The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1909-11-20
HISTORY OF
THE PROJECT
GEM DISTRICT CAN DELIVER THE
WATER AT $50 AN ACRE
Tee Story Of the IdagOn People and
The ImpracticabiIity Of Scheme
Cannot Furnish Water Even at
Sixty Dollars an Acre

Cannot Furnish Water Even at
Sixty Dollars an Acre
In 1904 Mr.. w. H. Schenek or
ganized a Company known as the
Owyhee Ditch & Reservoir Com
pany, for the purpose OF retaining
a portion of what is known as Hen
derson Flat, in Oywhee County,
Idaho. The operations of Mr..
Schenck, and what he accomplished
are too well known to require any
comments.
At the time of the organization of
the Boise-Payette Project, the people
on Succor Creek and Henderson Flat
succeeded in getting $4,000 acres on
the South Side of Snake River in
cluded in the project, with the un-
derstanding that the water would be
supplied by storing the food waters
of Succor Greek, supplementing the
flow by pumping from the Snake
River at the head of Henderson Flat.
From careful gagings of the flow of
Succor Greek, there was available
water only for 10000 acres. OF this
amount, there had been previously
appropriated by the settlers on Sue
cor Creek, water for about 5000
acres. After thorough Investigations
of the feasibility of storing the water
of Succor Creek and other streams,
some of which are in Oregon, it was
then decided to pump water from the
Snake River by electric power to be
furnished from a power plant In
stalled at Black Canyon, in the Pay
cite River. The settlers of this ter
ritory, despairing of getting water
either from the government or from
Mr.. Schenck, undertook the organiza-
ton of water district, including all
the available lands in Twps. 2, 8,
and North of Range West, and
Twps. 2 and north of Range 4 west
of Boise Meridian, containing a.
5000 acres.
The necessary surveys were made,
and the maps and estimates filed with
the State Engineer and the County
Commissioners, which, after receiV-
ing the approval of the State Engin-
eer, the County Commissioners, at the
time of the organization, set 'out
5,515 acres; part of the land set out
being above the Highline Canal, and
which would have necessitated the
installation of a pumping plant, thus
leaving a little over $4,000 acres
in the istrict, as ordered by the COM
missioners.
Their action was submitted to a
vote of the land owners living within
the boundary lines of the said dis
trict, ON the 18th day of May, 1908,
There being but one vote
cast against the organization officers
were elected and instructed to pro-
coed with the necessary surveys for
the construction of a dam In Snake
river and for the installation of a
plant pumping water from Snake
river. Edward Hedden was employ
ed by the board to make estiamtes OF
the cost as basis Of a bond issue
which wa submitted to the people on
Aug. Z, 1913, together with propos'
ition for the reclamation OF these
lands by the owyhee Ditch g Reser'
voir company represented by g. H
Spear, of the Trowbrldge-Nivers com
pany; this system to include a grav'
ity system from the Owyhee river a.
a cost of So per acre, with soc pei
acre per annum for maintenance
Also, a proposition from the One
Thousand Springs company. repre-
scented by Mr.. Rogers, for the install
lation of a power plant at cos
of STA per acre, with a maintenance
fee of $3.50 per acre, per annum. Al
so . proposition from the Idagon lr
rigation company for pump and
gravity system combined; the waters
OF Succor, Jordan. Cow Sage ant
Jump Creeks to be supplemented b!
a pumping plant in the Snake river
Land, water by gravity, $50 Pc
acre; by pumping, $50 per acre, Will
soc per acre per year for mainten
ance.
The action of the board Of direc
tors In extending the lines OF tn
district was actuated solely In tn
interest Of the people living upon tn
landa 10 be annexed, and by 90 DO