The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1915-06-17
REPORT ON LOST RIVER PROJECT


proposed new contract between the
settlers and the company for water
rights calling for the delivery of two
acre feet be adopted. 1t is the latter
recommendation that has been the
main bone of contention between the
settlers and the purchasing company,
the settlers holding out FOR moro water
and the company claiming it could not
possibly guarantee to deliver more. Ap-
parently the commission is satisfied
that the contention of the company
with regard to inability to deliver more
water is correct.
Anderson Vice Chairman.
The commission has been in session
two days going over the records and
files of the land department and the
state engineer, gathering data for it's
report. Chairman Chase A. Clark, was
unable to be present at the meeting
here and Senator Carter of Cambridge
who attended yesterdays session left
last night for home. A majority of
the members of the commission were
in session today or Representatives
Anderson of Canyon county and Wa
tiers of Twin Falls together with Sen
ator Elliott of Bonner county. Repre-
sentative Anderson, who was minority
leader of the house, was selected as
temporary or vice chairman and pre-
sided at the conference.
The commission s report will deal
largely with the reclamation of the
Big Lost River project one of the most
important Carey act project problems
pending. The Utah Construction com
pany IS prepared to invest round mil
lion dollars in the project just as soon
as the new contracts can be approved
The company and the settlers have
been trying to get together on this CON
tract and present a united front to the
land board. The board does not feel
inclined to approve any contract for
water rights until a majority of the
settlers at least approve of it.
To Rebuild the Dam.
The commission has been over the
project and has inspected the Mackay
dam. 1t has conferred with the settlers
and has reached the conclusions stat
ed above. The commission learned
from representative of the Utah Con-
struction company that it is the inten-
ton of the company to rebuild the
Mackay dam; not to build a new dam
above it. The engineers of this com
pany are confident that the old dam
can be safely rebuilt. In order to make
it perfectly safe, however, it will be
necessary to go down so feet below the
present bottom of the dam to get
through the boulder and gravel forma-
ton and strike solid rock. This will
the expenditure of large
amount Of money but on the engineer
plans the company is prepared to re-
build the structure in this way. They
claim it will hold water when it is SO
rebuilt.
The commission, which adjourned
Saturday after working several days
on the Big Lost River maze, went
over the land and inspected the irri
CATION works, A report was drawn
and will be submitted to the governor
as soon as it has been approved by
Jhase A. Clark, of Mackay, Idaho,
chairman of the commission.
Ernest Anderson of Parma, one OF
he commission s members, told of
he body's deliberations as follows:
AT Arco the commission held
rearing with the settlers and entry
men on the project and discussed
With them generally :. the conditions
Xisting on the Arco, Era and Powell
racts, which tracts embrace an area
# approximately eighty thousand
lcres, the major portion of which has
'een sold to the original entrymen.
1t this meeting memoranda of the
ontract that the Utah Construction
ompany have submitted to the gov
rnor and the state land board was
cad and thoroughly discussed with
he settlers. One of the more i'm
ortant provisions of this memoranda !
7as that the settlers should receive
wo acre feet of water, which pro-
ision was thoroughly discussed, and
pom which there seemed to be a di-
ided opinion, as to the amount of
'ater required to prorrly mature
rops in this section.
Want Safety First.
"The commission inspected the
[ackay dam and the reservoir site
bove the dam, after which a hearing
as held with the citizens of Mackay
spirit of fairness seemed prevalent
lere with reference to pushing the
reject to completion and the citi-
ems of Mackay seemed willing that
he project should be completed. They /
re only asking that permanent and
lfe dam be constructed, which re-
uest will receive the unanimous in
Orsement of the commission, as the
fe and safety of the citizens of that
'wn must be the first consideration.
"Some time was spent by the COM
ission in investigating the eighteen
acre Little Lost River prof.