The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-05-01
THE MAN WITH THE SHOVEL.

! three thousand, seven hundred and
| eighty -nine miles of irrigating canals
| in the state of Idaho, representing a
| construction cost of eleven million dol
lars. These canals cover three million
| two hundred and sixty-six thousand
three hundred and eighty-six acres, OF
which over one million and half are
now under cultivation, and more are
being added every day. This in brief
| Is the story to date Of irrigation In
Idaho, showing the work of the man
with the shovel.
During the next FIVE years the gov
thirteen and half million dollars In
irrigation projects in the Gem state.
These projects are the Boise Payette
construction Of which will reclaim a
quarter of a million acres; the Minido-
ka project, which will reclaim 100 900
acres and will cost 100000, and the
Fort Hall project which will cost $3.50,
900 and carry water to 10000 thirsty
acres. Besides these great projects
under way wherein Uncle Sam aids
the man with the shovel, there are 9TH
er gerat reclamation enterprises in Ida :
no, of a private nature, under the Carey
act These are the North Side project,
covering 10000 acres; the Lost River
project, to reclaim an immense domain;
the Alberta project opening up a won
derful fertile area as large as an east
ern state; an extension of the American
Falls project, where already tremend-
p trar f q tvs tor ha
Mountain Home project, designated to
reclaim an entire county; the Bruneau
project, way down in the southwest,
where an arid empire awaits the magic
touch of water -
In the'upper Snake river valley, for
which Pocatelo is the comemrcial dis
tributing point. there are one million
one-third of the entire agricultural
area under irrigation In the state Of
Idaho The canals in this region cost
over 100000 and the area irrigated
Is as large as the state OF Delaware,
twice the size of Rhode Island, and half
the size of Connecticut This Is what
the man with the shovel has done. He
has taken a desert, a sage brush plain
a barren waste, and has grown thereon
so bushels of wheat to the acre, rs and
100 bushels of oats, rs bushels of bar
ley, six tons of alfalfa 20 tons of sugar
beets. and 500 bushels Of potatoes. In
many places the transformation from
aridity into exceptional fertility has
been nothing less than marvellous in
point of time In eight months after
the first sage brush grubbing machine
was placed to work on land covered by
the great Twin Falls canal. fields have
produced so bushels Of wheat to the
acre and 100 bushels Of oats. In two
years after the headgates Of the Twin
Falls canal system were opened, the
town of Twin Falls, The Magic city"
In the heart and center of the 100000
acre tract covered by the system, has
grown to population Of 5000, with |
pressed brick bank buildings, concrete |
store buildings, and city park.
Not only has the man with the shovel |
in the magical Gem state blazed a |
trail for the agriculturists; he has |
made place for the horttculturist.
Apples, peaches, pears, plums. nectar
''S"' N"SiiiSo, SidpVS' stTdW-
berries. mclons--aye, even tobacco, Ia
grown. Not only this but the fruit |
grown has won prizes at all the worlds
fairs in America, at the worlds fair In
Paris. and Idaho pears and apples at |
London command a higher price than
from any other country. The fame
For instance of Blue Lakes fruit, ex-
lends to the orient the. Occident, the
Holy Land.
Nature aids the man with the shovel
IN Idaho. The sun shines bright on
1ill and dale, in valley and on noun
lain, 275 days every year. The climate
g delightful, the air is dry. there are
40 oppressively hot days, the nights
ire cool. 1t is what may rightly be
allied an earthly paradise.
BY virtue of an ideal geographical
position Pocatello Is the wholesale and
|obbing center of the ten counties in
The southeastern part OF this great
state of Idaho. It Is the gateway to
he state, and enjoys common point
'reight rates which place 1t on an equal
'ooting with Utah wholesale points,
With the added advantage Of favorable
rates. These ten counties