Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1916-06-30
FIRST STEP To-
RECLAIM FLATS
Commercial Club Appoints Committee
OF Five To Obtain Data Concern
ing Dyking and Sluicing
FINANCIAL PROBLEM PULLING
Decide To Hold No Fourth Of July
Celebration This Year

At the meeting of the Kootenal
Valley Commercial Club which was
held at Dore & McGlocklin's offices
Tuesday night, the report of the
Fourth of July committee was heard
and it was unanimously decided that
it was not expedient for Boomers
Ferry to try to celebrate the Fourth
this year and that the money which
might be subscribed for the cele-
bration would be better utilized in
improving the streets.
Upon motion a committee of five,
composed of Messrs. E. E. Fry,
o. C. Wilson, Harley S. Cave, A. c.
Moore and w. T. James, was APP
pointed by President Wiley to go
into the matter of dyking and drain
ing or retaining the lowlands of
Boomers Ferry and this committee
was empowered to call a meeting of
the commercial club when sufficient
data had been secured to warrant
further action.
Quite a discussion was held con-
corning the feasibility of various
plans of retaining the flats of Bon
ners Ferry and rendering them i'm
mune to high water periods. En-
gineer Cave presented several APP
parently feasible plans but stated
that he would not want to advise
upon any one until he had chance
to go into the situation thoroughly
and investigate all conditions. Mr..
Cave believed that the proposition of
cluicing dirt and gravel from the
south hills to the lowlands might be
worked out although the expense
might be prohibitive. He called at
tention to the fact that powerful
machinery would have to be put into
operation before water in a suf-
ficient volume could be utilized in
sluicing operations.
The question of financing a re-
clamation of the flats seemed to be
the most puzzling. 1t was brought
out that the town board would be
powerless to undertake the task or
account of the state law limiting
the bonded Indebtedness of munich
palities. 1t was brought out that the
best plan would be to form a spec
ial improvement district of the land
to be dyked or filled in although
some doubts were entertained whe-
Their or not a ready sale would be
found for the bonds.
The S simplest plan suggested was
that of having each property owner
contract for the amount needed tc
reclaim according to his frontage
and benefit derived. This plar
would, however, entail a considerable
amount of tact and diplomacy up
on the part of those handling the
proposition.
1t seems assured that the citizens
of the town will take some step:
in the near future towards petition
ing the town to start reclamation
work.
The Tuesday night meeting oc
Cured on the date set by the Spo
kane Chamber of Commerce to b,
observed by all commercial clut
bodies of the Inland Empire a.
flames J. Hill Day." Bartlett Sin
clair was called upon by Presiden
Wiley to eulogize the greatest empire
builder of America. At the conclu
sion of his remarks Mr.. Sinclair
offered a resolution which was adopt
ed by the club and which will b
included with similar resolutions il
a bound book which is to be pre-
sented to the family of the lat
James ]. Hill by the Spokane Cham
her of Commerce.