The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-03-15

OF age his parents removed with him 10
'hctopa. Eabette county. Kansas, where
ih" son graduated at the high school and
:Iter took course at the Fort Scott,
Kan. Normal college.
NS an engineer. Mir Martin has reached
The top of his profession through the eN-
crcISc OF his own indomitable energy, OF
The self made order.
have known him since lie reached
Idaho. August .6, 1890, when he located
at Eagle Rock, now Idaho Falls, and
there he has made his home since.
Mr. Martin was married i'll Kansas in
1887 and has four daughters and one son,
tho latter now taking course In agri-
culture at the Fort Collins, Colorado,
School OF Agriculture.
Soon after reaching Idaho Falls, Mr.
Martin formed a partnership with John
NJ. Taylor and they pursued the general
practice of engineering, chiefly dealing
with irrigation.
Two Terms as Surveyor
In 1892 Mr.. Martin was elected on the
Republican ticket as surveyor OF Bing-
ham county. In 1894 he was reelected
structng engineer on the Fort Hall
canal TO carry water from the Snake
river near shelley TO the Indian reserva-
lion below Blackfoot
In 1897 he began work on the Marys-
Niile canal. Carey act project. owned
by Mr. Brady at that early day, In
1888 he became the construction engineer
for the New Sweden Irrigation district. 1t
being the first irrigation district formed
in the state under the irrigation district
law.
In 1901 Mr.. Martin made the prelimi-
nary surveys fo- the South Side Twin
Falls lrrfga ton system, working all sum-
mer on this initial investigation OF the
most formidable of all Carey act pro-
Jects.
In 1902 he was again elected as sur
yeyor of Bingham county. During the
fall of 1902 he made the preliminary sur
veys of the MinidolSa dam and later in
vestiGated for the reclamation service the
headwatcrs Of the Snake river with d
view OF procuring reliable data as to its
probable storage possibilities. Later In
1903 he made the surveys for the Miner
dam in Snake river, which affords water
now for both the South and the North
Side Twin Falls projects.
In 1904 Mr., Martin resigned his POSI-
tion with the Twin Falls people and
Joined the reclamation service as chief
engineer in charge of the Minidolsa pro-
lect.
Broadening His Sphere.
In 1906 he resigned from the reclama-
ton service and went with the contract
ing firm Of Orrnan & Crook of Pueblo
Colo. taking charge OF their work for
the government at Belle Fourche S. d
where he supervised the construction of
the. then largest enrthen dam in the
United States.
lie remained in South Dakota until
February two years ago. when ne re-
turned TO Idaho and 10 Idaho Falls since
which time he has worked at times as
Twin Falls oasicy Big Lost River, and md
Lake, and the PGlIslmari.
In the closing days of last year Mr.
Martin surveyed line for the new inter
urban line through the Snake river val
ley from Idaho Falls. southeast and
actively pursued this summer.
SQch las been the engineering career
or Idaho's newly -appointed stale engi-
mce". Ar. D. c. Martin of Idaho Falls
ills experience seems TO have clothed
him with rich knowledge OF the ma
jorltv OF the work he has to oversee in
his new role at the head of these great
irrigation projects In Idaho: which he is
"a able 10 conduct.
Predecessors Career.
James Stephenson. Jr resigns the
state engineers office after seven years
continuous service. 10 enter private prac-
ticc in Chicago. where he will be backed
by strong financial combinations having
heavy interests in Idaho Carey act Sc
curitics.
He will still be retained as consulting
engineer for the state of Idaho.
Jimmie Stephenson" as his good
friends in Idaho are wont to style him,
Is Il good fellow, and his departure from
the state viii be regretted by hosts OF
his Idaho acquaintances, who know him
but to admire him.
James Stephenson. Jr.. was born in
Omaha. Neb. on August 0. 1879 His
carly ,enducation was gained at a private
school In Omaha, and from 1886 TO 1890
he was student at the Racine college
OF Racine. Wis From 1890 10 1894 he
was a student at Rensselaer, Polytechnic
institute of Troy. n. y. from which
institution he received his &C. F." de-
gree in 1894. He Immediately came to
Idaho and entered In the practice of his
profession as an employee OF the Oregon
Short Line Railroad company, living at
pocatcllo.
This position he retained until April
%. 1909. when he resigned to accept the
position Of assistant state engineer under