The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1907-11-02

all states and territories which are arid semi-arid
Under the provisions of the Carey Act the United
States agreed to give each arid state not to exceed
one million acres of land under certain conditions
1t will suffice to enumerate few of these conditions
to show the methods it is necessary to follow in
order to secure the benefits of this act.
Ho7O to Reclaim Land.
The state must file map showing the land which
is to be irrigated and plan of irrigation. If this
be approved, ten years is allowed for the reclama
ton of the land, and the Secretary of the Interior
may extend this time five years longer. Those de-
string to take advantage of this act file their appl
cation with the State Board of Land Commissioners,
which has adopted certain rules and regulations
der the provisions of the state law accepting this
grant of Congress-
Under the Carey Act individuals associations
of individuals construct the water system and convey
water to the lands to be reclaimed The settler pays
the state so cents per for the land and to the
company constructing the irrigation works, price
per acre agreed upon between the contracting parties
and the state, represented by the State Board of
Land Commissioners Under this act no one person
can take up more than 100 acres of land.
Idaho at once appreciated the advantages of the
Carey Act Congress passed the act as an amend
ment to the Desert Land Law, August 10, 1894. The
Legislature of Idaho at its first session thereafter in
1895, provided for State Engineer and for the ma
chnery necessary to put the Carey Act in operation.
The state has co-operated heartily and earnestly
with all bona hde corporations desiring to reclaim
land under this act and has most ntelligently aided
the states representatives in Congress to need
ed amendments to the original act Two of these
amendments were necessary in order to induce those
with capital to undertake the great enterprises which
have been successfully completed Both amendments
to sundry civil bills; the one of June H. 1885,
gave lien upon the land which offered security to
the investor; the of March g. 1901, provides that
the tenyear period begins to run from the time of
the approval of the states application for the segre
cation of the land.
In financing these enterprises the liens which the
settlers give their lands for the payment of the
water right the principal security covered by the
mortgage securing the bonds
The million acres of public land given to each
arid and semi-arid state and territory has been re-
claimed or is in process of reclamation in Idaho. We
have utilized the gift Words would be useless to
describe what boon this legislation has been to
Idaho. The results more eloquent than any
language. The reclaimed deserts are speaking and
will continue speaking for all time.
The American Falls Canal Company was the first
of the Carey Act enterprises or perhaps was the
Mullins Canal Company begun about 1896 1t may
be of interest to give the completed segregations and
the number of acres transformed from sage brush
plains to the most productive farms, all within ten
years
Acres.
American Falls Canal & Power Co., Bing-