The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1921-11-04
ORGANIZATION FORMED
TO BRING SETTLERS
Upper Milk River Towns In Movement
To Bring Farmers Onto Lands In
Irrigation Project. w

A movement to list lands in the
upper Milk river valley for sale with
a view to cooperating with the Great
Northern railway in bringing in ex-
perienced farmers to settle on irri-
gated lands, has been started at Chin
ook by the citizens of Harlem and
Chinook.
This movement is the outgrowth of
the movement started at Malta earlier
in the fall, which was to cover the
whole valley. Further consideration
Of the subject discouraged the lower
valley people, because of the uncertain
conditions Of their land titles and the
uncertainty as to their water charges.
They concluded that they at this time
could not accomplish anything in a
selling campaign.
The upper valley situation, however,
is different. Above the Dodson dam,
the reclamation charges are confined
to the st. Mary's construction and the
local ditch systems. The land has been
mostly patented and the titles are not
handicap and an approximate esti-
mate can be made of the water charg-
es on the land 1t seemed feasible
therefore, to go ahead with selling
campaign in the land above the Dod-
son dam.
The Great Northern railway has
therefore expressed it's willingness to
take up this problem and to carry on
an advertising campaign in other irri.
gated regions to interest farmers in
those sections in the purchase of small
tracts in the Milk river valley for more
intensified farming.
But before doing so the officials
stated that it will be necessary to Sc
cure listings of sufficient area of ir.
rigated land on options to run at least
year in order to enable them to give
prospective settlers positive informa.
tion as to the prices at which land can
be purchased and as to terms on which
it is to be bought. They state that
reasonable prices must be offered also
to induce purchasers to come here.
The organization formed is designed
to meet the requirement of the rail
road for definite listings of options or
irrigated lands. The plan is to secure
options from land owners of the valley
for portions of their present holdings
for year from next January at {
stated price. The options would be Sc
cured in each community by the com
mitteemen in that community ant
would run to some bank in the com
munity as trustee Of the association
The association was named the Up
per Milk River Valley COOPERATIVE
association and it is open to member
ship to anyone interested in the move
ment on payment of membership fe,
of 81. The officers selected for tn,
association are F. M. Burks, chair
man; H. B. Brooks, secretary; j. A
Rasmussen, treasurer. The following
resident of the valley weres asked t.
serve as members of the executiv,
committee: Coburg, J. c. Cronk, Chas
McGihon; Savoy, w. w. Harvey, Jane
Jaeger; Harlem, A. Boe, Robert Baird
Zurich, E. E. Shellenberger, Joh1
Acher; Chinook, G. E. Fuller, A. W
Ziebarth; Lohman, A. S. Lohman
James Nemetz.
The idea back of the movement i
that the land in the valley is in to
large holdings to make it profitabl
under irrigation, and that to develo
the production of the valley and t
carry the maintenance of irrigation
systems it is desirable to have NOR
farmers on the land in smaller farm