The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-12-02
WEDNESDAY, DEC. ?, 1908.
THE MILK RIVER PROJECT.

The next annual meeting OF the
United Milk River Irrigation associa'
ton, which will be held at Malta on De.
cember 8, will offer an opportunity for
members OF the organization to dis.
Fuss the progress that has been made
and formulate plans for the future.
They will assemble under conditions
that are more favorable than those of
previous years. AT former annual
meetings it was found necessary to
urge the commencement of work on
the Milk river project, but on the
present occasion there will be visible
evidence that a portion Of the under.
taking will soon be completed.
There has been long and discourag.
ing delay in connection with the Milk
river project, which was one of the
first to which attention was given by
the reclamation service, but those in.
terested in the enterprise have reason
to congratulate themselves over the
progress made during the past few
months. With the Dodson dam and
ten miles of canal in course of con-
struction, and the expectation that
water from that source will be avail
able the coming season, the anticipat.
ed benefits from the project are in
process of realization.
The extent of the work connected
with the Dodson dam was indicated il
addresses made at q public meeting
held at DOdson a few weeks ago, to
celebrate the commencement of the
work Of construction. 1t was stated
that the cost of the dam and headgate
will be about $3.50, 900, the plans Of the
structure calling for work Of the most
substantial character. The ten miles
OF ditch under construction form the
first portion OF a canal that will be
forty miles long, and having a width
Of 100 feet and depth of eight feet, and
will carry a volume of water sufficient
to irrigate about 80, 0O0l. acres. The
surplus water during flood season
will be carried to a big reservoir near
Ashfeld, and be used 70 irrigate a
still larger area.
The settlers and others who will
benefit Notwithstanding are pro.
tected from the discOuraging eX.
perience of some of their n%eighbors
who made the tlrst attempt at Milk
river irrigation. This feature of the
project was discussed at the Dodson
meeting by Hon. Il. NJ. Everett, who
gave a sketch. of the difficulties en-
countered by himself and other early
day settlers. On one occasion, when
the Harlem dam was washed away, q
spectator remarked: "There goes
several thousand dollars worth of
ignorance" The remarks of this
critic intimatedlthat faulty construc-
ton and lack OF. expert knowledge of
conditions were the cause of failure
and loss. In the government Milk
project, sthe work is being done
under direction of the best engineer
ing skill, and will be as solid and
permanent as it can be made.
There are many matters connected
with the MilkMriver project that will
require the attention Of those interest.
ed in its success. The amount Of land
to be irrigated for each settler, its
cost per acre, and the matter of
dispOsing of lands to new home.
seekers, are questions that invite dis
According to recent advices,
about one.half of the irrigable lands
in the Huntley project. which was COM
pleted several months ago, are await
ing settlement. The farm units in this
project are restricted in most cases to
forty acres, and the cost is about S35
per acre. These conditions, it is
alleged, are not attractive to settlers.
II believed. however. that the Milk
project will offer Inducements
superior to those that obtain on the
Yellowstone, and that the enterprise
will furnish homes for thousands of
new settlers in that part OF northern
Montana.