Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1911-08-19
RECLAIMINC
SWAMP LANDS
Owner Of the Big kootenai Ranch Will
Reclaim $50 Acres of Rich
Land by Dikins.
DRAINING COST s22 PER ACRE
Paul Clagstone's Project Splendid
Object Lesson.

w Ten GHr A,ooo 5"'aOH P~f /
which Paul Clagstone has stationed
lust above tas dixie he had thrown
across the Hoodoo Valley at Clag-
stone Junction, states the Northern
Idaho News, began TO lift water out
of the swamp last week, Mr.. Clag-
stone experienced the first taste OF
success in the prosecution OF land |
policy in the behalf of which he
has done much planning and agi
tation, and suffered not a little
Encouragement aud disappoint-
ment.
The people of the northern part
of the county have recently taken
up the question, and have organ
lied several drainage districts In
the Kootenai Valley, SO that II is
probable that it will not be long
before several thousand acres of
swampy meadows will be piline up
dollars in the bank for the fortu-
nate owners. But the Clarksfork
and Pend d'Oreilie and their tribu-
taries also have their thousands OF
acres of half submerged meadows,
which can be drained at cost so
low that the first crop will return
the expense of drainage.
Mr.. Clagstsnss has been trying
for a number OF years to organize a
drainage district of tbs entire Hoo
ldoo Valley and he has spent con-
siderable money of his own in pre-
| liminary surveys and in getting
estimates, The valley contains
some 1900 acres of reclalmable
land, and it vas estimated that 1t
could be done for $22 an acre--a
very low figure, considering the cost
of stumping and the quality of the
. land-bht each time some new
obstacle arose to block the way
Mr.. Clagstone at last concluded
that he would prove the value o.
, his theories by draining his OWL
8 land, and while reaping the benefit
, of the use of the soil, he would a
the same time furnish what seemed
' to be the most needed-an actua
demonstration Of the practicabillt,
}, of this method of reclamation.
g Late in the spring operation
e were started, under the supervision
u of Mr.. Wickstrom,, A dyke wa
thrown across the lower line of tn
ranch and the running of the canal
y and installation of the pumps ha
i proceeded rapidly. The dixie wa
J. made about ten feet high and wild
II enough for the highway. jus
above the dixie has been statione
q the smaller of the two pumps thu
:, :, are TO be used for handling I'll
n water. This one has capacity
Is |, 800 gallons to the minute and
ne run by Fairbank-Morse gasoliI
~ engine, At it's deepest place abo'
* mile above the dixie, the swan
It is about six feet deep. Here wi
,ff be placed the heaviest of the tv
pumps, this one having a capaci
OF of 5000 gallons q minute. II
- ease with which these two pun
= will be able to take care of Il
water may be- realized when it
- known that two days work of t
,as smaller one lowered the water sc
It'll eral inches.
az This project will reclaim 6
Jus acres, all in one continuous trs
10 of almost inexhsustible richne
ay as the vegetable mold Of which il
composed has been tested to
nd depth of several feet. 1t is
~ Clagstone's purpose to seed
g. tract to timothy this fall, al
burning off the swamp growth a
SLY next year he expects TO harvest
of least two, and perhaps three l.
ear. OF bay 10 The acre.