The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-06-12
THEY WANT WATER.
Milk River Residents Urge Action BY
Reclamation Service.

Milk River Residents Urge Action BY
Reclamation Service.
Hon. James Il. Garfield, secretary
OF the interior, who will soon visit
northern Montana, will be advised as
to the views OF residents of the Milk
river country in regard to the St.
Mary's and Milk river irrigation
project. The secretary will be at
Harlem on July l, according to his
announced itinerary, and it is pro.
posed that a meeting of members of
the Milk River United Irrig alton as.
ISOLATION be held at Harlem on that
date for the purpose of fully discuss.
ing the unsatisfactory and discourage
ing ituation.
In order to acQuaint Secretary Jar.
field with the present state of aft fairs,
Is viewed from the standpoint of set.
tiers affected, the executive committee
of the association adopted resolutions
at q meeting held Monday Al Malta.
These resolutions will be presented to
the secretary by q reception committee
that will meet him at Williston. and
it is assumed he will give them i'm.
mediate consideration and be prepared
to make an official reply upon his ar.
rival at Harlem. The resolutions are
in part to this effect:
''There are over Is, 900 settlers and
others depending upon the agricul-
tural OF the country under
this project for a livelihood.
"All of the lands have been with.
drawn from settlement except restrict
ed homeste ad entry under the recla.
nation act, which, under the rulings
of the department., prevents any SET
tier from receiving title to land until
the completion Of the canal system
and the irrigation and reclamation OF
at least one-half of the irrigable land
en- braced in his entry.
"Many settlers now making 6nal
proof, are confronted with the fac,
that perfect title cannot pass from the
government to them until after the
completion of this project.
"By the passage Of the reclamation
act and the orders OF the honorable
secretary Of the interior, all reservoir
sites and rights of way for canals and
bitches by private parties have beer
Withdrawn and the government ha!
fled upon all the waters of Milk rivel
and its tributaries, as we'll as tht
waters of St. Mary's lake, thus effect
uslly blocking all private enterprise
in the reclamation of all lands under
this project and thus preventing tn
successful guilty alton of this area o
rich agricultural lands.
"This condition has existed sine
, the summer OF 1902. just before th'
withdrawal of this land under th'
reclamation act, thousands of settler
had filed upon homestead and deser
entries, with the intention Of irriga,
b ing them by private and co.operativ
:, canals, but the withdrawal OF the Ian
and of the rights for reservoirs an
bitches aud the filing on all of tn
! waters by the government rendere
them helpless, not only to comply wit
the desert land law, under which man,
. of the entries we're made, but rendered
. them powerless to make a living o.
the land for themselves and families
Is, without irrigation, IL is worth
less.
"Since that time these settlers hav
simply existed, or have been compelle
to leave the country, many OF the.
passing over the boundary into Car
ada, where more liberal laws obtai
% and where government irrigation pro
n jects appear to be more speedily con-
pleted.
"Five years have now elapsed sine
d these conditions began to prevail, an
no speedy relief seems to be ia sigh,
o 1--WE, your petitioners. respectful
Y urge that every effort be made for tn
speedy construction OF the St. Mary
canal to Milk river: that, in our opir
ion, the force now availabl NJ for sal
work is entirely inadequate for tn
NJ completion of the canal in a reason
able time, and it seems TO US that til
construction of the whole of said ca
nal should be let, AS soon as possible
= to some responsible contractors VIII
, are equipped to construct the work !
q o speedy manner, even thong
the cost should exceed the estimate {
construction by force account, as, !
our opinion, the use Of the water Il
one season would be worth more
re this valley than the possible difyereu'
" in cost of construction.
ne And as it would be necessary, b
e. fore the waters which may De turne
Is into the Milk river from St. Mary
&c lakp Sar no nSa6 unnp tho 1apI in ~