The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-05-09
Transformation of the Desert.

ects in Twin Falls and Lincoln counties Idaho
1t seems but yesterday since R. M. McCollum To-
Gated out in the midst of sagebrush desert with
nothing but a one-room shack, blue print map and
the boon to humanity, opportunity" for his compan-
ions There was nothing as far as the eye could
reach but dreary sagebrush desert with its brown
and sombre hues. His music the yell of the
coyote. His place of worship from horizon to
horizon, his playground the vast manless land. He
had heard the "cal of the wild" and had responded
His total assets were represented by his nerve good
backing, and opportunity God made the country,
but it was a few brave souls who, aided by men of
means, won mighty victory nature
coming tremendous obstacles, fighting as men of
never fought and today they vctors, the desert
is memory an empire is born. This wonderful
transformation has taken place. and in but three
short years. Truly, Irrigation is king" 1t is if
a good fairy had waved magic wand over the land
and said, "Sagebrush, be gone! [ bid come forth
grains grasses, fruits flowers, and great splendid
people" For the wilderness has gone as it were
in night, and great beautiful garden has taken its
place. The victory is all the greater because it has
been bloodess one, and has brought to the human
family peace, prosperity, and the opportunity to
solve successfully lifes vital problems.
Three years ago. in 1904 the south side of the great
Twin Falls tract was brought to public notice. and the
first 10000 acres placed on sale. Since that
time nearly 100000 have been sold. The towns
of Twin Falls, with $500 people, Bull with 500 peo
ple Kimberly with 500 people, and several smaller
towns, namely: Filler, Hansen, and Murtaugh, have
been started A branch of the Oregon Short Line
Railroad, called the Minidoka & Southwestern, has
been constructed from Minidoka to Twin Falls max
ing total distance of 70 miles. The service on
this branch is good there being two trains each
way daily Twin Falls is the principal town on the
south side tract, and most promising young CITY,
1t has good hotels, electric lights, water works. sewer
age fine churches, up-to-date stores and thrifty
progressive people The great object lessons furnished
by the south side of the Twin Falls development have
done more to inspire confidence in the retaining OF
arid lands by great rrigatng canals than any other
project in the United States and have furnished facts
for many other irrigating enterprises. There are
older enterprises in the country but none have the
record held by the south side in short time
from sagebrush covered desert to cultivated and
paying farms in three years. This gives this pro-
ject the worlds record.
The development of the south side is, however, but
one feature of this great enterprise. The canal
system that waters this south side has its origin at
Miner, the Snake river and it is from this point
that the extension is being planned and prosecuted
of similar network of canals the north side, the
whole forming practically system This canal
system is the largest in the United States, covering
as it does, 100000 acres of land in lincoln and Twin
Falls counties in the famed Snake river valley
southern Idaho These lands are practically all in
body, divided only by the Snake river which is
also the dividing line between the two counties. On
the south side, the canal system covers 100000 acres
of land all located in Twin Falls county, while on
the north side of the river, in Lincoln county, $780,,
900 acres are to be reclaimed. Canals to that end
now being constructed The canal system the
south side with the ateras is completed and ready
to turn to the farmers is provided by the
Carey Act" under which these lands reclaimed
from the desert 1t is estimated that 100000
acres of the south side under cultivation.
The great gates of the dam were closed down and
water turned into the canal the first day of March,
1905 From that day several weeks required to
convey the water the settler for the reason that
the constructing engineer wished to puddle the dry