The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1909-03-19
BOSE OAH %

sources. but the principal function o.
this canal Is to feed the Deer Flat res
ervoir.
This reservoir was formed by build.
Ing two long earthen dams In depres.
sions between surrounding hills. The
lower embankment. known as the
Hubbard and Carlson dam, is 1880
feet long and 6S feet high IL is 800
feet wide on the bottom, and a drive
way 90 feet wide extends along the
top. The upper embankment is only
l3 feet high and 200 feet wide on the
bottom, but IL has length OF nearly
mile and half and the volume OF
each embankment is approximately
1000, 600 cubic yards.
The plans for the project also con.
template the diversion of the waters of
Payettc river by gravity canals, and
the utilization of the Snake river by
pumping. The canal work is being
done principally by the farmers.
The lands are generally smooth.
with gentle slopes. The soil Is vol.
and rich In the necessary mineral con.
stitucnts. The climate Is delightful,
the mean winter temperature at Boise
being about tie same as that OF Fred
ericksburg. Va. although occasionally
the temperature falls below zero for q
day or two. The summers are long
and warm and with irrigation promote
the most rapid vegetable growth. The
lands produce from five to seven tons
of alfalfa per acre each year, four to
six tons of clover. so bushels Of wheat
and 75 bushels of oats. The surround.
ing mountains furnish large areas of
grazing lands and alfalfa for winter
feeding Is always in demand and
brings good prices But II is for its
fine fruit that the section is becoming
| famous throughout the country. the ap.
pies, pears and prunes commanding
the highest prices in eastern markets
The lands under the project have
| practically all been filed upon, bui
many settlers will be compelled to dis
! pose of their excess lands, as no water
! right will be issued for more than l6(
! acres. II is no wonder that these
lands are being rapidly taken up, foI
! the marvclus crop yields are becom
| ing widely known. In 1904 farmer
! who was brought up in one of the
! humid states in the Mississippi valley
! cleared $1,000 from "A threeacre appl,
ordchard and in 1907 the same or
! chard gave him net prof. of $3.50
/ per acre. one nCighbor wuG clearing
! from 500 10 5000 per acre On prune
| orchard, and In 1907 the same or
! high as 50 bushels of whca. per acre
| Last year a number of his friends
| from back home" moved To Idaho
The development of power incident
10 the irrigation works will be uf vast
! Importance to the industrial develop
! mcut of the state, The dam on the
| Payotto river, which will he 90 feet
/ high and well backed by storage in
The Payctte lakes will give practically
/ Unlimited power, while the Rose dam.
/ opened today, will probably furnish
/ power for municipal works. electric
| railways and industries of various
| kinds The completion of the project
| IL is believed will result in laying the
| foundation for such an industrial do
/ velopmCnt as probably has never been
/ parallelcd in this country It means
/ the expenditure in that locality OF mil
/ liens OF dollars in a few years, the in.
! tensiye cultivation OF 100000 acres OF
uue land; it means thousands of new
/ settlers, the dousiing of the popula
/ tion of the cities and towns in that
/ portion of the state, an increased price
/ for all agricultural products; better
roads, schools and churches.
But the significance of the opening
OF the canal is not purely local in char.
actcr, The completion of unit of this
great project only marks another mile.
stone in the development Of the west
and heralds TO the world the begin
ming OF an era of prosperity that has
come To stay and that will lie reflected
in the increased prosperity in all lines
of industry throughout the whole coup
try