The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1910-09-16
OUR Land CAN
-
PAY. ANY PRICE
BOARD OF ARMY ENGINEERS
VISITS CALDWELL FOR PUR.
POSE OF GETTING DATA,

Many Interesting Talks On POssibili-
ties of the Country by the Actual
Settlers On nd.-HOmesteaders
Willing to Pay $4,000 Per Acre
For Water.
Friday afternoon the Board Of
Army Engineers appointed by Presi-
dent Taft to pass upon the govern
ment reclamation projects already
started but not yet completed, was in
Caldwell. The Board was accom-
panied to Caldwell by Frederick H.
Newell, director of the reclamation
service; F. w. Hannah, engineer in
charge of the Payette- Boise project;
D. R. Hubbard, president of the Wa
ter Users Association; and G. H.
Fitch, chief engineer of the Idaho IT.
rigation Co. The personnel of the
Army Board is Lieutenant Colonel c.
w. Langftt, Lieutenant Colonel John
Biddle, Majors William w Harris, C.
w. Kutz and Harry Burgess, and
General Marshall consulting engineer
and special adviser to the Secretary
of the Interior.
A meeting was held at the Com
merclal Club rooms at which Mr..
Walter Griffths presided. He stated
that the Board of Army Engineers
were here to find out from the set
tiers how much the land could stand
for water. He introduced Colonel
Langfitt who stated that they were
here to gather data and information
and not to make speeches. Chair
man Griffiths then called on farmers
and settlers for their ideas of the
country, what they could pay for
water, what the values of the crops
were they were raising and such
other information as they might
have.
Mr.. Bradley of Nampa said: II
have lived in this country many
years. can raise more than any
where else, especially along the line
of small fruit and vegetables. be-
lieve the land here will stand a
charge of $50 to $40 per acre for
water. am no farmer here, al
though l have been a farmer in the
east"
w. A. Johns of Roswell said the lands
around Roswell are worth 5000 to
$500 per acre, when water is put on
the present dry lands there. There
are $500 acres of dry land at Ros-
we'll which can only be watered by
the government reclamation project.
"E. think the building charge of SIS
per acre for these $500 acres of
land could be met If necessary, be-
cause the land is highly productive"
Pays 10 Per Cent On $4,000.
w. A. George of Caldwell said:
81 came to Idaho in 1896 and home,
steaded my present place. There
was small stream of water there
then. l proved up on the land and
set out 20 acres to orchard. At first
my land was considered worthless.
My orchard now pays me interest of
10 per cent on $4,000 per acre, one
year with another. With good
commercial orchard, properly cared
for, the return should be twice as
great as my return now is. Forty
acres is as much and more than one
man can properly care for in this
section. l think 10 acres of fruit
will very nicely support family.
Five tons of alfalfa per acre is low
estimate here. For ordinary land it
requires $40 per acre to get the sage
brush land ready for cultivation.
The value of improved land here can
hardly be estimated. Lands here
can stand a heavy charge for water"
Nine Tons Alfalfa Per Acre.
Mr.. Kelm of near Roswell had a
petition from 81 men on 1000 acres
of dry land. The soil there is very
productive and the petitions request
ed the government to get water to
them I'VE feel that our land will
stand a charge for water of SIS per
acre each year for 10 years, or $50
per acre in all, and more If neces-
sary. l raised three acres of wheat
last year without water, that was
worth 81 per acre. We can raise as
much as nine tons of alfalfa per acre
per year."
One settler arrived near Roswell
three years ago last December. He
said: At have 10 acres under the
Payette-Boise project. Nine acres
of alfalfa this year raised me 81 big
loads of alfalfa, all now in stack.
CONTINUED on page 81