The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-22
By G. E. ARNEY.
Special TO the Tribune.

Special 10 the Tribune.
MACKAY. Idaho, Nov. 2l.-Thc wat
ers OF the Big Lost river are about to be
applied 10 the large stretch of arid
land along its course. which Will make
transformation scene In this country
agreeable 70 the eye and most profita
bic 10 the settlers on this l00,000acre
tract known as the Big Lost River Irri
CATION project,
This scheme was originally devised
by Guy G, Barnum and r, W. Thomas
of Boise. Later, and but year ago,
they transferred all their interests here
TO the Big Lost River irrigation com
pany, who are Chicago parties, repre-
sentcd by G. $. Speer, who is vice prcsi-
dent OF the new organization of which
{. b. Hurt of Boise is president, John
B. Roosc of Boise secretary and y. NJ.
Euick of Boise, general attorney. Chase
A, Clark of Mackay is the resident at
tOrncy and looks after many of the
local details of the big project. The
maximum accompli shment OF results by
this company in supplying water to this
l00,0 0,000-acrc tract. will cost approXl-
matcly three and onchalf million dol.
! lars.
All the water for irrigatiug the lands
which lie below Mackav and along the
line OF the Oregon Short Line 5 branch
between here and Blackfoot. a distance
OF thirty miles. is obtained from the
natural flow of the Big Lost river, n
smart mountain stream which heretofore
has served but few people owing 70
IT'S reduced flow during the irrIgating
season.
The key 10 this entire irrigation sys-
tenn is the cmpounding of the flow of
this stream IN n reservoir three and
one half miles in width and beginning
at a point four miles up the stream
/ from Macllay and extending from
thence six and one half miles still furth.
cr mp the river. Nature made ono OF
its ideal spots for this purpose III this
place That such a basin should stand
| mt the head of tins stream with natural
| banks and an easy narrowing Of the
| foothills for large dam at this point
| four miles above the town Of Mackay,
where the broad valley opens, IS cvi-
dcnce Of the kindly dealing of nature to
| this rich valley, down through which
these Lost river waters have flowed for
so MANY wears, alongside the drcary,
Weld 10 the genius, industry and bcnc-
! faction of modern American cIvillZn-
ton.
On either side of the big Lost river
at n point four miles above Mackay.
tho ad iaccnt foothills approach the Big
! Lost river on either sIle. leaving a gap
of about 800 feet, which rs now being
rapidIv enclosed from either side 10y
rs fine dam as engineering genius
! can devise.
Across tho bottom of this stream Is
now being firmly planted by steam
hammer. a steel core 20 feet IN depth
TO solid hardpan. on top Of which, to
a height Of sixty feet, will be con.
stIuctcd solid re-enforced concrete
core. four feet wide at the bottom
eighteen inches in width at the top
rcsting on the steel at the base. The
face Of the dam will also be lined with
rc.cnforccd concrete. The width of thl:
dam is to bc GOO feet AT the base and
twenty feet at the crest, with two
and ono half TO one slope on the water
face and two to one slope on ihc
lower face The material for the dan
is being taken from the reservoir site
Nt tbc southcrly end of the huge dan
in the side of the mountain whicl
forms one ahutmcnt for the dam, Il
Is, tunnel ten by eleven feet now com
nIntc and undergoing ccmentlng. Whict
yi1I he the outlet for the cmpoundcc
water. AZ the lower end of this tun
mel a distance of 1ifty-fIYc feet. ;
steel pipe is anchored through Whicl
the waters from the large storage rcS'L
yoir above the dam must flow 10 reacl
4, Inc nld bed Of the river below and pas
an down TO the lower lands of th'
, valley.
Those waters then follow the cours
: ne the river through Mackay and be
ynud - distance of fifteen miles to th
firei obstructiou. At that point th
cnmnany has completed IN eight. foot 10
enforced concrete dnm across the stream
I. l95 feet long and are now completing
r n leyy one mile back no stream iron
, thc dam. riprapped quarter OF IN
distance, 10 provide channel FOR m
stream which is raised by virtue OF TN
, Installation Of the dam.
! Uerc starts the first ditch OF IN
cnmnuny. known as "Thc Blaine. |
. ,y;nds along through the valley dis
t,nco of fifteen miles at an avcrag
Jnrtb Of eight feet and forty feet wld
! lnn the bottom Al that point the Er
! canal takes off TO the right mt wld'
:. of twcntv-four feet, while To the let
: ov;cuds The lower Blaine, or a stu
! channel forty feet in width, lhe Er
D finws for eight and tho lower Blaln
= for thrcc miles, where it dumps bacI
i into the river.
= Far twenty miles further this wate
, follows the channel of the stream, an
: near Arco il is again diverted INT
y 5itrhcs on either side OF The rive
,rbcrc II serves the large arid body o
Ennd adjacent 10 Arco and the vas
Il 4,nct further below known as the Pow
III swim Al the lower end OF I'm