Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-09-07

Leedy, immigration director Of
''to sell the Milk river valley
thereby, enabled to sell it to out
Men Who Head Boosters.
Officers of the new organization are
]. +. Kilduff, president of the Malta
National bank, president: Z. j. Larson,
secretary of the Malta Commercial
club, secretary; and l.. G. Edwards.
merchant of Malta, treasurer. Com
munities will form committees to name
members of an executive committee to
direct affairs Of the association. Keso-
kitions adopted by the association call
upon the department fhte interior to
the Milk river project, in order to
facilitate the marketing Of the ,and. 1t
was also asked that the units be not
less than 100 acres. In that connec
ton the meeting was informed that
DR.. +. H. Newell. consulting engineer
Of the reclamation service, who was
present at the meeting, had stated that
the recommendation nece ssary for such
action had been made to the depart
ment. and that it was expected that
definite action would be taken in the |
matter by the end Of the present year.
Must Make Cost Clear First.
Opinion seemed unanimous that the |
lack of set figure u1on the cost Of |
reclamation has been one of the chief |
obstacles to the settlement and de- |
velopment of the project, and that
with this obstacle out of the way, |
progress will be rapid.
The meeting was attended by dele |
gates from every city and town in the |
Milk River valley and by some from !
beyond those limits. The primary pur-
pose of the gathering and Of the asso-
citation which resulted is, to cure the |
arrested development of the lands in |
the Milk River valley which are sus-
ceptible of irrigation. Of the $4,000 |
acres in the project which are now /
under the ditch. only $4,000 acres are
being irrigated. The intensive cultiva-
tion of the $4,000 acres and the secur
ing of farmers and water upon the
other acreage already under the ditch
and its intensive cultivation until the
Milk River valley is yeritable Valley
of the Nile, is the object of the Milk
River Valley Cooperative association.
Newell Lost Fear of North.
DIR. Newell. of the reclamation serv
ice, was the first to address the meet
ing. which was called to order by Pres
ident A. l.. Winkler of the Malta Com
mercial club and of which Mr.. Kildufe
and Mr.. Larson were named chairman
and secretary, respectively DIR. Newell
declared that boundless opportunities
offer in the Milk River valley to the
irrigation farmer.
'T was at one time of the opinion
said he that the government had made
a mistake in coming So far north with
reclamation projects as those of the
Lower Yellowstone. Huntley, Sun and
Milk rivers. but after visiting numer
Gus projects on the Canadian side.
which are in a high state of cultivation,
I have changed my mind. Frankly.
do not know why the Milk river project
a problem for you people t. work out.
We must make united effort if this
valley is to achieve the high state
of cultivation enjoyed upon the other
Montana projects and by projects in
Canada"
Rain Doubts are Curse.
Mr.. Newell said that in projects i,
farther south it was easier to irrigate, !
because the farmer there irrigates !,
whether it rains or not, while. he said, :
in Montana there is encountered the ..
vely humaE problem of the farmer :
his irrigation if it looked
I'd section, declared DR.. Newell, basing :
his assertion upon the crop failures l.
which so often follow the postpone y =
meilt of irrigation when storm clouds :,
appear and precipitation is expected
Mr.. Newell asserted that whatever
was done must be backed by public =
opinion and recommended an nrganiza- !
ion and long and persistent campaign y
IF meetings to remedy the existing
conditions and bring the valley into its 4
,wn through the application of the
water at hand.
Knockers Are Drawback.
Il was also declared by Or Newell
hat if stranger were to come into
lcrthern Montana at the present time. &c
would be a miracle if ke got away liz
without being discouraged by Local resi- ca
|ents and he said that one thing which Al
hould be done Is to stabilize prices Sc
!, that the minute a group of prospec- s.
i've purchasers appeared, they would m
c' begin to jump. te
"A long, continuous, slow cam lie
,aign," he concluded. sis what you pr
eed to bring in people to dig out of TO
he soil every year the money that is OF
sed in your business and in your hi
owns and make them grow"
Davis Talks Optimism. ur
Chester C. Davis. state commission n,
r of agriculture, declared that where oh
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