The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-07-28
Seven Towns Will be
Asked to Cooperate
for Enlarging Fort
Hall Project
WILL MAKE SURVEY
Funds to be Raised for
Carrying on Survey
With Government

At the meeting of delegates from
three towns held at BlackfoOt Tues
day evening an organization was
formed for the purpose Of ultimately
securing the enlargement of the Fort
Hall irrigation system. E. M. Ken
nedy was made temporary chairman
and ]. H. Early temporary secretary
Of the organization and an executive
committee will be selected by the
presidents of the Commercial clubs
Of the towns from American Falls to
Idaho Falls. A finance committee
will be appointed to raise funds to
pay the peoples share of the survey
I'm conjunction with the govern
ment's engineers so that full and
complete report may be laid before
congress and other officials at Wash
ington to show what are the re-
sources and what will be the cost to
be considered in the project.
The meeting was attended by 100
men, mostly from Pocatello and
Blackfoot and Senator Dubois ex-
planned briefly that along the east
ern side of the valley between
Presto bench and American Falls lie
large bodies of land approximately
about $4,000 acres with no water for
irrigation, and in the great mountain
valleys to the eastward enormous
quantities of water run off and flow
into the sea without being used. The
government reservoir on the Black
foot impounds large amount Of
water behind a dam that Is unsafe
and liable to wash out and destroy
property valued at millions Of dol
lars. A new dam should be built to
secure the people and property in the
country below it, and reservoirs
should be built to impound water at
Gray's lake, Henry's lake and at the
Blackfoot canyon at the junction of
the Wolverine. The government
canals supplying the lands on the
reservation are insufficient, and
practically all the settlers including
the Indians are suffering from lack
of water for their crops and cannot
expand their operations under the
present system unless it is enlarged.
The senator's statements were en-
dorsed and vouched for by Engineers
w. o. Cotton, representing the
Presto bench project, w. P. Havenor
representing the Water Users asso-
citation of Pocatello and vicinity, c..
B. Ross, engineer connected with
many irrigation projects and for
some time past making investiga-
tions in this part of the state, Indian
Agent w. M. Donner Of Ft. Hall,
Representative Peter G. Johnston OF
Bingham county, Carl Valentine,
president of the First National bank
Of Pocatello and others.
The committee on resolutions
consisting of j. B. Bistline, chair
man; j. H. Early, secretary; P. G.
Johnston, w. o. Cotton and w. M.
Donner presented the following reso-
1utions: First-The following reso-
luton be presented to your assembly
and If adopted, officially transmitted
to the commissioner of Indian affairs
also copy furnished our congress
sional delegation and copy to the
chairman of the Indian affairs in the
senate and the house of representa-
tives. We recommend the appoint
ment of the following engineers: w.
p. Havenor, representing the Water
Users association of Pocatello and
vicinity; w. o. Cotton, representing
the Presto bench district, Indian
Agent w. M. Donner representing
the Fort Hail Indian Reservation
and we respectfully recommend that
the commissioner Of Indian affairs
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