Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-10-24
CORPORATION IN
FOR WATER GRAFT
Water Power Company Wants to
Overflow Indian Lands.

A Dill is now in the hands Of the
Indian affairs at Washington, which
authorizes the secretary OF the in
terror to permit the use, in the ma
ture Of an easement, of certain
lands situated on the st. Joe River
and Occur d'Alene lake, as a reser-
voir site for the storage OF water
by means of dams, in order that
sufficient supply Of water may be i'm
pounded for the purpose of gener-
ating water power, electric power,
and OF light and heat, on condition
that the corporation securing this
right make compensation to the gov
eminent for it.
This bill was introduced in the
house by Congressman French at the
instance, according to letter written
by French, of A. A. Crane, chair
man of the republican central com
mittee.
Should this bill pass and become
law, and corporation secure that
easement it would mean the over
flowing and absolutely ruination OF
hundreds of acres of lands along
the lake shore, and valleys OF the
st. Joe and Occur d'Alene rivers.
The Washington Water Power com
pany, and it is for the benefit of this
corporation that the bill is alleged
to have been framed, is now by the
use of a dam at Post Falls causing
the water of the lake to remain
throughout the year at a height of
five feet over its normal stage, and
the result has been the ruination
of hundreds of acres of lands be-
longing to settlers and farmers.
Many of these have been forced to
sell their land to the company at
great sacrifice, and should this
same company, or some other cor
poratiOn secure the right of the ease
ment referred to in this BILL. it will
mean that the same results will
come to other settlers and farmers
along the lake and the st. Joe river
whose lands will be overlooked by
still further raising the water sew
eral feet.
Congressman French claims to be
innocent of any knowledge of the
effects OF the bill and so publicly de-
elared himself at a recent meeting
held at st. Maries. In a letter writ
ten to William Trueman of that
place he has made the same declar-
alton. and states that he will not
be a party to any transaction which
will operate unjustly to the settlers
and farmers in the st. Maries cOun-
try. His letter is as follows:
Moscow, Idaho, September 90. 1908.
Mr.. William Trueman. st. Maries.
Idaho;
Dear Mr.. Trueman:-Mr. William
E. Lee told me on my return to
Moscow that he had talked with you
in St. Maries and that you were much
interested in the bill which intro
duced during the last session of con-
gress, bearing upon the overflow of
certain lands on the Occur d'Alene
Indian reservation. would say
that the only bill that / ever In
troduced, or know anything about
regarding such a matter is a bill that
was drafted by the officers Of the
Indian department, providing that
the Indian department may grant to
any person or persons the right to
overflow lands Of the reservation and
receive compensation therefor.
mr.. A. A. Crane Of Harrison, is
interested in this bill and took II up
with me while / was in Washington
last winter. shall be glad to talk
the matter over with you in q few
weeks, as l hope to be in st. Maries
during the campaign. Should l not
get to see you however, 1 shall send
you a copy Of the bill and want you
to advise me with regards to the
same. certainly do not want to
be a party to do anyone living along
any river running into lake Occur
d'AIene an injustice. ! am conf
dent that the Indian department felt
that the bill would enable the de-
partment to make profitable what was
reported to be a few patches OF al
most worthless swamp land. II there
Is any more than this in the bill !
1 -. - - 4. - -. - IL.