The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-07-14
M|N|DOKA DAM
ALMOST BUILT
Over 100000 Acres Will Be IT.
rigated With Waters From
Snake River.
CANALS COVER 165 MILES
EACH FARM WILL BE SUPPLIED
WITH INDIVIDUAL PIPE.

Charles T. Harte. formerly city editor
al The Salt Lake Herald. now a resident
OF Rupert. ida.. and publisher of the Ru-
pert Record, IS in Salt Lake Rupert is a
thriving little town OF 500 inhabitants siti-
uated in the center Of the Minidoka terri
tory and on the Miridoka branch of the
Oregon Short Line.
In the neighborhood of sl5O0O.O00 will
be spent In irrigating the Minidoka dis
trict, said Mr.. Harte last evening. This
project working wonders for the south
ern portion of Idaho. When the dam and
distributing canals are finished the Snake
river will furnish water for the irrigation
of 10000 acres of farming land. The big
dam al MindOka is nearly completed. The
main canal will be finished within sixty
days. and the distributing canals in three
or four months The government is
building sub-laterals. or troughs. which
VIII carry the water to the different
farms. Over 165 miles of these troughs
and pipes will be built TO reach the indi-
Nidual farms. In most irrigating systems
built by the government the farm owners
nave Diped water from main canals TO
their own farms at their own expense. In
this instance the government has ar
ranged to bring the water to each farm.
Farmers Not Predominant.
The HON asteaders are receiving the
benefit of the governments work. The
canals and distributaries are being built
under no contract. and good wages are
paid for eight hours work In this way
those in the country now are making
money. the Inhabitants Of Rupert are
from every state in the Union, and repre-
sent nearly every form of substantial cit
izenshp. Merchants, doctors. civil en-
gneers, tradeSmen and investors cOnSti-
tute the predominant element in the lit
tie town.
Despite the fact that the country is an
ideal farming district the farmers are not
in the majority. The resident of the town
are largely "squatters." holding land in
anticipation of a demand for farms when
the district is under irrigation.
Land Values Climbing.
There will be al influx of farmers
from the east this fall. With crops gath
cred and the western hOmeseekers rates
on. the fasteners will come west and
large portion of this western travel will
be directed toward the MinidOka terri
tory Land is selling at 500 an acre at
the present time. and it is expected will
double in value before next spring when
the project now under way is completed
''LandhOlders will be offered water
rights for SIC TO be paid in annual pay
ments. If the water is turned into the
canals by next April as expected. the
first payment will not come due until
December The farmers will have a years
use of water before they make the first
payment. and if they cannot raise $3.50 in
that time. another years time will be al
lowed. The payments will bear no inter
est
Cement Floor Tor Dam.
The work now on will build the finest
irrigating system in the world. The dam
will withstand any pressure and hold |
thousands of gallons The floor will be
made of cement. feature in itself. The
cement floor Will prevent seepaSe under |
the dam. preventing waste and elimnat- |
ing the possibility of the water tunnelng. !
The dam is constructed of cement and |
steel. The large canals will be built in
this manner also to make them capable !
of holding any size flow.
During the summer the Snake gets low. |
but a reservO OR. being built by the govern |
ment further up the river, will furnish |
water during the dry season. Lakes along
the river will furnish an extra supply !
when needed. The dam will not only back !
up enough water to irrigate the 40 600 /
acres. but will furnish 5000 horsepower. |
This will run factories and furnish q light |
plant and street car system with power |
when built One-half of the acreage to be /
watered will be supplied by the gravity /
system. The canals will be built above /
the ground and on d gradual drop. The /
other half will be supplied by pumps"