The record. [volume] (St. Maries, Idaho) 1913-1918, 1913-06-17

W. ID. Doty, or MedimOnti was IN
this City Friday for the purpose of
interesting the farmers and business
men Of the st Joe valley in some
plan by which the damage done by
the unusual high water aud conse-
queut overflow of the lands along the
bottoms, can he mlnimized.
Mr.. Doty is the owner OF two hun
dred and forty acres of rich bottom
laud on the Occur d'Alene river, all
of which, with the exception of very
few acres, Is still under water. When
the letter of Secretary Lane sustain
ing the action of Secretary Fisher In
granting a permit to the Washington
Water Power Co. to overflow the
lands was made public, be and others
interested, called a meeting Of the
settlers at Medimont.
This meeting was attended by prso
tlcally all of tie ranoheIs and Others
of the Occur d'Alene river valley
affected by high water, bnt the st.
Joe and st. Mares district was not
represented aud It WAS to inform those
Interested in this district, of the &C
tion taken at that meeting and to try
and get their corporation In measures
which are proposed to be taken and
will affect their common interest that
he was here.
The measure that received the most
favor at the Medimont meeting as Of
fering the most assurance of afford
ing relief was the deepening of the
Spokane river where it leaves the
Occur d'Alene lake six feet. In sea-
sons of high water il Is argued, this
would afford a reservoir six feet deep
over the entire surface Of the lake to
take care of the first rush of water
and would give it time to run off and
prevent its backing up In the river
and over the bottom lands.
Iu case IF extreme high water if
the lands we're overfiowed it would
afford a means for the water TO run
off rapidly aud it would not 10 the
damage which it now dues by lying
on the land so late that 1t is impossi
BILE to put in a crop.
This, however, Is an expensive
proposition. It is estimated that It
would cost somewhere In the neigh
borhood of $3.50, 600 to do the dredg
ing necessary to lower the river six
feet. 1t Is thought that a portion of
this amount would be furnished by
the Washington Water Power com
pany as they would be a large beneh
oiary as It would relieve them of the
continual expense Uf defending suits
for damages for overflow aud It would
also afford them an assurance Of plen-
ty of water for power during the
extreme log.yater season.
In orde raise the balance of the
money it proposed to form one big
drainage district of the entire Occur
d'Aleue river, ST. Joe river aud St.
Marles river valleys, covering all Of
the land affected by the overflow.
This would be done under the provls-
ions of the state drainage law passed
by the last legislature.
When a drainage district Is estab-
llshed udder this law, the cost of the
necessary improvements are assessed
against the owners of the land com
prised IN the district according TO the
acreage.
IL is estimated that there are 40,
GOO acres affected by this overflow
aud would be included In this drain
age district In the three valleys
Taking the cost Of the dredging to Il
$3.50, 900. which ia probably a hlgt
estimate, even Il the Washington
Water Power company should refus'
10 assist In the undertaking, aud 40,
600 as the number Of acres. Il would
make the cost only about six dollar
per acre, which Is only a drop In th,
bucket as compared to the value o
the land after It is reclaimed.
Even this sum of 5000 per aor
need not all be paid at once. Unde
the provisions Of the drainage la'
bonds may be issued running frou
five to ten years as may be desired
so that a person owning l60 acres o
land entirely In the district, would
under the 10 year plan. be only call
ed upon to pay $50. 60 each year.
In order to form a drainage dis
trict under this law a petition signe
by owners representing at least one
fifth of the acreage 10 the propose
district Is presented to the disotric
court. A day for hearing is set, nc
tics Of which Is gigen by pubiioatio
in some newspaper, and at this hear
irg the judge decides whether th
district shall be created or not.
created he appoluts the drainag
commissioDrs. who are answerable
him for all Of their official acts an
can be cited luto court upon con