The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1909-11-13
.ss,THEY ASK FOR A HEARING

The last issue of The Tribune con-
tanned an account of the contem-
plated enlargement of the Gem Irri-
cation district to include some 5000
acres of state land and some five
or six thousand acres of other land
to the south of the district, making
about 10000 acres under the pro-
posed system. The Gem irrigation
district asks the state land board
to come into the district with the
understanding and under a guaran-
ee, that the water right shall cost
$50 an acre. To properly under
stand the present situation a brief
resume of the history of this pro-
ject is necessary. A portion of this
tract of land was comprehended in
the old Schenck Sucker Greek pro-
ject. The interests of the Schenck
people passed into the hands of the
Idagon Irrigation company, who
seek Carey act segregation and
contract with the state at an auth
orized rate of $50 an acre for the
reclamation of the land, with the
| exception of the states 5000 acres,
which they contract to supply with
water at the rate of $50 per acre.
] The original estimate of the Idagon
eeople was that the authorized rate
should be $50 per acre for all the
| land. The report of the state engi-
naer is that the cost would be $50
| per acre When the Gem people
found that they could reclaim the
land at $50 an acre, the Idagon
people came down to $50 an acre on
the state land The thing that nat
urally suggests itself here Is that
in the first place the Idagon people
would have charged 100000, more
than a fair profit gave them. The
Carey act promoters and capitalists
are not in the business for their
health; and even with the 10000
Production on the state land, there
st.ll remains a wide margin on the
whole project. The question also
naturally arises, why is the cost to
the state less per acre than to the
individual. The state engineers es-
innate was $50 an acre, and here
comes the promoters who are willing
to lop off 100000 on the project al
one lop Verify the Carey projects
are juicy institutions The Gem Irri
CATION district have estimates from
i the observation-disclosures company OF
/
Iproject. This company will under.
take the project on that basis &C
ccpting the bonds of the district in
payment; guaranteeing to have II
completed by 1911; and offering tc
nut up bond in the sum of $780,.
900 that It will fulflll and carry out
It's contract in every particular. The
settlers and land owners under the
] cd ~ he CD ~
plan presents the more favorable
proposition and feel that the state
land board should sign up the state
land. It is now asking hearing at
the hands of the board. Some OF
the members of the board are said
to be inclined to favor the Idagon
company, or, at any rate, have kept
postponlng a hearing for several
weeks Time is of vital Importance
and the Idagon people should have
their affairs so well In hand that
hey could present the proposition to
the board in any reasonable length
of time If they have not, they are
hardly the people to undertake an
enterprise of his magnitude. The
state land board should insist upon
an immediate hearing. The prac-
ticabillty of the Idagon project is
gravely questioned by competent en-
gineers. 1t is said that in order
TO show sufficient water to carry out
their plans. they have filed on water
in creeks which have none or much
less than the filings call for This is
a matter that should also be looked
INTO by the state board and taken
into consideration by the members.