The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-01-21
DEVELOPMENT PLANS Still UNDER WAY
TO RECLAIM THE SNAKE RIVER PLAINS
Blaclrfoot Men Secure Cooperation of Other
Towns. New Forces Joining in the Undertake,
ing and New Facts Gathered
MILLION ACRES WILL BE RECLAIMED
What the Club Does

What the Club Does
The Rotary club makes. it a rule
to enter the dining room at IL
o'clock and leave at one. If speeches
are made thy must be short and to
the point. Every man is called by
his name, as Joe Morley, Gean
Wright, etc., and if any one says,
Mr.. Morely," or "Mr. Wright" he
thereupon pays a fine Of rs cents into |
the palm of Jason McCarroll, the
wit of the club and watchdog of |
the treasury. The Rotary club keeps |
an eagle eye upon the welfare of the |
community or the lack of it, and thru |
its committees, investigates and sug-
gests the remedy for approaching or
existing ills. it's suggestions are
nearer right than anything else in
the community, and nobody ever ap-
peals from it's decisions, requests, or
mandates. On the occasion in qu.s.
ton. it suggested that certain suit
able building be converted into
hospital, and adopted resolution
asking that the. Panama canal be
known as the Roosevelt canal, as
Americas memorial to our great
leader who started the nation to do
ing really big things.
The Blackfoot men were invited
to speak briefly regarding their mis-
sion, and j. H. Andersen spoke
briefly to this effect:
Judge Andersen Talks
{ The Dubois project, which was
commenced by agitation in congress
and the department Of reclamation
in 1902, was pushed along until q
complete survey was made of the
lands lying in the Snake river plains
nOrthward from q line extending
westward from Idaho Falls, mea-
surement Of the flow of available
strea ms, and reservoir sites, and sur
vey OF the water sheds feeding such
streams and reservoir sites, and the
probable cost Of construction of the
irrigation system. The work covered
period of some ten years, and ac-
tivities in its behalf are suspended,
the reclamation department advising
that If the required amount Of cap
ital is expended for the irrigation
system, there should be more land
than what was contemplated in the
survey already made, or the cost per
acre would be so high as to make It
of doubtful utility at the price that
farms and farm products were then
| selling at. The Snake River Plains
Development association proposes
that half million acres in Bonne-
Vile and Bingham counties be added
to the survey, and that Secretary
Lane be asked to include this project
| in the number which he will ask to
have appropriations made for soon,
for preliminary work. In order to
get the matter before him and before
congress quickly, this association Is
hiring workers to compile the needed
information and maps, and collecting
money to pay the workers and for
materials and necessary expenses of
the task. Nobody, is receiving pay
| for his time excepting those persons
employed to work steadily, and the
persons in the meeting excepting the
executive secretary, are giving OF
their time and money to push the
matter. The work had been started
less than two weeks ago, much data
had been gathered, much more re-
mains to be done and a man will
leave for Washington on January 23
to take up the work of compiling
data from the,records of the reclama-
tion bureau, and other departments,
and lay all the data as quickly az
possible before our delegation in con-
gress, to present to Secretary Lane
and tn congressional committees. The
assistance of every town in the val.
ley, and every resident Is solicited
because the project, If undertaken by
the aid of government loan, viii
be one of the greatest reclamation
undertakings of the age, and will
bring both direct and indirect bene
J fits to all the people Of the valley
whether they be bankers, merchants
dry farmers, wet farmers, mfllineri
or milkmaids. The great home mar
ket it will create for all the products
Of our labor in farms, stores, offices
and factories, will be far in excess
of anything we have ever had.
> Register Carruth Tells Them
J. 7. Carruth said that some reser
voir sites had long ago been with
;, drawn from entry so they could b.
used in connection with the Dubois
project If needed, and that some o
= these had already been released, AM
!. with each succeeding year, new
obstacles are developing. Nor
and more water is being ap
. propriated in different parts O
: the valley, notably in tn
Twin Falls. Bruneau- and Owyhe
country, and it behooves us to &C
now if we wish to appropriate tn
. resources as they now exist and t
: take advantage of the great "back t
! the land" movement brought abou
by the war and the demobilizing 9
armies. In the territory embraced !
. the Dubois project 100000 acres