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

An event of far reaching importance
and marking the partial consummation
of a plan to transform to agricultural
uses the largest body of sage-brush
land embraced In one project I'm the
United States has just occurred at
Boise, Idaho.
In the presence of large number
Of settlers and residents of the val.
ley. the big headgates of the newly
constructed government dam I'm the
Boise river were opened and the pent-
up waters gushed into tho broad canal
For months the settlers on the south
side of the project have been watch
Ing with deep interest the progress OF
the work on this structure. for upon
It's completion rested their hopes of
an early and abundant supply of wa.
ter The dam is located eight miles
southeast OF Boise where the river
energies from its canyon. IL is Of
cyclopean concrete founded on com
pact gravel The spillway. or dam
proper. is 2l6 feet long. 80 feet wide
at the base and 81 feet high. Along
the downstream toe of the dam and
securely fastened to II is timber
apron. This apron is so feet wide
and l3 feet deep on the lower side. II
Is built up of l2xl2 timbers bolted to-
rether and the spaces between the
timbers filled with rock and gravel
AZ the west end of the spillway is n
logway four feet lower than the spill
way crest, and just west of the log.
way and forming the west abutment
of the dam Is the fish-laddcr. This Is
of concrete, AS are the tunnels, which
were built for the purpose of divert.
Ing the river during the construction
" the dam proper. These tunnels are
closed by two GNSfoot cast iron gates.
and will be used when need arises for
sluicing the silt from the reservoir.
The main canal with capacity of l..
500 second feet, heads at the extreme
west end Of the dam, and the water
s taken through eight 5X9foot cast
ron controlling gates supported by
concrete piers and abutmonts.
As the big hcadgatcs were opened
and the lcgiying waters gushed into
the canal, the scene was viewed with
varying emotion hy the througs gath
cred there. The engineers gaZcd with
satisfaction al the beautifully finished
structure, the farmers saw an abun,
dance Of water IN their canals, or,
chards laden with fruit, and cnor.
nous yields ot grain and alfalfa. But
To the statesmen came visions of a
now Idaho, an Idaho with possibili
ties unsurpassed by any state i'm all
the golden west. They saw a home on
every 80 acres Of the project, 4 rural
population of not less than 10000
people, and 10000 more people living
in the cities Snd towns which have
been growing by leaps and bounds
since the initiation OF the government
system gave assurance of an ample
water supply, From conservative es,i-
mates of a decade ago on the value
of irrigated land and crops II took no
complicated calculation TO figure out
that more than SlS,O0O0OO worth of
taxable property in land values alone
will be added to the wealth OF the
state upon the completion OF the
project, and that crops worth not less
than $4,000, 0O0 will be grown annually.
Already new railroad lines are being
built through the agricultural area,
new mines are being opened, and the
stock raising industry increased
But let us follow the progress OF
the water taken from the Boise dam
rhe canal extends for "a miles TO a
point on Indian creek above Kuna
This creek then carries the water for
eight miles, when another canal II
miles long carries II TO the Deer Flat
reservoir Occasionally along this
route IA smaller ditch diverts water
TO supplement the supply from other