The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1916-12-26
BULL EDITOR IN
DOUBT ABOUT BUTTE
Believes That Proposition to Water
Hansen Butte Important But OPP
posed to Hasty Action.

In last weeks issue we published an
article, written by the Twin Falls
Commercial club and submitted to the
board of directors of the Twin Falls
Canal company, in which they urge
that immediate steps be taken by the
directors to irrigate the Hansen
butte, says the Bull Herald The club
points out that there is a constant
loss of approximately 700 feet of wat,
er, due to seepage, which water they
advocate using to put the Hansen
butte under irrigation, 1t is also said
that power could be developed from
the fall in the low line to pump the
water upon the tract, thus economic
ing in that respect.
1t is no doubt true that the fall
mentioned is sufficient to develop the
water power, and that something must
be done with that part of the canal
to keep 1t from tearing out a deep
gorge. 1t is also true that there is
lots of water going to waste, and that
some time it is going to be up to the
Twin Falls Canal company to cement
a part of the canal system, first to do
away with the annual seepage and in
the second place more water will be
needed when every acre of the land
under the Twin Falls project, includ-
ing the unwatered school sections, are
intensively farmed.
The proposition advanced by the
Twin Falls Commercial club is a big
one. 1t is one that we cannot afford
to pass over too lightly.
However, If the 700 feet of water,
which is said to be going to waste, is
sold to the settlers of the Hansen
butte their priority right to the wat
ers of Snake river will be equal to
any farmer on the Twin Falls tract
We believe that we have the best wat
/ er right in Idaho, and as good as any
in the United States. But it is ques-
tionable if that would remain so, were
a part of our right sold. Let us be
convinced that we are going to have
plenty of water for the land under
our project, before we dispose of any.
But, the watering of the Hansen
butte is too important an undertaking
to cast aside without consideration. 1t
is reported that the settlers on the
butte are signing for water from an
Independent company at $500 per
acre. This company could furnish
nothing but water from a new filing
| AuulSoo IHC oclllCIS VI the VIII rails
tract chose to sell a part of their
right, and the Twin Falls Canal
board can file on a new water right
for that purpose as well as an out
side company.
If 10000 acres of watered land were
sold on the Hansen butte at $500 per
acre, the returns from such sale
would amount to $2,200,000 1t is said
that the proposition could be carried
out so that profit of three quarters
of a million would be realized. The
Twin Falls Canal company might just
as well get that as any one. The
money would cement our canal a
greater part of its length. That would
solve the seepage and the shortage
question.
The demand for water on more land
will consume a part of that 700 feet
now going to waste and eventually q
part of the system will have to be ce-
mented to conserve that water. There
are practically $4,000 acres OF treas
ury stock in the Twin Falls Canal
company. Though in a suit brought
by the State of Idaho against the Twir
Falls Canal company, in November
1915, the court decided that the cana
board must sell water for the schoo
lands. Furthermore, a Twin Falls at.
torney rendered the canal board S.
10000 as first payment on water fol
lO40 acres on what Is known as the
Castleford butte.
AT the last meeting of the board
of the Twin Falls Canal company las
week Attorney c. o. Longley, OF Twir
Falls. representing parties who de