The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1914-01-02
BLISS REPLIES TO A
GROUCHY PROJECT
HOMESTEADER
BOISE, Idaho, Dec. %. 1913.
Editor Caldwell Tribune,
Caldwell, Idaho.


Caldwell, Idaho.
Dear Sir:
Saturday | read in The Tribune a
copy of an article relative to condi-
tons on the Boise Project, that one
of our local men has apparently seen
fit to send to the Kansas City Star
for publication. The original article
as published in the Star has been for
warded to me for consideration.
Such articles as the one referred TO
are bad enough when sent broadcast
over the country when they are true.
They are even more malicious when
they are not, and | am at loss to
know how a local "Homesteader"
could figure that he is doing the COM
munity in which he lives any good
service by the publication OF such an
untruth.
notice that Mr.. Girard has al
ready answered the article, concisely
and to the point There are possibly
few things that as manager of the
Project may add to what Mr.. Girard
has already said, and you may give
my statements such consideration as
you may think they deserve
In the first place, relative to the
manner of delivery of water on tine
Boise Project and the cost to the av
erage homesteader.
The Boise Project is not yet com
pleted, and consequently has not
been opened by the Secretary of the
Interior. Temporarily. in order to
help the man on the ground to get es-
tablishd. we are renting water at 40c
an acre foot for water delivered during
average years to July 18th, which wa
ter will allow the homesteader to grow
grain and all early maturing crops in
Guiding one or two cuttings of alfalfa
For the late water delivered after July
18Th 60c an acre loot is charged, and
with the late water a farmer can grow
the later maturing crops, including
fruits, potatoes, and the late cuttings
OF hay.
AS Mr. Girard has already pointed
out, farmer uses on the average
about one acre loot of the 40c cent
water aud one acre foot of the 60c wa
ter. Consequently the average far
mer on the $4,000 acres now in cult
walton can grow his early maturing
crops, with watertax of about 4Oc
an acre. If water is obtained for the
whole season, it is less than $l.00 an
acre.
Where will you go to find cheaper
water assessment than this? | have
been employed with Reclamation Ser
vice for II years, and in three different
states, including the Yakima valley in
Washington, and | must confess that
know OF no cheaper water. 1t is
needless to say that the cost assess
ed against the water user on the
Boise Project does not pay the cost
of running the water.
Now about the quality of the ser
vice that the homesteader on the
Boise Project receives in the matter
of water deliveries, which should
certainly be given consideration in
comparing costs. The rental water
on This project is sold on demand,
and after 48 hours notice water is
turned on or off as the water user
may desire. This necessitates a sys-
tenn of operation that few systems
afford, namely, that the ditch-rider
visit every water users gate every
day 1t also necessitates another |
practice and that is that we have a |
little excess in our canals to pick UP |
on demand, also that we have place |
TO put surplus water turned off on
demand. which excess is cared for at
our wasteways. If it were not for
these waSteways. with the long canal |
systems we have to deal with, we
would not be able to satisfy our
water users on 48 hours notice The /
surplus at the wasteway is like the |
eserve i'll bank, which if distributed Il
lmong the water users until none re-
mains, must be replaced if we hope |
o take care of Our remaining users Il
IN demand.
If my friend the "Homesteader'
rot the exact amount" of water that
lie requested at our very low rental
rice he has no grievance; if he got
little less, he has grievance, and
hould have made complaint to this
'thce, as he has been invited monthly II
o do, and have his account adjusted.
Concerning the second complaint,
can say Amen to everything that
lr. Girard has said. The standard
rage for the distribution unit of TINS
1 oJect, Tor several years past has
cen what 1t is today, namely SIPS
pr eight hours work, which you must
gree is a pretty fair wage. The only
mes We have paid more are through
emporary orders, when in times of
mergency or at harvest time when
dor is scarce, we have met the local
age paid by the farmers themselves.
The statement that we show a
reference to the hobo" elemnt is
ertainly most untrue. All of the
atermasters,. superintendent and
bremen have instructions to give all
ork available to the homesteader
nd water user on the project and it
only when reliable help from this
'urce cannot be obtained that we
sort to outside help. On the lar
r construction Jobs we have been
liable to get all the help we needed
ON among the water users, and as
last resort the men in charge of
DIRK on the ground have rhoned Mr.
irard and the Nampa and Boise of
eS for laborers. A water user has
rays been given the preference and
tanned as long as there was work to
), and his work was satisfactory.