The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1910-01-19
SETTLERS WANT WATER.
Federal Authorities Again Urged To
Get Busy On Milk River Project.

Federal Authorities Again Urged To
Get Busy On Milk River Project.
Another attempt will be made to
secure better progress on the Milk
project. Former efforts 10 this
direction have met with partial suc-
cess, but the results 80 far accom-.
are go disappointing and
unsatisfactory that a demand will be
made that at least q portion OF the
work be completed at once aud water
supplied to some of the settlers who
have received nothing but promises
and hot air that do not assist them In
crope of agricultural pro.
The present movement was initiated
by Louis W. Hill, president of the
Great Northern railroad, at whose re.
quest q meeting Of Milk river settlers
was held Saturday at Havre. It was
q large and representative gathering
of settlers and others interested in the
Milk river project, and the earnest.
ness with which the matter was dis.
cusssd by the various speakers indi-
Gated q determination to make q most
insistent demand upon the federal
authorities that they deliver the goods
promised as far back ss years
ago.
Mr.. Hill, who was the principal
speaker at the meeting, stated that If
necessary arrangements could he
made, the Great Northern railway
company would undertake to finance
and huarry to completion q portion
Of the Milk river project, and show
the reclamation service how to do
things. In the course of his address,
Mr.. Hill remarked that when the ser.
ate committee vas IN the valley last
summer the members stated that no.
where had they seer such an oppor-
tunity for successful irrigation az in
the Milk river valley and had ex-
pressed themselves as very much dis.
appointed at the manner In which the
work had been conducted aud with
the engineers. While on that trip
efforts had been made to have MI.
Newell say when it would be possible
to complete the project, but the head
of the expedition, after beating around
the bush, had to acknowledge that he
did not know-that the engineers had
spent all their time in finding out
what they we're going to do instead OF
doing actual work.
The settlers views of the stu alton
we're presented by several speakers,
Hon. T. Nj. Everett, of Harlem, de-
clariug himself thoroughly disgusted
with the work of the government. Its
operations we're slow and costly.
Enough money had been spent al.
ready to make q good showing in
actual construction work; surveys
had been made over hills that any
farmer could see at a glance could
not be irrigated. They we're q thous-
and feet above Milk river. Farmers
in the valley had irrigated their own
land at a cost of about IS per acre,
but under the government manage.
ment it was going to cost at least $50
per acre and probably $40. He pro.
posed that the government be induced
to relinquish it's claim upoa the pro.
ject and that two districts be formed
under the state law, one district above
Dodson and the other below, and tina,
bonds be sold based upon the lands
to be irrig ated to raise money to do
the work. The two districts could
build the st. Mary's diversion canal
and he predicted that they would be
able to DO it without paying more for
red tape than for canals.
The oatcome of the meeting was q
decision to send committee to Wash.
ington, headed by MIR. Hill, to con
suit with the federal authorities and
demand immediate action in the mat.
ter. Mr.. Hill was authorized TO name
the c%omxnittee, and selected the follow.
ing members: r. Hermes, Chinook;
John Lohr, Tampico; Senator Ever.
EFT, Harlem; M. D. Aoyt, Glasgow:
B. D. Phillips, Dodson. When the
question of arranging for paying the
expenses of the committee was taken
up, Mr.. Hill invited them to go as his
guests.