The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1910-12-01

The following letter from IL. NEW
man should interest every settler in
the valley:
The subject which should be of
greatest interest to every man, wo-
/ man and childin the Milk River Valley
at the present time is whether or not
the great Milk River Irrigation project
will be constructed by the United
States Government.
The three principal difficulties that
have stood in the way of active con-
struction on large scale with the
assurance that work would be car
RED OH to the completion of the
whole project have been the adjudi-
cation of the water rights, in order
to determine whether sufficient
water supply can be had in case
funds are provided; the lack of funds
I to be definitely set aside for the
larger work if the water supply can
be assured a treaty with Canada by
which the land owners Of Milk River
Valley can be protected against hos
tile diversion before the waters en-
ter the United States.
Happily the treaty between the
United States and Great Britain
which was proclaimed May 13. 1910,
has settled the matter of the diver
sion of the waters of St. Mary and
Milk Rivers on either side of the In
ternational boundary line.
The board of Engineer Officers of
the Army appointed in pursuance OF
al act of the last Congress has i'll
spected each of the uncompleted re-
ciamation projects and is now in
Washington preparing report as to
the feasibility of the different pro-
-jects visited by them.
The third difficulty in the way of
the immediate construction OF the
project Is the fact that even though
the Government Engineers find the
project feasible, the adjudication re-
quired by the Secretary Of the Inter
ior has not been accomplished and
nothing in this direction has been
done for several years. 1t is doubt
full whether the majority Of the land
owners Of the Valley are aware OF
the condition which confronts them
or it is likely that some move would
be made which would remove the last
obstacle to an allotment Of funds i'll
case the army Engineers report fav-
orably.
From the first the adjudication OF
the waters of Milk River has been
made an essential condition by the
Secretary of the Interior and has
been frequently mentioned in cores
pondence lasting over five years
During the past few months, and
since the hopes of the Milk River
Valley residents have been revived
by reason of the act of congress au-
thorizing the appropriation of $780,
900, 900. 90 to carry on the work of un-
completed projects, the funds to be
repaid by the lands benefited, the
correspondence between the Secre-
tary of the Interior and the Water
Users and Irrigation Association
has made prominent the immedia te
necessity for such adjudication if
any funds are to be allotted for con-
struction.
The Reclamation Service officials
have done everything in their power
to progress surveys and all other
contributing factors in order that
construction can be commenced at
the earliest possible date after
an allotment of funds has been
provided by the President. 1t is not
only possible but very likely that
any allotment of funds which may be
made will be subject to the proviso
that no expenditures whatsoever will
be authorized until proceedings are
initiated to accomplish the adjudi-
cation of all Milk River water
rights. Everyone concerned must
realize that the adjudication of these
water rights is inevitable ultima tely,
whether the Reclamation projects be
constructed or not.
The Importance of immediate ac-
tion by all the interested land own
ers under this project can not be too
strongly emphasized. The state
ments of the Secretary of the Inter
ior making adjudication condition
of any construction work are so con-
sistent and definite that they can not
be misunderstood. A few extracts
from letters follow:
Acting Secretary Of the Interior to