Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-04-02

Following is in part the supple
mental report of ]. c. Stevens, dis
trict engineer for the government, as
submitted to Attorney o. w. LANCE,
representing the government in the
case against the Washington Water
Power company, to determine the
question of the cancellation of the
easements for permission to over
flow Indian reservation lands, and
entered as part of the record by stip-
ulation between Attorney Post, rep
resenting the power company, and At
torney Lange, and which caused a
sensation among the settlers when
the fact became known:
Effect of Dam on Lands.
This report seeks an answer to
question outlined in the former re-
port, viz.
80. Whether the present method
of operating the controlling works
prevents the water from draining off
the flooded lands as rapidly as be-
fore construction"
The lands in Occur d'Alene Indian
reservation, bordering st. Joe river
were examined in detail on Dec. 2Sth
and 29th, 1909. A trip was made on
foot from Chatcolet to st. Maries on
the north or right side OF st. Joe
river and the following day those on
the left side were similarly examin-
ed. At the time of the examination
the lake surface stood at elevation
2123.5. There was from to inch
es of ice on all standing water and
about l IL inches of snow on the ice
and ground. An axe and soil test
ing auger were carried and the soil
examined at many representative
points. A large map of the territory
showing the detailed survey from
which the tracing used in the hearing
was made, was also taken along as
we'll as the original field notes. This
survey was made in January, Febru-
AIRY and March, 1908, by the Wash
ington Water Power company. Mr..
A. L. Turner, who had charge of the
field work, also accompanied me and
/ was thus enabled to make the ex-
aminations more rapidly than If
had had no guide.
Accuracy of COmpany's Map.
The company's map used in the
hearing had previously been compar-
ed with the original field notes and
found to be correct. The field ex-
aminations proved conelusively that
the topography of the country and
the field notes are in perfect agree
ment so that the map in question
can safety be taken as correct in ev-
cry detail. Even minute details of
topography and alignment are cor
rectly shown. Section corners were
found to be correctly indicated. The
elevation of the bench mark from
which the survey was begun was
checked by water levels from st. Joe
river. This of course was only an
approximate check with a hand level
but the accuracy of the elevations
think are beyond question.
How Bottom Lands Were Formed.
The area in question was at one
time a portion of Occur d'Alene lake.
The lands have been built up by st.
Joe river with sediment washed from
the hills of its drainage area. This
filling in has taken place in two d.
rections. "a from the mouth Of the
river outward into the lake and CD
from the banks of the river towards
the hills on either side. There is nc
doubt but that Chatcolet lake and
other smaller lakes. along both St
Joe and Occur d'Alene rivers were al
one time a portion of the main body
of Occur d'Alene lake.
Agricultural Lands.
The lands now susceptible of beins
farmed are the higher lands along the
immediate banks of the river. AS 1
general thing these lands are cover
ed with brush. willows, and cotton
wood or poplar trees. In few spot
they have been cleared and fairl!
GoOd hay crops have been cut from
them. These meadow lands are al
marked as such on the large map
From several of them hay crops wer,
cut during the present summer. TIL
best hay meadows examined wer'
those bordering the river in S 1-2 o
section 16. NV Ia OF section %, AM