The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-04-10
BIG LOST RIVER
PROJECT SOLD
But one bid, that of $4,000 by Ralph
Z. Hoag, President of the Utah
National Bank, i'm Behalf of Utah
Construction Company. Future
Developments not Made Public.

at Mackay, its fine system of cement
canals and laterals, its drops and
headgates, system in which it Is
CLAIMED that practically 100000
has been invested, went to the Utah
Construction company Saturday aft
ernoon for $4,000.
The property was sold by Receiver
James e. Clinton of Boise on auth
ority conferred upon him by Judge
Dietrich of the federal court to sat
isfy liens aggregating $650,0OO held
by the Corey Brothers Construction
company of Ogden.
There was but one bid, that OF
$4,000 by Ralph E. Hoag, president
of the Utah National bank of Og-
den. This bid was made on behalf
of the Utah Construction company,
that will, it is understood, complete
the project and protect the interest
of the Corey Brothers Construction
company.
An unexpected and rather sensa-
tional development of the sale was
the warning served on all prospec-
tive bidders by w. H. Pucket of Boise,
member of the law firm of Hawley,
Pucket & Hawley. This warning was
to the effect that the land on which
the Mackay dam stands and some
900 acres surrounding 1t is the prop
erty of G. G. Davidson, that he pro-
posed to protect his rights in the mat
ter, and that whoever bought the Big
Lost river project bought it at his
own peril and subject to these condi-
tions.
The sale was called from the steps
of the courthouse promptly at 1880.
1t was understood that Corey Bros,
who have heavy judgment against
the project, for construction work
performed would likely take over the
works by bidding it in, and others
were interested. Some doubt was
felt, however, as to the character of
the work that has been done, as it
has been contended for several years
that the dam would not hold water
because of the fact that the wall
did not penetrate to bedrock. What
will now be done is problematical.
The following from the Mackay
Miner, whose editor is thoroughly in
touch with the situation, clearly ex-
plains the result of the investigat on
conducted under the state engineers:
1.-The valves in the outlet works of
the Mackay dam were closed down
at 8 o'clock p. M, Wednesday, March
26th, by the state engineer and have
been kept closed since that time. Wa
ter in the reservoir has been raised
about a foot a day since that time.
The first day or two the river was
lowered about two-thirds, but after
the water began to back up in the
reservoir, adding pressure against the
dam, the flow in the river has been
steadily incl easing, until today there
is over half the natural flow coming
down the channel, with the valves
closed down tight, proving absolutely
that the dam does not hold water.
"The engineers had pit dug both
above and below the core wall'-the
wall does not extend below the old
river bottom-and the pit above the
wall is filled with water to a level
with the top of the wall, but the holes
below, not being as deep as the wall
extends, are dry. However, trench |
was dug from the pool of water be-
low the temporary spill-way and
day or so after the valves were closed |
a stream of water began running and |
with each succeeding days added
pressure in the reservoir has been
steadily increasing until about 200
inches of water now flows through the
channel from under the dam. Numer-
Gus other springs, several large
ones, between the channel from the
temporary spilway and the valves
have also started to run and are in
creasing daily, until it is estimated
that 500 inches of water is flowing
through the dam to the core wall
sinking there and flowing on through
below the level of the wall.
But the visible flow does not tell
the story at ALL as there is about
half the natural flow of the river a
mile below the dam. The writer
waded down the channel of this river
four days after the xalxes were closed
and note eleven big springs running
good streams into the river through ]
the banks and there were numerous
places where the water bubbles
through the bottom of the stream; 6
hen in the Creto field the numerous |
springs there, which did not exist be- t
ore the dam was started, are great
Y increased since the valves were {
:losed. Plainly, Enthusiastically, the t
Iackav dam does not hold water and I