The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-07-10

MA ASNJLLE, july III hrep mlIHOu,
seven hundred and fifty thousand dol.
lars rs the estimate made on the cost
of one of the greatest irrigation pro
iects ever attempted in Utah. which is
about TO be launched by Davis. Weber.
Morgan and Summit county men, The
promoters have for eight years been
working on the big proposition and 1t
seems they are now about to see the
fruition Of their dreams Of recIaimlng
an extensive arid region and making 1t
productive. The main part Of the tract
that IL is designed to irrigate is in Davis
and Weber counties, extending from
Beck S Hot Springs, four miles north
of Salt Lake City. TO the Ogden Hot
, Springs, fifteen miles northwest of
Ogden.
Those who are familiar with the
topography of the two counties lying
north of Salt Lake will know that all
along the foothills throughout the fifty
miles that separates the two hot springs
there extends Il tract of arid, or semi
arid lands, with only here and there
spots where the mountain streams have
been turned out of their deep channels
as they emerge from the canyons and
made TO water comparatively small
areas of the uplands, For the most part
the streams from the preCipitouS noun
tains are too small 10 allow of their be
ing used on these dry benches, and
such as to furnish far volume of
water in the early part of the season,
fall short when irrigation is most need
ed IN the production OF the more valu
able crops, such as tomatoes, fruits and
sugar beets. This condition as TO the
higher lands is true throughout Davis
county, with the exception of Center
Vile and part of Pennington, where
water is more plentiful.
LYING north and cast of Kavsyillc
and Layton there rs Il large tract of
choice land for which there is not now,
water. Yet this land is perhaps as rich
and productive and valuable as any in
the state, If only water can be had for
it. The same is true to the bench
lands south of Ogden, extending as far
rs the Weber river. In all, there are
Approximately 10000 acres of arid and
% semi.arid lands in the two counties.
every acre of which can be brought I'M.
der the canal system that seems now
in a fair way TO be constructed. Some.
thing like eight years ago leading men
of Davis. Weber. Morgan and Summit
counties, all of whom were directly or
indirectly interested in the waters of
the Weber river, met for the purpose
of organizing to project the rights of
| water claimants on the stream. Water
was becoming more valuable and the al
lcpcd encroachmcntS of canal companies
on the rights of older users of the water
threatened 10 prccipltatc endless hti-
J CATION unless some action was taken. .
: The outcome of the meeting called 10
consider the matter was the formation
. Of the Weber Reservoir. Power and If
: rigation company. which was later in
| curpuratCd for the purpose of storing
the flood waters of tho Weber at one
or more suitable places, and thus fur
nishn% an abundant supply for all OF
the lands below the reservoirs. Splcn-
| did sites were secured. tho best and
largest being between Echo and Coal
Vile in Summit county. In the one
location there is said 10 be chance
TO store 10000 acre feet Of water.
enough TO irrigatc O,OO0 acres Of land.
This company was composed entirely
of local mon, none of them capitalists,
and The stock was for the most part sub
scrIbed IN small blocks by the farmers
lnf the four counties The company
proceeded 10 secure reservoir sites. make
surveys and get estimates, and after
cXpcuding about $4,000 IN this work
il was seen that the project was en-
tirclV too great to be undcrtak ken with
only local capital The estimates ran
well up into the millions of dollars for
the construction of the works, and with
these figures before them the company s
officers saw the futility of proceeding
further along that line. and commenced
TO negotiate for outside financial help.
In this work, 7. H. Allen of Coalville
has been the leading spirit. and he has
for more than five years devoted prac.
ticaIly all Of his time TO the difficult
aud delicate task Of getting eastern cap.
itaIists interested. In his labors he
has been ably assisted by John G.. NJ.
Barnes. President Joseph II Grant He
ber j. Sheffield Of Davis county and by
A Of la.
The story of the long struggle with
IT'S periods of rosy hope and battling
acknowledgements, in which The capital
so finance the project seemed one day
30 be assured and the next to have gone
beyond reach, need not be told
here. Much time and effort and money
has been devoted to securing land OPP
D tions, making Investigations, surveys
and estimates, and with il all up 10 a
few weeks ago the end seemed no nearer
than il was five years ago. But now,
thanks to the irrigation law passed by
\ the last legislature, there seems to be
! no obstacle in the way Of accomplish
ing all that has been sought by the
promoters Of the gigantic scheme, Water
LIN abundance Is assured, the feasibility
of getting il onto the land where needed
has been demonstrated, and under the
provisions Of the state enactment men
4 toned the people are enabled TO form
an lrflGallon ulSlflCls 10 embrace all OF
I the lands that need water. and TO issue
4 bonds and dispose Of them for the pur.
pose of constructing the system Of
! reservoirs and canals.
This state law, by the way, has been
drawn carefully. and contains the best
1 provisions Of similar laws IN other
states where irrigation is practiced
q Competent attorneys and engineers are
authority for the statement that il is
the nearest approach to a perfect irri
\ CATION law that is 10 be found on any
statute book. 1T safeguards the rights
4 Of the individual landowner, and ut the
4 same time contains provisions that
make safe IN investment of capital in
the project,
Within the past three weeks eastern
j capitalists have been in Utah making
II II q n