The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1909-02-27
Opening OF CANAL WAS
AN EVENT Of IMPORTANCE

along the top of the entertainments
The plan tor the project also con-
template the diveTsiol of the waters
OF Payette River by gravity canals,
and the utilization of the Snake
River by pumping. The canal
work is being done principally by
the farmers, who received therefor
certificates which the Government |
.akes in payment of the building |
charge of the project.
The land is generally smooth,
with gentle slopes. The. soil is vol
canic, free from rocks, easily work
ed and rich in the necessary miner
al constituents. The climate is
delightful, the mean winter tenn
perature at Boise being about the
same as that at Fredericksburg, Vir
ginia, although occasionally the
temperature falls below zero for a
day or two. The summers are long
and warm, and with irrigation pro-
mote tie most rapid vegetable
growth. The lands produce from
| FIVE to seven tons of alfalfa per
acre each year, four to six tons of
clover, fifty bushels of wheat and
seventy FIVE bushels of oats. The
surrounding mountains furnish
large areas of grazing lands, and
alfalfa for winter feeding is always
in demand and brings good prices.
But it is for it's fine fruit that the
section is becoming famous
throughout the country, the apples,
pears, and prunes commanding the
highest prices in eastern markets.
The lands under the project have
practically all been filed upon but
many settlers will be compelled to
dispose of their excess lands, as no
water right will be issued for more
than 100 acres. 1t is no wonder
that these lands are being rapidly
taken up, for the marvellous crop
yields are becoming widely known.
In 1904 farmer WHO was brought
up in one of the humid states in
the Mississippi Valley, cleared
ST. 200 from three-acre apple
orchard, and in 1907, the same
orchard gave him a net profit of
$3.50 per acre. One neighbor was
clearing from $500 to 5000 per acre
on a prune orchard, while another
was growing as high as IS bushels
of wheat per acre. Last year a
number of his friends from back
home" moved to Idaho.
The development of power incl
dent to the irrigation works will be
Of vast importance to the industrial
development of the state. The dam
on the Payette River, which will be
, 90 feet high, and we'll backed by
storage in the Payette Lakes, will
give practically unlimited power,
while the Boise dam, opened to-day
will probably furnish power fol
|. municipal works, electric railways
t and industries of various kinds
} The completion of the project it il
| believed will result in laying thu
, foundation for such an industria
: development as probably has neve
e been paralleled in the country. l
means the expenditure in that 10
a cality of millions of dollars in few
: years, the intensive cultivation o
+. 400, 900 acres of fine land;it mean
/ thousands Of new settlers, thu
n doubling of the population of tn
Y cities and towns in that portion o
4 the state, an increased price for al
e agricultural products; better roads
/, schools, and churches.
|. But the significance of the cele
+ bration to day is not purely loca
$ in character. The completion of
+. unit of this great project only mark
2 another milestone in the develop
/. ment of the west, and heralds t
the world the beginning of an er
!, Of prosperity that has come to sta.
. aud that will be reflected in the in
creased prosperity in all lines @
: industry throughout the Who'll
country
S RAIIROAD CONMISSION RIII.