The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-07-26
DRAWING FOR FARMS.
First Under Reclamation Act and
the Cost to the Lucky.
PAYMENTS IN INsTALLsNTs

Project Near Billings, Mont-canaIs
Thirty-five Miles Long.
The appor1ioning of irrigated lands
at Billings, Mont, the other day was
the first of the sort held under the
reclamation act, says the Kansas City /
Star. 1t was not, as many persons
may suppose, a free distribution Of |
farms. It was an opportunity present
ed by the government to buy land
through which system of finely built |
irrigation bitches or fumes with ce-
ment and steel locks and gates had |
been constructed by competent en-
gineers. These things cost large sums, |
and they must be paid for by the men
who file upon the farms. Approximate
~ the cost will be something more
than $3.50 in installments for farms
of forty-seven and one-haIf acres each.
This cost is very reasonable when the
fact is considered that the water sup
ply for the future, or while the Yellow
stone river continues to run, is assured
by the government. The soil assures
the crops Several men in Kansas City
drew farms in the new district
In appOEtioning the land the govern
ment officials thoroughly mixed the
thousands of envelopes containing the
names of applicants and took 1900
from the many. OF these 1900 the
first 631 were entitled to file entries on
farms in the order in which their en-
velOpes were numbered. The farms
faf .
one-half acres, which, experience has
shown, is about all that any ordinary
farmer can cultivate by irrigation.
Forty acres are said to be enough.
All persons who file on the irrigation
farms are required to pay the land
office fee, building charge of $50
an acre, to help defray the cost of
building canals, locks and other parts
of the system; maintenance charge Of
60 cents an acre until further notice
and charge of 81 an acre for the land
to be paid to the Crow Indians.
These payments must be made as
follows: At the time of entry each ap-
plicant must pay to the receiver Of the
Billings land Office the usual fees and
commissions and 81 of the Indian pur-
chase price for each acre entered and,
in addition, So on account of the build
ing charge and GO cents as operating
and maintenance charges for each ir
rigable acre embraced in his entry
and thereafter he must pay on the In
dian purchase price IS cents annually
for four years, beginning with the emo
of the second year, for each acre EN-
braced In his entry, and in addition
thereto he must, in accordance with
notices issued by the secretary Of the
interior. pay annually for each irriga
BILE acre embraced in his entry not less
than IS on account Of the building
charge and such sum as may from
time to time be fixed as charges fol
operation and maintenance. The build
ing charge of $50 an acre may be paiC
in not less than four or more thar
nine annual installments, in addition
to the payment made at the time Of
entry. This makes the farms cos
$500 or $1,000 each.
The land acquired in the drawing Il
known as the Huntley reclamation
project It is a part of the old Grow
Indian reservation coded to the gov
eminent. Ultimately the project vii
provide irrigation for about 1900
Nacres of arid land lying south Of tbs
Yellowstone river and extending from
Huntley to Bull Mountain station OF
the Northern Pacific railway. TIT
\ tract is from two to four miles Wild
and nearly thirty miles long.
The junction of the Chicago, Burling
ton and Quincy with the Northern Pa
cific is at Huntley, at the west end o
the irrigable land, and both railroads
extend through the lands In such
way as to give excellent railroad ia
cilities.
The reclamation service planned tn
irrigation system so that water Is
be delivered to practically every farn
ON the $1,000 acres. The main cana
is built to divert 400 cubic feet a sec
cnd from the Yellowstone river abou
two miles west of Huntley. For tn
ers+ two miles the canal is carries
along the Huntley bluffs and approx
ma+elv paraIlel to the Northern Pacin
+-ocks This location requires severa
.ac+ions of concrete lined canal an
+broa tunnels. also lined with eoncret
80 a0grecating 1850 feet in Length
Ivba first tunnel, 100 feet long, carrie
tbe water from the headgates unue
tbs Northern Pacific railway.
The main canal is being built unoe
,-osan+ contracts to a length OF twenty
three and one-half miles ana can
extended about eight miles Iur1ps
when conditions justify the e1pehu
trre. The structures on the man =
nal such as culverts, wastegates' !!
nhons bridges and the headgates' al
- concrete and steel construction an
- substantial The turnouts, Gu
vs. and fumes on the lateral systei
sra well built of wood
~ soils vary from a fine sand