Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-06-29
.sxsEs or zee Assoo,ArEo Press
AN IRRIGATION EXPERIMENT.

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8 AN IRRIGATION EXPERIMENT
The opening of the Williston irri-
cation project will be an event, not
only in the history of this state, but
an experiment of underworld import
ance in that it will demonstrate the
feasibility or failure of pumping wa
ter for irrigation purposes on large
scale.
There are about $4,000 acres in
what is known as the first lift of the
Williston irrigation project and about
thirty thousand acres that will ulti-
mately be irrigated The first lift
will, however. be completed and thor
oughly tested before an attempt is
made to irrigate the rest of the land,
This land is located in the Muddy
valley, which surrounds the city Of
Williston and stretches away to the
north for a distance OF about twelve
miles. SAL
The land itself is, generally speak
ing, level and easy to be irrigated.
The pumping station is just below
the railroad tracks and next to the
river at Willisten. This station. is
known as the intake station, and from
this point the water will be forced
up the Muddy valley, distance OF
about three miles. At this point the
main pumping station is established.
This location is most desirable. The
Muddy creek approaches very close
to the high bluffs, in which is locat-
ed an inexhaustible supply of coal. It
can readily be seen that with album
dance of coal and water, electricity
Cor the entire system can be produced
economically. From this general sta
tion electricity will be transmitted to
all the smaller pumping stations, and
in this manner the entire system will
be under single management from
the main station. Separate canal sys-
TENS will begin from this point each
one being on different level and ar
ranged to supply water for the differ
ent territories of the system.
The smaller pumping stations are
located at such places in the valley
as it is necessary to reach higher
levels from the main canal. These
viii be run by electricity and will re-
ceive their power from the main sta
ton. sss
The cost OF the project Is divided
into ten equal payments and each
stakeholder pays his pro rata share
each year to the government No in
terest is charged for the use Of this
money With the Williston project
the stockholders have already voted
to authorize a contract to be executed
between the association and the sec.
Rotary OF the interior and the con
tracts and all necessary data have
been sent to the secretary OF the ID.
terror.
IN the Williston plan the water is
taken from the Missouri river BY 81.
pl1on process into a deep well near
the river from which it Is pumped
into large settling reservoir from
I which tits conducted in canals and
1attera1s out over the broad expanse
Of gently s1opfng bottom land drs.ste
Muddy valley near the city.
This experiment will be watched
with interest by those in Bismarck
and vicinity who were DESTROYS 8,
turning all that large tract Of land
south Of the city into an intensified
farming district, with the possibiIit,
Of beet sugar raising On an EXTENSIVE
scale, that would necessitate and jus
fify the establishment Of beet suga,
factory at or near Bismarck At
cost OF three quarters Of a nailIior
dollars which is about the minimum
cost OF these great factories.
The Bismarck project is not Al
tfrely dead yet and the government
y still reserying IN this dis
trict the lands south and along Apu1,
Creek awaiting future action On Il,
part OF our people. If the WfiIisto,
project IS the success the government
officials anticipate, then there ma,
PC an awakening and revival OF I'll,
bismarck project-provided the anon
ey in the national irrigation fund )
which North Dakota furnishes Iii,
greatest amount 81 any state excep
Oregon, is not exhausted or ammo
priated for projects Ia other states.
Do Yen want to know about III,
Mankato Commercial College. Man
ksto. MINI. Write for satolog
It Ii free