Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-06-02
PROGRESS OF IRRIGATION


State Engineer Fellows returned
yesterday from an extended trip
through Montana, Wyoming. Nebras-
II,ka and Colorado. At Huntley on the
elloWstone river in Montana, the
Huntley project of the United States
Reclamation Service was visited. This
work IS rapidly nearing completion
and during the past week about 81, 900
acres for which water can be fur.
nished this season, was opened for
settlement. This is. a beautiful tract
of land and anyone who settles there
will have occasion to thank his good
fortune Work up the lower Yellow
stone project, which will irrigate
about 10000 acres in Montana and
10000 acres in North Dakota, is also
advancing rapidly but water is not
yet ready for delivery. The Yellow
stone valley in general presents a.
wonderful picture of thrift and prog
ress, the buildings that are going up
presenting a marked contrast to the
average claim shanty, such as is
found on SO many dry land claims.
The North Platte project Of Wyom-
ing and Nebraska was next visited,
and at Mitchell, Neb., q conference
was had by Mr.. Fellows with several
| of the engineers Of the reclamation
service. At this time, May 21st, bids
for a contract for about $225, 900
work Of work were opened. The bids
proved to be very satisfactory, being
much lower than many OF the bids
examined by the reclamation service
/ in the past few months, earth work
gooing at about 15 cents per cubic
yard. ABOUT s2,oOo.Oo0 has already
been expended upon this project, but
this amount is small when the amount
of land to be benefited Is taken into
consideration, this being one Of the
largest OF the reclamation projects.
i Others of the reclamation engineers
were met IN Denver and matters con-
lnected with the reclamation service
were considered. The Gunnison Tun-
mel project in Colorado was reported
to be going on rapidly. 1t being ex-
Ipected that water could be delivered
in 1908. This is the project which
Mr.. Fellows was most intimately con-
nected with before coming to this
state, and in the prosecution Of which
he. not once but many times, came
near losing his life. About $4,000, 900
has already been expended on this
/ project also, and it is thought that 1T
will take as much more before the
work is completed.
Mr. Fellows reports that signs OF
la most remarkable era OF prosperity
4 were visible in every irrigated section
that was visited by him. In all the
states referred to every available ir-
4 rigation project is being taken hold
Y of by the people themselves, and in
4 Colorado, especially, is this the case.
4 The recent u. s. Supreme Court deci-
4 sion in the state of Kansas vs.. Col
4 orado, concerning the use Of the wa
a tiers Of the Arkansas river, which
1 favored Colorado j, has given a great
q impetus to the diversion of water for
a irrig cation purposes in that state.
I. Probably not less than $40, COO, 900 will
Il be expended there alone within the
4 next few years upon irrigation works
and that, too, in spite of the fact that
the precipi tation has been unusually
large during the last few years. y
Returning, Mr. Fellows made a
q somewhat limited study Of drainage
work In Nebraska, Colorado, Iowa and
Minnesota. A great deal is being
done in this line in all the states re-
u ferred to as well as In many others,
Il the most Of them having greatly modi-
4 fed and improved their drainage laws
n within the last few years. The work
of the various coal mine inspectors
in the different states was also stud.
led and reports and forms obtained
] in this line Of work as the state
I engineer was made by an act Of the
] last legislature ex ofiicio coal mine
4 inspector
While in Denver Mr., Fellows was
invited to attend a luncheon given BY
/ the Denver Chamber of Commerce, al
4 which were present some Of the state
/ officers. y. s. Senator Teller, Rep
{ resentatiyes Bonynge and Cook, SONS
/ d the leading irrigation lawyers 81
the state and officers OF the Chambel
I Of Commerce, the subject under dis