The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-06-04
STATE ENGINEER
FELLOWS TELLS
Of PROGRESS
Being Made in Irrigation Pro-
ject Carried on in Western
Part of the State.
INTEREST IN PUBLIC
LANDS CONVENTION
To Be Held Soon is Not Appar-
T ent in North Dakotans-
Coming Meetings.
INTEREST IN PUBLIC
LANDS CONVENTION
Special to The Evening Times.

Special to The Evening Times.
Bismarck, N. D., June 4.-State En-
gineer Fellows returned yesterday
from an extended trip through Mon
tana. Wyoming, Nebraska and Col
orado. At Huntley, on the Yellow
stone river in Montana, the Huntley
project of the United States reclama-
tion service was visited. This work is
rapidly nearing completion and, dur
ing the past week, about 10000 acres
for which water can be furnished
this season, was opened for settle
ment. This is beautiful tract of
land and any one who settles there
will have occasion to thank his good
fortune. Work up the lower Yellow
stone project, which will irrigate
about 100000 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 Platt project of Wyo-
ming and Nebraska was next visited,
and at Mitchell, Neb.. conference
was had by Mr.. Fellows with several
of the engineers of the reclamation
service. At this time, May 21, bids
for a contract for about $225,00O
worth 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
going at about Is cents per cubic
yard. About $2,000,00O 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.
Others of the reclamation engineers
were met in Denver and matters con-
. nected with the reclamation service
were considered. The Gunnison tun-
mel project in Colorado was reported
to be going on rapidly, it being eX-
pected 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 it
will take as much more before the
work is completed.
Mr.. Fellows reports that signs of
a most remarkable era of prosperity
were visible in every irrigated section
hot vic fod hNvh him In oil no
states referred to every available ir-
rigation project is being taken hold
OF by the people themselves, and in
Colorado, especially. is this the case.
The recent U. S. supreme court deci-
sion in the state of Kansas VS.. Col
orado, concerning the use of the wa
ters of the Arkansas river, which
favored Colorado, has given great
impetus to the diversion OF water for
irrigation purposes in that state.
Probably not less than $20,OO0,00O will
be expended there alone within the
next few years upon irrigation works
and that. too, in spite of the fact that
the precipitation has been unusually
large during the last few years.
Returning, Mr.. Fellows made a
somewhat limited study of drainage
work in Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa and
Minnesota. A great deal is being
done in this line in all the states re-
ferred to. as we'll as in many others
the most of them having greatly mod
flied and improved their drainage laws
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
last legislature eX offiicio coal mine
inspector.
While in Denver, Mr.. Fellows was
invited to attend luncheon given by
the Denver chamber of commerce, at
which were present some of the state
officer, U. S. Senator Teller. Rep
resentatives Bonynge and Cook. some
of the leading irrigation lawyers of
the state and officers of the chamber
of commerce. the subject under dis
cussion being irrigation litigation
upon interstate streams. The meet
ing was one of great Importance and
measures were taken to present i'm
portant facts relating to the subject
to MIR. Garfield, secretary of the in
terror, who. it is expected. will be
in Denver for some time during the
month of June, in attendance upon
the meetings of the Public Lands
congress, to be held there June IS
to 20. In this connection Mr.. Fell
lows believes that not enough in
terest is being taken in this congress
in the state of North Dakota. A
great many questions relating to the
public land laws of vital importance
to, this state. as we'll as to the other
western states. are to be considered,
such as grazing on public lands. the
forest reserve policy, revision Of the
land laws, etc. Both friends and en-
emies of the administration are ex-
pected to be there. 1t is we'll known
that President RoOsevelt's policies
connected with forest reserves. graz
ing and the land laws in general
have met with considerable opposi-
zion. and whether such opposition
is selfish or broad-minded. it Is for
q