The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-04-04
WILL THEY
= PUMP THE
RIVER DRY?
One Of Most Unique Irrigation
Projects in World is in West
em North Dakota.
WILL BE FORMALLY
OPENED ON JUNE Is
President Roosevelt to Press Elec-
tnc Button and Set the Ma
chinery in Motion.
lBx e. c. snxder.l

Washington, D. c.. April 4.-Sena-
tors Hansbrough and McCumber re-
Gently called upon President Roose-
from the commercial club to be pres
ent at Williston, NJ D., June 16, the
date scheduled by the reclamation en-
gineers for the opening of the Willis
ton irrigation project. President
Roosevelt told Senators Hansbrough
and McCumber that he would be only
too delighted to be present upon this
suspicious occasion, but unfortunate
ly his engagements were such that he
could not accept. He agreed. how
ever, that he would touch an electric
button which will set the pumping
machinery of the Williston irrigation
project into motion. The invitation to
the president also included James R.
Garfield, secretary of the interior, and
he told thee North Dakota senator's
that he would like to attend the func-
tion If public business would permit.
1t is quite probable that Secretary
Garfield may be present at Williston
to witness the opening of the first
great irrigation project which has
been undertaken by the reclamation
service. At least that is the intention
of Mr.. Garfield. The following is q
statement prepared by the reclamation
service which shows the scope of the
work which has been attempted and
accomplished at Williston.
"One of the most unique irrigation
projects of the reclamation service is
located in the extreme western part Of
North Dakota, where the engineers
are constructing works for lifting wa
ter from the Missouri river by means
of pumps instead of taking it out by
gravity.
''The Missouri river has a habit of
constantly cutting it's banks and
changing its channel, so that it would
be impossible to locate any structure
for the diversion of water by gravity
unless enormous expense were incur
red to protect it from the scour of the
stream, moreover. its grade is so fiat
that any gravity canal would be of
prohihtive length. Fortunately large
beds of Ignite were discovered in the
vicinity, affording cheap fuel. and the
engineers conceived the plan of build
ing power house at the coal mines
and conveying the power by electric
conduits to the river. Their ingenuity
did not cease here. Instead of the
costly works required to protect the
banks the pumps will be located on
floating barges which will accommo-
date themselves to changes in the
channel and in the water level.
1.-The water will be delivered through
pipes with flexible joints into several
basins located at sufficient distance
from the shore to be safe from en-
crcachment by the shifting river. From
these basins the water will be pumped
into canals to cover the irrigable'
lands. These basins will also serve
for the purpose of settling the silt,
large quantities of which are carried
in solution by the Missouri river
During the winter season the barges
will be drawn out of the water and
hauled to points where they will be-
safe from ice gorges and sudden
freshets and the basins can be cleaned
out
about 10000 acres in the Muddy
valley, in and about Williston will
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