The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-23
GEM STATE FAST
COMING TO FRONT.
General Manager of Twin Falls
Project Talks of the
Enterprise.
MEANS BIG INCREASE
IN IDAHO POPULATION
Work of Company the Largest
Reclamation Scheme in
the Country.

Chief Engineer and General Manager
r. w Faris and Secretary and Treasurer
Fred L. Harris of the Twin Falls Land
and Water company of Twin Falls, Ida.
are guests at the Kenyon, being on a
visit 10 Mr.. Buhl. the original tinancior
of this mammoth project. Speaking in
general way upon the great work, Mr.
Faris said:
History of Work.
This great work had Its inception un-
der tho provisions of tho Carey act. In
troduced by Representative Carey OF
Idaho providing for reclalming arid lands
provides for ceding to the states certain
amounts of arid land II the States Will
make provision to reclaim tho land.
Grant Made to Idaho.
Under this act, Idaho was granted
100000 acres of arid land. The Legisle-
ture accepted the grant, and passed all
necessary legislation TO make tho grant
effective, This legislation gives power TO
enter into contracts with any individuals
Cd company who would contract TO take
the necessary steps for reclamation.
'We are operating in Lincoln and Cas-
sin counties. Idaho. We have built a
dam at the town OF Miner, on the Snake
river, about Is feet high-in fact, there
are three dams-which directs the water
OF Snake river into the main canal, which
is So feet on the bottom and rs feet al
Wdtcr-unc, carrying ~ Ieet OF "dlci'
Twenty Eight Miles Long.
This canal Is Is miles long and divides
Into high and low canal, the low line
being 40 feet on the bottom and s. feet
at wateT-line. carrying Z feet of water,
and is 30 miles long. The high line Is 90
feet wide at the bottom, rs feet at the
top and carries feet OF water, and Is
80 miles long Tho main canals, with the
laterals and branches, cover 10000 acres
Of land. 1t is the finest agricultural lana
hlrN.F gNsafra
mon TO that latitude IL Is peculiarly
adapted to cereal or root crops, alfalfa
and fruits. There are now 10000 acres
sold and settled upon and under cultiya-
ton. Emigration is coming in rapidly.
There are about 10000 acres yet to cell
What Project Contemplates.
This project also contemplatcs 10000
acres ITO be reclaimed on the north side
OF the Snake river, and this work will be
taken up at once We haze the very best
class of people from the West and MiGdlc
West, experienced men In irrigation, who
sold out their holdings 10 take up land
with US.
''rhey arc so successful that they are
able To go ahead and make remarkable
developments.
Work Is Successful.
.''I take II that all of these things being
true. and / vouch for them. II speaks
loudly for the wisdom of the Carey act,
and for the National legislation that
operation of the Carey act In any
section of the country has been uni
Versally successful.
Inception Of Act.
THE Carey act had its inception in the
necessity that existed for some Legislation
that would give investor an absolute
guaranty OF a sure return for his money
invested In arid lands. The act does this
by reason OF the fact that every contract
for land is a first mortgage lien on the
la
guarded in that all the work done under
the supervision of the State engineers
and the entire operations of the COM
pany are under the control and super
vision OF the State Land board.
Tends to Development.
THE Carey act tends to develop rapidly
all the territory operated under It's pro-
visions. because every settler must
have enough money to go ahead and
make necessary improvements. and freely
develop the land.
The average cost to a settler is $3.50
per acre, with water. being So for tho
on filing. the settler pays 1926 per acre
In cash. the balance TO he paid In ten
annual payments with interest at per
cent, The land is being rapidly taken
TO get water on II.
Milner Was at Head.
The late Stanley B. Miner of Salt
Lake was the original financier OF the
undertaking on our section we shall
take up the WORK with energy. 1t s the
largest reclamation project In the United
States and the third largest in the world.
1t has already cost 100000. and Will cost
s4500,000 or so.000000 when completed,
Twenty Years in Idaho.
Il have been twenty years In Idaho
and all that time more or less interested
in Irrigation. / built the dam and canal
under contract When the company
was organized | was selected as chief
engineer and general manager Mr.. Har-
ris is secretary and treasurer. and was
originally with the Trowbridge and NiVer
company of Chicago, n bondhouse that
handles the bonds of the company"