Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1917-08-14
CRESTON URGES
RECLAMATION
BOARD OF TRADE TRYING TO
GET B. c. GOVERNMENT IN ;
TERESTED IN SCHEME.
GIVING PROJECT PUBLICITY
Creston Folks Expect Large Atten-
dance at Next Drainage Meet.

udttC az 4tCAt LII 4ICSts
This week is Reclamation Week
among the folks in Creston, and
other parts of Canada interested in
the reclamation of the Kootenai VAL
ley. c. F. Hayes, editor of the Cries.
ton Review, is sending publicity to
every newspaper of British Columbia.
He writes that "Creston is playing
every card in the deck on this propo-
sition of drainage az this time and if
we fail to get action it cannot be
charged to the fact that we failed
to do enough shouting. l hope that
things are shaping for a banner
the conference to be held here next
month"
The article which is to be published
Columbia this week will undoubtedly
have a great deal of weight with
British Columbia officials and will
bring before the public in both Can
ada and the United States the i'm
mensity of the project and what
effect the successful elimination of
the project will have in the way
of increasing the food supply of two
great countries. The article in full
follows:
"Creston, B. C. Board of Trade is
taking up with the National Service
Board of Canada, as well as the pro-
vincial authorities, a very compre-
hensive scheme of providing employ
ment for returned soldiers, which, if
undertaken, will, when completed,
provide also an ideal location under
most favorable conditions for those
of the veterans who care to follow
agriculture as an after-war voca--
ton.
Briefly stated the proposition is
to reclaim $4,000 acres of land in
Kootenay River Valley, employing
,, returned men on the work and allow
ing such of them as care to attempt
land adjoining each other, so as to
enable the B. C. government to put
into practical effect the returned
soldier farm colony scheme.
"The Kootenay River, with its
! tributaries, draining the whole of
; the western slopes of the Rocky
! mountains in B. C. and the Selkirk
: ranges, after a bold sweep southwark
running into the United States as
far as Boomers Ferry, Idaho, from
;, that point turns directly north again
! to B. C. and Kootenay Lake. At the
! same time the Lardo River and 9TH
! ers run into the lake at the other
: end and the combined volume of
! water passes out toward the centre
i of the lake by passage called the
: West Arm, like the downward stroke
p of a gigantic T, past Nelson and
bennington Falls to join the Column
bia River.
r A
however, so restricted in size that it
: is unable to cope with the enormous
: volume of water which every spring
l rushes down from the melting SHOWS
!, of this vast watershed, with the re-
q suit that Kootenay Lake itself is
I formed, for the time being, into an
y inland sea, raising its level during
! June and July at times 20 feet above
. its normal height. When this takes
:, place the Kootenay River meets this
:, flood-tide at its entrance to the lake
y heavily laden with earthly matter
. from the mountain, deposits them
;, there, film of fertility which in the
- course of unknown geological time
~ has become a bed a hundred feet in
y depth of richest alluvial soil.
- "The reclamation has solely to do
e with the charging of the lakes out
v let. In 1913 a preliminary survey
y was made by Engineer Muerling, who
: in his findings reported favorably
on the project but asked for more
thorough examination of the whole
territory before making final de-
cision. With the outbreak of the
\ war the next year the scheme was
\ for the time being, abandoned. Amer
y lean engineers have also spent two
seasons on the work and their report
made public about two months ago
he was strongly in favor of the worl
n being proceeded with, the estimated
of cost being little over 100000.
"The fertility of the soil has beer
ne proven. In years when the snowfall
es is light, and there is no flooding
nd these lands readily yield 100 bushels
e. of oats, So bushels of wheat and II
be tons of potatoes to the acre. 1nclud
j. ing the Idaho area almost $1,000
ey acres would be reclaimed, and tina
We state is pledged to pay its pro rat
he per-acre cost of the work.
", 1.-THE land is in one of the olde
he settled parts of B. G. interior, al
e. ready supplied with railway commu
al nication by the Crows Nest line
has good highways, educational faciii
It ties and every modern convenience
og so that the province would be at n
en- expense in providing these. TIL
ed bench lands surrounding this to-be
to reclaimed area are ont of the fines
ng fruit areas in all B. c. The climat
XII is ideal. 1t is figured that thes
ice reclaimed lands would be capable 0
carrying 10000 to 10000 head Q
RS dairy stock when laid down to pas
mt ture."
ne