The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-02-18
Multiplied Loaves and Fishes

MulupHoU IO~VcS anu r. rlS1cS
In the old days when but little
water was used for irrigation, the
surface flow ran quickly to the sea,
and left the stream at low ebb In
the season of greatest heat and
drought, but with two. million acres
now under irrigation and part of the
surface reservoirs in action and two
million acres of sub-storage in opera
ton, the volume of the underground
rivers and seepage back in Snake
river called return flow" will be
greatly increased. This will afford
opportunity to use it again on other
projects lower down the stream, and
will also increase the volume Of
water in the river during the irrigat-
ing season when under natural con-
ditions before irrigation was in
stituted the stream would be low.
Forty-Year Government Loans
The plans Of the Idaho men for
call for government loans to be paid
back by the settlers on the install
ment plan covering period of forty
years. Complete surveys have been
made of the Dubois project, the Sun
nyside and the Bruneau projects and
work could begin soon. Extensions
of the project to include large tracts
of territory not at first intended to
be reclaimed will require surveying,
and on this account portions Of CON-
struction work, especially on the
canals would have to be held up un-
till all details we're adopted and in
corporated into the plans for carrying
the water from the point Of division
from Snake river, tho this would
not necessarily delay construction
work on the reservoirs.
Monster Irrigation Works
In our. next issue we will explain
about the reservoir sites and the
points where water Is to be- taken
out Of the river, SO far as it is al
ready determined and the suggested
sites for canal heads that have not
been surveyed or reported upon by
the engineers. 1t makes an interest
ing chapter, and makes the most Of
the old irrigation systems look
dwarfed in comparison. Monster
division works such as the pioneers
wished for but considered beyond the
power of man ARE now in the hands
of engineers in the form of blue
prints, and await only the backing Of
organized construction and funds, TO
make them take form and control
the. streams or form artificial lakes
or to fill q canyon with masonry till
It matches the mountain walls and
defies the weight of water to move.
Soldiers and Dry Farmers Anxious
In the meantime. in the present
suspense as to whether or not this
new family Of enterprises will be
undertaken, hundreds Of pioneers
who are dry farming on the plains,
are undecided as to whether to drill
an expensive we'll two or three hum
dred feet deep In the sub-strata Of
lava, or to wait longer to see whether
dry farming will prove profitable.
The day these dry farmers learn that
the first government appropriation
| has been made for construction Of
irrigation works, they will decide to
drill the wells, install gasoline
pumping plants, improve their
shacks into cottages. make better
shelter for stock, buy more farming
implements, knock the Patch Of rocks
out of the road to make travel easier.
and so far as his ability goes, be-
come q consumer Of more goods, .
constructor of works, q unit OF
greater undertakings and cog In
the wheel Of Americas progress to
save the world from Bolshevism by
furnishing every man job.
Reclamation Congress Called
A reclamation congress Is an
nounced at Pocatello for Friday the
twenty-first Of February, at which 1t
is expected that Idah0's master
Yninda in reclamation circles and