Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1917-08-07

and complete reclamation could be
secured if wanted. Under plan No.
8 Engineer Jones estimated that the
land would only overflow on an aver
age of years in 20 or 25 years and
that the cost per acre would not
average over $25 per acre.
Engineer Jones recommended that
the entire valley be organized in one
large district and that the commits
sioners of the district be carefully
selected and that the most compe-
tent lawyers and engineers be hired.
He told that he felt confident that
the government would appropriate
money sufficient to pay the assess
ments on all Indian lands in the
valley but that the government would
not appropriate any money for the
drainage of privately owned land.
Hon. Guy Constable, of Creston, B.
government had arranged to pay
assessments on 100 acres of Indian
lands in Canada.
Robert Stark, of Creston, B. c.,
gave an interesting and comprehen-
sive report of the work which had
been done by the British Columbia
government along drainage investi-
cations. He gave in a condensed
form the report of Engineer Muerl-
ing. In this report the widening of
the West Arm, the widening and
deepening of the Kootenai river at
various points, the construction of a
series of dams and locks was recon-
mended. The creation of extra river
passages was also mentioned. The
drainage plans of the Canadian en-
gineer covered the retaining of
some 10000 acres and the estimated
cost for the complete work wasS2,-
S00,0 100000. Engineer Muerling fig
ured that the overlooked land after
being drained was we'll worth 5000
per acre. He estimated that it would
require Investigations covering a five
year period to secure reliable data
concerning the watersheds of the
Kootenai river which would be of
value to the work of drainage.
At the suggestion of President
Fry the members of the gathering
questioned Engineer Jones upon
many subjects relating to drainage
and in this manner considerable valu-
able information was secured.
At the conclusion of Engineer
Jones' address the motion was made
by Guy Constable that an inter
national drainage commission of six
members be appointed for the pur-
pose of endeavoring to secure all
possible aid for drainage from the
Canadian and u. S. governments and
to assist in every possible manner
the project to successfully drain the
Kootenai valley. Mr.. Constable was
heartily applauded when he stated
that with the creation of such a
commission he felt that the "bound-
airy line" would forever be abolished
and that the people of the Kootenai
Valley in British Columbia and the
Tinted States would work together
as a unit in the effort to secure
drainage.
| At the conclusion of the meeting
and on motion of Mr.. Jackson, of
| Creston, a resolutions committee was
appointed consisting of Messrs.
Hayes, Jackson, Stark, O'Callaghan,
Clapp and Mcintyre.
Following are the resolutions pre-
pared by the committee and unani-
mously adopted by the assembly:
Your committee on resolutions
recommends for your consideration
1. That the newly-appointed drain
means and work only to the end that
complete reclamation be undertaken
jointly by the two governments inter
ested.
2. That we are heartily in favor
of complete cooperation by the b. c.
and u. S. governments in the drain
age of the Kootenai Valley.
3. That entire reclamation work
expenses be betrayed by the two gov
ernments on an equal basis.
a. That a similar gathering to
this be held at Creston, B. c., al
as early a date as possible, to be
the B. c. government and the United