The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-08-22
MONTANA IRRIGATION PROJECTS.

An article contributed to the 1rriga
ton Age by c. H. Boynton, secretary
of the Helena Business Mems assOcia'
ton, gives an interesting review OF the
progress of irrigation in Montana
Mr.. Boyutou gives this description Of
the more important projects in this
state:
The projects for reclaim alton of land
in this state by the national govern
ment are lower Yellowstone, which
will reclaim $1,000 acres, with eighty
miles Of main canal, taking water
from the Yellowstone river in eastern
Montana: the Milk river.St. Mary
project, to reclaim $50, 900 acres in
northern Montana: the Marias SUBJ
project to reclaim 200, 600 acres in the
same section: the Madison river pro.
ject to reclaim $50, 600 acres in the
Missouri, Madison, Grow creek and
Prickly Pear valleys. The Sun river
project to reclaim 24O, 900 acres in
Cascade and Lewis and Clark coun.
ties: the Clarks Fork to reclaim SO, 900
acres in eastern Montana: the Huntley
project 70 reclaim $1,000 acres in the
same vicinity: the Fort Custer, in
eastern Montana to reclaim a large
area: the Big Horn High Line, in the
same section: the Waco.Sauders in the
same section. These projects, when
completed, will add to the tillable
domain of the state 99l 900 acres.
Surveys and estimates have been made
on all these projects and on the Lower
Yellowstone and Huntley projects
contr acts have been let and the work
is under wav. Work hss also been
commenced OF the Sun river project.
On the lands reclaimed under the pro.
visions Of the Na,iona. irrigation act,
the farm unit will probably be eighty
or at the outside l6O acres, 70 be sc.
cured under the homestead laws with
the cost OF putting on water added.
Among the priv ate enterprises now
under way is that Of Mr.. W. G.. Con.
rad. by which water is now furnished
for l0O,0 600 acres in Teton county,
which has become thickly settled and
a prosperous town Conrad has
sprung up. Work is under way to
furnish water for the irrigation Of an
other like area in the same vicinity, !
and perpetual water rights can be Sc.
cured at very low cost. Another pri-
vate enterprise we'll under way is tn at
Of the Billings Land e. Irrigation
company, which, when its bitches are
completed, will irrigate 4 5000 acres.
Ten thousand acres are already under
ditch and have been sold to settlers
and crops are growing.
Another important enterprise is the
reclamation of from 80, 900 to 60, 900
acres in the immediate front of Helena,
by the Helena Power Transmission
company, by pumping by electric pow.
er the flood waters OF the Missouri.
These lands will be extremely valu-
able, a. they are all within driving
distance Of Helena where there is a
fine market.
In the Gallatin valley the West G al.
lalin Irrigation company is irrigating
Ia, 900 acres at 4 cost to the farmer
OF 81 per acre, aud the Manhattan
company has 70, 900 acres, with bitches |
for irrigatiug, aud is Offering its
lands in small tracts to settlers, in.
GLIDING a perpetual water right.
In Sweet Grass county an extensive
irrigation project is being carried for.
ward by the Securities company, Of
Helena, which will reclaim 1900 |
acres Of the bench along the Yellow.
stone river and 10000 acres will be
watered from the Big Timber creek.
in the vicinity of the city of that name.
Under the contract with the stat these
lands a only be sold to actual set
tiers it tracts not exceeding l6O acres
and it Is expected that the tract will
be reclaimed and thrown open to SET
Element some time during the year
1nn-