The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-01-16


tiers in the controversies which are
now pending before the United states
court Of appeals and which are. at
tracing the attention OF che lana
hoard and the legislature, Ray NJ.
Beauchamp, secretary of the Settlers
association gives a brief statement OF
facts in the Idaho Farmer of January
a. The article follows:
Some time ago the bills were
posted all over Twin Falls county
reading: ION account of water short
age on the Salmon tract, l have no
grass to keep my stock any longer
and will offer my entire herd OF cat
tie. sheep and horses at auction III
Twin Falls"
The man making the above declara-
ton is one of the most extensive 1ar-
mers in southern Idaho. Yet in spite
of his long experience in this state
and his large original investment, lie
has had to face the proposition which
nearly every other Salmon settler
has had to face os is now facing; that
is. whether it is better to leave the
tract or to sell the stock, plow up
the pastures and go back to grain
farming with its hard work and small
margins.
The success of the nearby Twin
Falls-South Side tract renders knock
Fifteen thousand people who can see
our borders will speculate that the
Salmon land with water would pro-
duce the same enormous crops which
their tract does.
No better evidence of the general
confidence in the productivity of the
Salmon soil can be had than the fact
that in the last four years even though
it has been we'll known that the sup
ply Of Salmon water was insufficient,
$4,000 acres has been cleared and an
attempt made at cropping.
Last year the settlers. with land
seeded, had to content themselves with
twenty-one days use of water for the
seasonal total of nine acre inches
instead of thirty-three. The season
lust passed brought another water
famine. Irrigation ceased July "A,
with the delivery of less than half OF
the water contracted for and needed
During the latter part of both sea
sons the pastures burned and all the
farm land baked in the sun, for this
tract is in the region of the least rain
fall in Idaho. Grass crops Will neces-
sarily grow less and less under these
conditions.
Water Shortage.
The water shortage this year may be
a surprise to many in view of the
heavy snow of last winter. 1t must be
understood, however. that 73,34S acres
of Salmon land were sold, which is
over three times as much as the av-
erage run-off of water can supply
The present cultivated area is about
twice that limit. In 1913, following
the greatest run-off on record, that
of 1872 only % ,4O3 acres, then in cul-
tivation, received considerably less
than amount of wafer mputiOnp /
in the contract.
The Twin Falls-Salmon River Land
and Water company's land-drawing in
June, 1908, was one of the big events
of southern Idaho. The young city OF
Twin Falls was crowded with home
seekers Every local real estate deal
er and many from far away towns
were Salmon land locators Newspa
pers and company officials led in the
boosting and to clinch the enthusiasm
a state official announced that the
great state of Idaho was behind thu
new project.
OF the 1000 pe~eons registered il
wing over 5000 were disappoint
ed in not receiving Salmon land
These as it later developed, were tn
fortunate ones.
Looked to the State.
The people who settled upon thi
project did so under the belief tina
the state of Idaho would look ate
their interests. They had learned tina
the project had been passed upon b
the state engineer and approved by til
land bOfrd, which was comprised {
the important officials in the stat
They took it for granted that the &C
vertising matter sent out broadcas
could tell nothing other than the trut
concerning the water supply withol
coming to the attention of these off
Gals who were competent to jude
in such matters and were bound b
statute to do so.
The following quotation now fan
Gus in these parts, is part of the eli
euler which was directly responsible
for bringing the wild rush for Ian
from practically every state in I'll
Union:
THE water right is perfect and thel
is no land susceptible of irrigatio
above the Salmon tract, and no waite
right in contest 1t carries water su
ficient for the irrigation of more tina
10000 acres in normal years, and 4;
a rule the spring run-off is far grea
er then the amount of water require
for the irrigation of this amount
land for the full season"
It seems prepOsterOus to these neY
corners that a water supply, which WI
"as q ~u'e greater than the amount T
quired" for $50 600 acres would ev
fail when only SO. 1000 acres were beiI
sold The excess of these norma
years Gould he held in storage up
the limits of the reservoir capacit
for-u~e in POSSIBLE lean years"
After paying the filing fees of SO.
per acre end mourning the expense
moving in many instances half WI
across the continent, the settlers fOul
to their dismay that the Salmon wat