The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-28
HOPE TO INSURE
AGAINST FAILURE
Farmers of Central South
Dakota Meet to Forward
Irrigation Plans

Pierre. s. D.. Oct. 2S.-That irriga-
ton is Il live issue in this part Of the
state was shown by the attendance yes
terday mt a meeting called in this city
pense of installation Is not heavy for a
small plant which will make the differ
ence between a good crop and a light
one. Such a plant might not be need
cd or wanted for years. but last year
n this year AVE shown that a lit
tie help to the crops at the right time
would mean an immense boost and II
is to provide for such years that the
irrigation idea Is taking a strong hold
on the people Of central South Da-
kota.
Then. toe. 1t has been often demon
strated that yields Fan he doubled and
trebled with IL water supply to draw
upon n with this in view. the work
is being pushed rapidly on all the Mis-
souri, river bottom Ian in his part of
the state. The indications are that be-
fore the end of another year all such
land along the Missouri for thirty
miles each side of this city and Fort
Pierre will be farmed under irriga-
ton methods. regardless of the natu-
raj rainfall. And not only the Mis-
souri, bottoms will be so treated, but
the water will be applied t the valley
lands on Bad river and Cheyenne riv-
~ oAtNA ~ - pAoSllNdl pldCtS III I1C
smaller creeks.
Plans are being made for storing
water at the heads of many of the
smaller streams. to be drawn off as
needed by the crops on the upland.
Late figures placing the acreage to be
placed under irrigation either in the
valleys or on the uplands. al ten thou
sand acres on the Missouri and tribu-
tarles, have been by more recent plans
practically doubled. These are all be-
ing carried out al individual plans
with small pumping plants for hand
ling the water.
The main interest is conferred on the
proposed Little Bend project. This
comprehends a tunnel through the
neck" Of Little Bend, forty miles
northwest of this city. by which a fall
Of eighteen feet can be secured in TAX.
ing water from the Missouri river on
the upper side Of the bend and letting
it out at the lower side. The propos-
ed plan is to S this for power de-
velopment and with such power cleo
trically developed to pump water to
the higher grounds back from the riv-
er and put thousands of acres in shape
for irrigation in time Of need.
To carry this project to completion
Will require a large sum of money. All
of the preliminary work has been done
by a New York engineering firm. The
counties of Hughes, Sully and Stanley
have provided funds for the prelim-
mary survey. But when 1t comes to
development of the plan in detail, II
the report shows that 1t is feasible, the
counties cannot carry the load eve
II they so desired. There is a strong
sentiment against allowing the plan to
go into the hands of private capital
and the first move will be to secure &C.
tion through the government reclama.
ton fund, which is used on new pro.
jects as fast as money is paid in from
those which nave been completed.
But regardless of what the report
may be on the Little Bend project
thousands of acres will be irrigated ir
central South Dakota by the end OF
another year. r :.