since the hrst
crude efforts nearly $4,000. 900 have
been expended In the construction of|
irrigation works. and more than 1907
OnG acres of land have been reclaim.
ed
Substantial cities and towns have
grown up, railroads cross the valley
In everv direction and from 100000.
900 to $40, 900, 900 have been added to|
the productive capital Of the west
Rut 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 ct
engineering works enormously exper-
sive that the complete agricultural
development OF the country can take
place The only agency which can
safely undertake this great work -
the United States With ccmmenda-
BILE enterprise the owners OF land In
the valley have harmonised AL quee-
lions Of conflicting water rights am
are now preparing to cooperate hearth
" with the government In carrying
forward what Ii termed the Pay.
ette-Boise project. the largest Of the
national reclamation works which
has yet been approved BY the secre-
tary. Of the interior
Isrosr than eait Lake Valley.
The construction d this great sys'
tenn will require several years and
entails the expenditure Of nearly g.,
mn. nm. The area to be reclaimed =
g7o.OOO acres. or more than twice the
cultivated acreage Of Rhode Island.
The works consists Of storage ressr
voris On the headwaters Of the Pay.
cite and Boise rivers. and In the
BoiAe valley the building q gigantic
l6sthsfpn these twQ rivers and about
200 miles of .maia canals. The SEQ
retary has authorised tAe initlal con
|stpoetica a . dam n Boiss river.
about thirtythres miles d. maia
caani, ana . feeot&oir which WIN b.
capable u storing water enough tor
the late irrigation u about 1Soyoeo
acres Of iAnd 10 Boise valley.