Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1917-05-15
'CRESTON IS
GETTING BUSY
Board Of Trade Anxious to Assist Idaho
People in Securing Reclamation
Of Koetenai Valley
ARE NOW GATHERING DATA
Canadian Government Being J Urged to
Take Action

The people of Creston are vitality
interested in seeing some definite
action started towards securing the
reclamation Of the overflowed lands
of the Kootenai valley. Reports
along this line were heard recently
at a mass meeting held in Creston
and the Creston Review last week
printed the following account:
"The biggest attendance for many
months was in evidence at the May
meetin gof the Board of Trade on
tions President Henderson was in
charge.
Among a considerable batch of
communications was one from A. J.
Kent, the Boomers Ferry representa-
tive in the Idaho legislature, notify
ing that the present sitting of con-
gress at Washington would be pass
ing a vote of 100000 for drain
age works in the United States, and
that in order to get a large enough
grant for such work in Idaho it
would be well to place before con-
gress every possible detail in con-
nection with the Kootenay Flats rec
lamation project. On receipt of Mr.
Kents' letter the board got in touch
with John Keen, M. p. P, and the
provincial minister of lands, urging
them to send Mr.. Kent all possible
ceived that Mr.. Kent's request will
have immediate attention.
On the reclamation project the
board was favored with an excep-
tionally lucid and concise statement
prepared by Mr.. Robt. Stark from
number of engineers reports on
the subject, kindly supplied by the
provincial government. Engineer
Muerling's report received special
attention, and showed that were
reclamation effected almost 10000
acres of land on both the Canadian
and American sides would be rem
dered available for cultivation, and
according to the analysis made of
the soil some seven miles below Bon
ners Ferry there is no question of
the immense fertility of these over
flowed lands.
Mr.. Muerlings reports deals at
some length with the various under
takings necessary in the reclamation
scheme, and until he has made an
extensive survey of the water sheds
from whence comes the water that
cause the abnormal rise in Kootenay
Lake he is not prepared to state
that a reclamation that will render
all the flats area cultivatable is pos
fsible, though he seems quite conf
dent the problem can be successfully
worked out to take care of it all
but some low-lying 1000 acres on the
Canadian side.
From the limited survey he was
able to make in the time allotted for
the work he places the estimated
cost under 5000 ,000-$45 an acre to
be exact, and figures that with
reclamation successfully accomplished
these lands should in most cases sell
readily at 5000 an acre.
At the close of Mr.. Stark's adj
dress he was accorded a very hearty
vote of thanks by the board for the
care and trouble he had gone to in
compiling the statement from the
mass of documentary evidence ad-
duced by the engineers. A spirited
discussion followed and the members
one and all went home with a very
much better understanding of the
reclamation scheme, its probable cost
and benefit to the Valley.
, Mr.. Keen has been very active dur
I, ing the session in keeping this mat
, ter before the cabinet and with sim
| liar activity manifest among thu
: powers that be in Idaho there will
be no let up in the boards effort.
to have the government embark OF
) definite and continued investiga
! ton of the scheme so that its feas
) ibility and probable cost may b.
: authoritatively established and as
surance given as to whether ant
when the authorities are likely t
undertake the work.