The record. [volume] (St. Maries, Idaho) 1913-1918, 1913-09-30

n hoNtAchb NuiCu means mOles
not only to the river districts but to
the whole county az we'll, than any
other step which has been taken, was
naugurated at macs meeting of
the settlers of the Occur d'Alene,
st Joe and st. Mailes river valleys
held in Harrison last Saturday
At this meeting it was definitely
decided aud a committee appointed,
to form the Occur d'Alene, St. Joe.
aud st. Maries rivers together with
the lands bordering on Lake Cneur
d'Aleue into one large drainage dis
trict to drain the overlooked lends
on all three rivers
This action Is very important to
the whole county as 40, 600 acres of
laud will be included In the distrl ct.
1t means the reclaiming of over
30, 600 acres. which at the present
time are practically worthless owing
to the overflow of the Fater, and are
In fact at present menace TO the
ublio health. Isha yalV be
30, 900 acres which wrll b ed
is over a million dollar ls M
possible TO estimate ed
value of the rest Of r~fOpsrty
affected.
The drainage district iii tie form
ed by an order OF the district court
and will be at all times under the
direct control and supervision OF the
court. The business OF the district
will be transacted by three commits
slouers who will be appointed by the
court. All this being in conformity
with the new Idaho drainage law
passed by the last Legislature.
The meeting Saturday was called
to order by William Doty Of Medi-
mont. chairman Of the committee
appointe at meeting Of the sett-
lers held at Medimont last spring.
Mr. Doty briefly summed up the work
Of the committee ia regard to the
formation of plans for the creation Of
the district and their work Ia ascer-
taining the most feasible plan of pro-
ceedure in carrying out the wishes
of the settlers who would be the most
vitally interested In the improve
ments He then introduced A. A.
Darknell Of this city, one of the
memb bers of the committee. Mr.
DHrknell spoke strongly In favor Of
the formation Of the district and clos
ed his talk by reading a letter from
IA. j. Bleecher. second vice president
of the Washington Water Power com
pany. In this letter Mr.. Bleecher
stated thBt the Washington Water
Power company would dredee the
Spokane river at its source ten feet
deeper, thus creating a channel 500
feet wide and four miles In length.
This dredging, which viii cost pract
ically five bundled thousand dollars
will lower the water Ia the lake
ana rivers, four feet below the lowest
low water mark Of which there is cny
record, thus relieving at once all
lands which are now covered great
portion of the year by the water held
by the company tor resevior pur
poses.
The Washington Water Power
company offered to do this work with
out cost to the property owners in
the drainage district, providing the
district would secure all rights neces-
ary for the company to do the work.
The district must also protect the
company from all claims or damage
suits arising from luwering the water
The water will be lowered from
2.1l9 9 feet above sea level which il
the lowest mark Of which there ls
any record, to 21l5.o feet. and the
company must la-e tto legal right to
co the same.
This letter started the big meeting
IN active motion for the seventy odd
settlers who we're present had many
different ideas regarding the matter
aud there we're many different i'm
portant things that they must consi-
der before coming to conclusion
Tne question was raised aud thor
oughiy discussed whether dregding tC
J that extenl would increase the fiov
of water sufficiently TO drain the ovei
flowed lands. It was stated that thl
engineers estimated the flow Of watel
! would be increased one half. A blul
print was introduced, giving a dia
j gram Of the river to be dredged ans
showing that the Increased flow o.
water would be sufficient to dralI
the land.
. I. Blessing raised an objection e
the drainage district being held re