The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1915-07-16
BIG LOST RIVER PROJECT
BEFORE THE LAND BOARD

Report of the State Engineer on
Mackay Dam and Proposed Con-
tract With Company Considered.
The affairs of the Big Lost River
irrigation project, sold under the
hammer at public auction to the Utah
Construction company of Ogden,
came into prominence again today
through hearing held this after
noon before the state land board
when the report of State Engineer
Smith was taken up regarding the
reconstruction of the Mackay dam,
the proposed contract of the company
with the settlers was considered and
the work of the irrigation and drain
age commission in regard to this pro-
ject, which it inspected State Sena-
tor e. E. Elliott Of Bonner county, a
member of the latter commission,
was present at the hearing.
The main bone of contention over
which the Big Lost River project con-
troversy hangs, is the proposal of the
company to draw new contracts by
which they will furnish two acre
| feet Of water to the settlers. The set
tiers believe they should be given
more water than this amount and
some of them are opposed to entering
into new contract calling for that
Iamount. The irrigation commission
which inspected the project reached
conclusion, it Is said, that the best
the settlers could expect would be
the two. acre-feet and it's members
are inclined to the belief that two
acre-feet under the present condi-
| tions is all that the settlers can ex-
pect.
Has Million to Spend
The Utah Construction company,
through it's officers, have announced
it is prepared to spend cool million
dollars on the project by the means
of which they expect to reclaim it,
reconstruct the old Mackay dam
which has figured prominently in po-
litical controversies and irrigate most
of the land in the original tracts un-
der the project but they do not pro-
pose to spend any of this money UNI
less contract can be approved by
the land board as between the COM
pany and the settlers which will be
satisfactory to the company and on
which both the settlers and the COM
pany will make concessions
Several times it has been thought
that the settlers, the state and the
company could get together but so
far they have been unable to do so,
Under the direction of the land board
the state engineer inspected the pro-
Ject and made his report The com
pany proposes to give the Mackay
dam new base and not to build a
dam in a different place. Their en-
glneers have been over the dam and
the project and have made this rec
ommenGltion.
Boise-The proposal of the Utah
Construction company to enter into
contract with the settlers on the Big
Lost river project to deliver two ac.a-
feet of water under the new contracts
was accepted by the state land board
at meeting held today. Attorney
General Peterson stated the PROPOSAL
OF the company briefly. The COM
Will replace with safe dam the pres
ent Mackay dam, which has been de-
clared impracticable and unsafe
water VIII be supplied In the amount
OF TWO acre-feet per acre, provided
that much water is found available
II 1t is determined that the amount
Oh water stated is insufficient to sat-
lsfy crops the company will increase
the allowance to suit conditions. he
lore 1t applies for the segregation of
any more land than is now included
In the project. The price of water
right will be 81 per acre. The set
Tiers will have 20 years in which 70
pay and Will make no payments I'M
I'll water has been delivered. Cant
tai Evening News