Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1910-07-28
SENATOR BORAH AND REPRES-
ENTATIVE HAMER PLEDGE
COOPERATION.
The Reclamation Service VIII BE
Asked to Help Solve the Local
Irrigation Question-Large and
Enthusiastic Crowd Turns Out.

AS a result of negotiations which |
have been quietly carried on for
several months between E. NJ. Wolfe |
of this city and Senator Borah. the
promise is held out that the ma
chinery of the reclamation service
may be enlisted in behalf of this sec
tion and that portion of the funds
available for the irrigation of arid
lands in the west may be diverted for
use upon the immense tract of fertile
land stretching from Reverse almost
to Weiser.
Mr. Wolfe issued a call for a meet
ing at his office on Friday night of
last week, when a committee was ap-
pointed to arrange for a visit from
Senator Borah, in order that plans
might be discussed and information
obtained at first hand as to the best
manner in which the needs of this
section might be brought to the at
tention of those who will be en-
trusted with the expenditure of funds
provided by the national government
for reclamation purposes. The COM
mittee also compiled considerable
data, and, considering the short time
in which it had to act, was able to
present a very creditable resume of
the situation at the meeting which
was held on Monday night at the
court house Senator Borah accom-
panied by Representative Hamer, ar
rived on the night train and imme-
diately proceeded to the court house,
where they met informally large
number of prominent citizens of the
town
A concise outline of a tentative
plan was given by Mr. Wolfe, who
stated that it was hoped to attach all
these lands to the Boise-Payette pro-
ject and to utilize the waters of the
Boise and Payette rivers in such a
manner as to provide for the irriga-
ton of the entire tract. which it was
estimated comprised 100000 acres.
Mr.. Wolfe further stated that, accord
ing to statements of reliable engi-
neers, the head waters of the Salmon
river could also be diverted into the
middle fork of the Boise. He pre-
sented map showing several res
ervoir locations on the South Boise
river, which have already been desig-
mated for such purposes, and which
it is thought can be utilized in con-
nection with the project He further
pointed out that these reservoir sites
and practically the sources of all
water available for the entire project
are in Elmore county, and that that
county should be entitled to some of
the benefits from its own resources.
Mr. Wolfe and Mr. Helfrich, who
also spoke for the local committee,
stated that it was not the intention
to interfere with any other projects
now under way or contemplated with
in the tract. but that there should BE-
cooperation between all interests.
Mr. Helfrich has been in eorrespon-
dence with officials of the Oregon
Short Line railroad relative to having
engineers of that company go over
the engineering features. He ex-
pressed confidence in being able to
obtain that concession from the com
pany.
Senator Borah spoke foreefully in
favor of the project and assured those
present that he would use every
means at his command to further
the enterprise He frankly admitted
the many difficulties which will have
to be overcome, among them being
the stand taken by the reclamation
service that there is not sufficient
unappropriated water in the Boise
river for the irrigation Of the lands
and that the cost of utilizing the
waters of the Payette river would be
almost prohibitive He urged that
the committee supply him. within q
reasonable time. with the necessary
engineering data competently com
piled and also with statement a.
to the water supply With this in
formation he would Immediately take
up the matter with the proper au-
thorities, which would serve as an
entering wedge. He stated that the
re-apportionment OF the irrigation
fund would probably be made within