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

Saturday, August 4th, saw another
epoch in the history of the Kootenai
Valley drainage project when some
$50 landowners of the Kootenai Val
ley of Idaho and British Columbia
gathered in the Odd Fellows hall to
confer with Louis A. Jones, drainage
engineer of the u. S. Government,
in regard to his recent report on the
drainage project and to advise on
the best plan to persue in securing
the early reclamation of some TO-
900 acres of overlooked land along
the Kootenai river bottoms.
The most important action taken
at the meeting was the appointment
by President Fry, of the Kootenai
Valley Commercial Club and mem
bers of the Creston, B. C. Board of
Trade, of an International Drainage
Commission composed of the follow
ing members: Guy Constable and
c. G. Rogers, both of Creston, B.
c.; A. ]. Kent and M. F. McAnelly,
to represent Idaho's part of the Koo-
tenai Valley; Charles G. Reeder and
F. w. Anderson, of Spokane, to rep
resent the Spokane Chamber of Com
merce. This commission is empowered
to make full Investigations and to
outline plans towards securing the
cooperative assistance of the United
States and British Columbia govern
ments in the effort to reclaim Koo-
tenai Valley lands.
A meeting similar to the one held
Saturday will be held at Creston,
B. c., at the call of the Creston
Board of Trade the latter part of
September. President Rogers, of the
Creston Board of Trade, announced
that it is expected that the proposed
meeting will be attended by U. S.
engineers and by a member of the
Provincial House, the Controller of
Water Rights, the Minister of Pub
lie Lands and Hon. Mr.. Biker, the
resident engineer of the Kootenai
District, B. C. 1t is proposed that
the, International Drainage Commits
sion will also meet at Creston on the
same date.
The meeting Saturday was held
under the auspices of the Kootenai
Valley Commercial Club, President
Fry presiding and A. J. Kent acting
as secretary. Charles G. Reeder, of
Spokane, who has taken a leading
part in all efforts for the drainage
of Kootenai Valley lands, gave
drainage plans, dating back over 20
years ago. Mr.. Reeder expressed
his faith in the ultimate success of
drainage in this district.
Lewis A. Jones, engineer for the
department of Drainage Investiga-
tions, Department of the Interior,
headquarters at Washington, ID. c.,
was called upon to give an outline
of his recent report to the govern
ment in regard to the feasibility of
draining the Kootenai Valley. He
told that the government has spent
$4,000 in drainage Investigations
in this district and that for several
years various engineers had been sent
here to continue Investigations and
to work out the most feasible plan
of reclamation. He had not advised
the building of dykes and levees in
his report because such dykes and
levees would be subjected to swift
currents and would not likely hold.
He stated that complete reclama-
ton could only be secured by means
of improvem which would have
to be done in Canada such as a
diversion of the Kootenai river at
Canal Flats and the widening of
the West Arm of the Kootenai river.
The speaker thought that some diff
Guilty might be encountered in Sc
curing the assistance at this time
of the Canadian Government. He
advised that the Idaho landowners
proceed to ceclaim under the pro-
posal in his Plan No. through
which partial reclamation could be
secured by the closing of river open
ings and the digging of bitches and
drainage canals from the foothills and
the installation of pumping stations.
This work would all have to be done
in Idaho and then when it was ar
ranged to do further work in Canada
a final assessment could be levied