The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-09-30
A ROMANCE or THE DESERT.
Continued from page 81

ducts generally, Sugar bcets are being
planted, and d factory u about TO bs
erected. The desert " disappearing be-
for the very eyes OF the stranger. The
Oregon Short Line built branch line
into the country, and n planning to
change its route 10 that Twin Falls will
be on the main line Two or three 9th.
er towns have sprung up on the desert
all Of them as ambitious as Chicago.
Plenty Of Electric Power.
Electric power TO the extent of 10000
horsepower has been developed at Sho-
shone Falls, and poles and wires are
being strung along Snake River .and IN
to Twin Falls. In few weeks the town
win be lighted and operated by Sbo.
shone Falls. An electric railroad four
teen miles Ii length Is being constructed
connecting the towns Of Twin Falls and
Buell.,
The irrigation system which has
worked such wonders on the desert has
It's beginning at Miner Dam on the
Snake River about eight miles above
Twin Fails, which Is In turn only a
few miles above shoshone Falla. Two
small Islands In rocky gorge furnish
an admirable dam.sitc. The main can.
attending from the dam carries 1000
second feet Of water and smaller canals
distribute the supply in all directions.
Two years ago not nm acre was under
cultivation. Now 10000 acres are pro-
ducing crops, and next year nearly
100000 acres will be cultivated. The
Miner dam diyerts sufficient water toi
irrigate over 100000 acres, and the land
lies there ready for the water, In q
compact body.
Thirty.1ye miles above Miner Dam,
Mt Ninidoka, the United States gov
ernment has built dam mile long,
raising the height Of the water forty.
seven feet and providing for the irrt
cation OF another body OF 100000 acres.
Every acre Of this land has been en-
tered upon By homesteaders under the
reclamation act. The sagcbusa desert
Is dotted for miles with little cabins.
The dam will be completed this month.
The canals are it'll. behi;;HHsa!.h:ssSsa bei;HHs!.h:ss but
II IL expected that water will be turned
in early next year, sufficient to irri-
gate 6000p acres The settlers ARE
mostly from the Middle West, and are
from the higher priced irrigated lands
In Washington, California and Utah. |
Few men in the East have ever heard}
,f AIinidoka, and fewer still have the
enterprise Of these Westerners who
IRE quick To grasp the chance to make
/ comfortable fortune.
The Minidka project" is expected
o be grand success, both from the
governments and the settlers point Of
iew. II win cost, completed. $3.50
100. This includes the cost of mainten
Ince for ten years, when, under the
aw. the system will be turned over
o the settlers, who will have paid for
heir lands, and the system which
makes them productive. This land Wal
inye cost the settlers SEQ an acre, and
ong before the government has been
,aid It's last installment the settlers
viii he on homes worth from 800 AM
ere, upwards. Three towns have been
tarted on the Alinidoka tract, all of !
hem on the Oregon Short Line. They
fill have electric lights, trolleys, and
II other modern conyehiences. The
iinidoka dam will develop 1000 horse
over. which the government is au-
horized by act of Congress to utilize
or the benefit o.! the project or to
,ase to private parties.
While the settlers have been wait.
% for the completion of the system ,
hey have been employed by the re-
service at building lateral
mails. A man earns $3.50 a day and
Il team earns another $3.50 Some of
he settlers will have enough money ,
, begin fruit growing. although they
lme to Minidoka with bare hands.
was poor mans chance while it
sted Not an acre is left open TO
,ttlement, Here, as upon all other +,
rigation works projected by the gov 4,
the settler Is far ahead Of
ncle Sam. The land hunger Of the
merican is never appeased, Here and
lere in the heart of the sagebrush,
e cleared places where settlers raise
ops Of grain without even irrigation,
he Minidoka system will irrigate land l
Efficient to sustain u population OF !"
1000, ET
Three hundred miles above Minidoka, n
Wyoming, in the Jackson Hole
untry the reclamation service Is
Hiding dam across the outlet Of
Ickson's Lake. This will make res
yoir storing million acre feet OF P
lter- that Is, enough water to cover y
anillion acres one fopt in depth. :,
me of this water will be sold for ir- n
cation down along the river, and the v
II of il will be conducted down along
Q river to Minidolla dam, for use in p
e low stages Of the river. The gov
nnent engineers calculate that with
is storage system there viii never e
time when the settlers, either on the hi
inidoka or the Twin Falls system, n
II be short Of water n
Work on the Jackson's Lake dam has =
Ell held up temporarily by gentle W
IN named Sheffield who stands with M
rifle and dared the engineers to come re
He il 4 Squatter, who makes a y
tie money plotting parties through I.
. Wyoming hunting grounds. I'm ~
sam il not disposed to be harsh pr
On Brother Sheffield, and is taking FL
ps to pushhim out Of the way with D
t calling out the armedsfomes Of the
lion and the several States. For n