Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1909-09-24
Irrigation Company Meets With
Settlers on the Twin Falls
North Side Project
WELLS FOS DOMESTIC SUPPLY
Ten Wells will be Drilled at Convenient
Points on the tract to Supply Needs
With bitches are Dry this Winter

A meeting of the jerome North Side
Farmers association was held at the
Commercial club rooms in jerome on
last Saturday afternoon, pursuant to
the call. There was a large attend
ance, the building being occupied even
to standing room. A large delegation
from the Wendell association was also
present.
A committee of five drafted set of
several suggestions for the considera-
tion of the company in view Of its an
nounced purpose to turn the water out
eof the canal on October lst.
General Manager D. c. MacWatters
and Attorney S. H Hays, as represen-
tatives of the company, were present.
Upon request Mr. Hays made a de-
tailed explanation of the necessity for
improving and in some respects chang
ing the plan of the canal system, and
showed that it would not be practicable
to attempt to furnish water through the
canal while this work was in progress.
He stated that the changes andimprove-
ments proposed involved the expendi
ture of obout $500, 900 upon the canal
system and that included in this was
considerable cement work IN the large
rock cuts through which the upper
portion of the canal is built, the prose
cution of which would be impracticable
in cold weather. The company proposed
to nearly double the capacity of the
canal and that when the improvement
and engagements were completed its
carrying capacity would be much in
excess of the amount required in the
contract with the state. 1t has been
found, Judge Hays stated. that on ac-
count of Snake river water being very
clear, it carries very little silt, and
that much water has been lost on ac
count of seepage at the local reservoirs
which the original plans depended upon
for reserve supply of water. Once
these reservoirs silt upon there will be
no loss at these points, and pending this
process an enlargement of the canalwith
an arrangement with the reclamation
service to participate in the storage
waters of Jackson lake had been de-
cided upon.
Replying to questions by settlers, |
Attorney Hays denied that the enlarge
ment of the canal was nece ssary on &C
count of the Glover creek tract, as
claimed by the settlers. The enlarge
ment would have been made in any |
event and when the company's plans /
as now decided upon were carried out /
no better system or more substantial
or adequate one would be found any
where. AS the settlers were to even
tually own and operate the system
Judge Hays could not understand why
there should be any objection to the
company making it as good as the
best. The settlers contended that this
should have been done in the first place
before they were required to take up
upon the land To this reply
was made that the difficulties were en-
tirely unforeseen and that the company
was not getting much happiness out of
the discovery.
After much discussion it was appar-
ent, however, that water would have
to be turned out of the canal Temporal
rily the coming winter. This causes a
hardship upon the settlers who have
live stock especially.
Among the suggestions made by the
settlers for their relief in the emer-
gency was the drilling of ten wells
upon the tract to be located at avail
able and convenient places by a disin-
terested committee. the expense OF
drilling and equipping these wells TO be
advanced by the company, the company '
TO be reimbursed by the settler upon
whose land the well is located in four
annual payments at 6 per cent interest,
interest to begin April, 1910, and water :
from the wells to be free while the |
water is turned out of the canals. Also :
chat four large reservoirs be at once
located near Wendell and Jerome for
the purpose of storing ditch water for
the watering of live stock until wells
can be completed.
Judge HAYS. for the company, cheer
fully agreed to this proposition. = North
Side News.