The Utah County Democrat. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1898-1909, 1908-10-08

81 The Klamath basin In California
and Oregon, even to citizens OF those
n ,tates. until recently was terra incog.
nno Historically connected with the
Modoc warfare and massacre, this
strangely interesting region of burnt
ant fires" has remained almost an un.
n discovered country until a few years
&ago.
Remote from railroads and centers
4 n population, surrounded by noun
\ tans clad in primeval forests of pine
and fir. the beautiful valleys of this
\ broad basin remained almost un-
81 touched by pillow. The stockman,
whose nocks and herds fattened on
81 the rich grasses which covered the
4 slopes and grew rank along the shores
\ Of the numerous lakes and marshes,
was an Indifferent farmer and did but
4 little to develop the natural resources
Of the country.
True. here and there were hamlets,
\ struggling and scattered communities,
and family traced I'm blue in a broad
landscape of dusty sagebrush were
few tiny lines of irrigation bitches
that encircled small stretches OF vivid
green-the alfalfa fields-little islands
Of emerald resting in a sea of brown
that threatened TO submerge them.
Such was my impression when first
looked over the klamath plateau. the
work of man seemed to have been so
Ineffective in the subjugation of ma
ture.
The federal engineers. backed by a
generous government, came to this vir-
gin field a few years ago, attracted by
the almost limitless possibilities which
this region possesses and which were
so apparent. Their report was so favor.
able that plans for most unusual
and unique irrigation work were ap.
proved May II, 1905, and work begun
In the spring Of 1906.
From the inception of actual work
OF construction the klamath basin be
gan to be talked about Settlers com
menced TO flock In and the upbuilding
Of the commonwealth has progressed
with rapidlty almost unbelievable
except to those who have actually
witnessed II. The millions which the
government has been expanding In stu.
pendous canals and tunnels have
brought In an army of laborers and
thousands of horses, the feeding of
which has furnished a market for all
the products of the farms such as was
hpfnrn knnWn Tho hannlAtQ
have become towns, the towns are
growing into cities which are assum.
Ing metropolitan airs. Electric roads
ate projected and building, a steam
railway is about TO enter the basin.
power plants are being erected, sugar
beet factories are suggested. and
sugar beet factories are suggested,
and everywhere there is an at.
mosphere of hustle and hustle that be-
tokens an awakening to the potential
greatness of a region which has long
been dormant. Best of all, the sage
brush is disappearing and the settlers
modest home marks the beginning of
new square of green and the reced.
ing OF the sea OF brown.
The Klamath project stands unique
among the 26 irrigation works Of the
reclamation service. II involves fea.
lures of irrigation, drainage and sto-
rage in unusual combination. Desert
and swamp lie close together, one
worthless because OF lack of moist.
ure, the other of equal uselessness
because OF an excess of water.
In the basin are about 100000 acres
of land, of which $4,000 acres are In.
cluded In this system. Some of the
topographic features are singularly
Interesting and are easily understood
from study OF the map. Elevated so
feet above the main valley is Upper
Klamath lake. the outlet of which is
Link river, which flows through Lake
Ewauna at klamath falls into klamath
river. Upper Klamath lake is the
principal source of supply to the lower
part OF the project. BY means of a
deep cut and tunnel the waters Of this
lake are drawn into large canal and
carried southwark into the valley
Lost river, which rises In Clear lake
winds its tortuous way for 60 miles
hnally emptying into Tule lake, OF
which II Is the only source of supply
rule lake Is only six miles from the
source OF Lost river. II is proposed
10 create reservoir In Clear lake by
means OF a dam and to utilize the
stored water as well as the entire flow