The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-08-06
AUCTION OF TOWN
LOTS IN IDAHO
Miniature Cities Are Situated in
the Heart of the Minid0ka
irrigation Project.
ONCE A SAGE BRUSH PLAIN
NOW ALL is BUSTLE AND AC-
TIVITY.
Especial to The Herald.)

Washington, Aug. "a rather unique
event is scheduled to take place in south
ern Idaho the latter part of this month,
when Uncle Sam will offer for sale the
lots contained in two town sites situated
in the heart of the Minidoka irrigation
project
This project provides for the reclama-
ton of about 10000 acres lying on both
sides of the Snake river. The land was all
public domain and when the engineers
designed the system they did not neglect
the splendid opportunity for establishing
an ideal farming community. Three town
sites were laid out in the center of the
tract on the proposed line of the Oregon
Short Line railway; the towns were plat
ted with wide streets and bouleVards, and
parks and extensive tracts for pubic
buildings were reserved. All the agri-
cultural lands were cut into farms OF 40
and so acres, so that the instant the tract
is brought under cultivation 1t will be-
come one of the most denSely populated
agricultural communities in the country.
Its prosperity is assured by the Qnfalilng
water supply which will be furnished by
the big government canals and bitches,
and this prosperity will be reflected In
the future success and substantial
growth of the towns which Uncle Sam
proposes to establish there.
Desert a Short Time Ago.
Two years ago the Minidoka country
was an uninhabited sagebrush plain. The
railroad was miles away and it seemed
destined forever TO serve only as haunt
Of the jack rabbit and the skulking coy
ote. Far below the surface the Snake
river cut its way through canyon across
the plain, offering no opportunity for the
pioneer with his simple ditch to lead the
water out upon the thirsty soil. Only
skilled engineers backed by vast CAPT.
tai could tackle such a proposition as this.
Many men without the necessary where
withal had looked at it, but its great cost
had forced them to give ii up. With the
passage of the reclamation act on June II,
1902 one of these engineers who had
joined the government force rushed a
field party to this point and in a single
season prepared and presented set of
plans for a comprehensive system OF ir-
rigation. They were accepted and bids
were asked for and contract awarded for
construction.
To irrigate this broad expanse of plain
the Snake river must be lifted from It's
bed and dam was laid across the stream
at MinidOka Rapids, a great rock fill
structure 80 feet in height and 600 feet
long on top, which raised the water sur
face AZ feet at flood level and backed it
I'D for 80 miles The dam is near COM
pietion and will cost nearly half a mill
lion dollars. When the immense gates in
the diversion canal are lifted the water
will pass into the high line canals on both
sides of the river and be led from them
every farm in the valley.
Settlers Have Poured In.
The initiation of this great work was
followed by an influx of settlers from all
over the country, and soon every farm di-
vision had been filed upon. While the
government proceeded with the construc-
ton of the dam and canal system, the
settlers were buSily engaged upon their
own buildings The coming of large num-
bers of farmers created a market, and
stores Sprang up. An enterprising young
man established newspaper and as If
by magic doctors, lawyers and mechanics
of ali classes flocked in. The intOXicatiOn
of creation was in the air. Other news
papers were started, three banks were es-
tablished. a school was opened and 20
pupils greeted the teacher the first morn
ing. Meanwhile two lines of steel like
ribbons came creeping over the plain.
the Shrek of the locomotive was added
to the creaking of the derricks as great
blocks of stone were dropped into place
on the dam
To-day a population of over 1900 awaits
the completion Of the canals and bitches.
Scattered here and there in and around
the town sites are 10 mercantile institu-
tons waiting for the town lot sale so
that they can move upon their own prop
erty and no longer remain tenants by
sufferance of the government.
Idaho is famous for its irrigated fruits
and fields. The soil and climate are
adapted to a wide variety of crops. Ow-
ing to the Importance of the live stock
Industry in this section alfalfa and other
forage crops will always find a profitable
market. and all the vegetables and fruits
of the north temperate zone may be
grown here.
Future Is Assured.