The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-03-28
BY r. e. EVANS


People in Idaho are much intel
ested at the present time in reclama
tion and particularly the America
Falls dam. The proposed dam a
American Falls is talked of NOR
thar any other one thing in southern
Idaho because of the mammoth en-
cheering task involved, and tn
benefits which the country will r.
ceive both directly and indirectly.
One must not be led into falls. IN
pressions or ideas regarding TIL,
undertaking, but should look at tn
proposition in a practical and con
sci vat.ve manner. In the first place
the writer spent lay visiting viii
the officials, who IRE directing tho
present operations and learned wha,
he could of the plans for the future
and at the same time made compare
sons with this work and the Arrow.
rock dam near Boise, which was com.
pleted a few years ego. Many have
visited the ArrOWroCk dam au,l will
appreciate the comparisons as they
are made.
Persons should not go over to
American Falls looking for employ
ment at the present time, unless they
have definite assurance of being EN-
ployed. The work at the present
time is only preliminary and is
principally of an engineering, legal
and clerical Nature. Persons are go
ing there daily for work, spending
money for railroad fare and other ex-
penses and are unable to secure en-
ployment and are given no assurance
Of work for some time to come.
The reclamation service is short of
funds for carrying on this work. In
the first place the private irrigation
projects that propose to share the ex-
pense and benefits of the American
Falls reservoir have not made the
payments on their contracts as was
expected, this condition being due to
tight" money. was told that con-
tracts amounting to 100000 had
only paid into the reclamation SER
vice to date, something like $13, 900,
which will not go very far on a work
on this size. In the second place the
funds which will be used by the
reclamation service for their portion
of the expenses come from four
sources, viz: l. The sale of public
lands. 2. Fees received from the
leasing of oil lands. 3. Repayment
of construction charges on completed
projects. 4. Direct appropriations
from the U. S. treasury.
For some years the revenues from
the first source have been growing
smaller and do not aggregate more
than million or so and with thirty
reclamation projects in the west to
attend to, does not go very far.
The second source of revenue
should yield very large income as
the government has just recently pro-
vided for the leasing of oil lands in
California and other states, but this
money has been slow in coming into
he reclamation fund, due to present
financial conditions.
The third source of revenue has
lever amounted to much because few
Projects have been pronounced com
'leted" and made subject to the re-
'ayment charges.
AS to the fourth source of revenue, ,
We all know there have been no large I
irect appropriations for reclama-
ion work for number of years, but
respects appear bright for some
UGH appropriation during the COM =
ne session of our national congress. =
such an appropriation is made,
nd the amount is large enough to ..
atisfy all our western states and :.
omplete the thirty or more projects =
oW under construction, we may see y
he Americans Falls dam rushed to
ompletion in very short time.
To complete the American Falls :
am as rapidly as physical conditions :
Ill permit, to build the dam for a :
laximum storage capacity, without :,
taking additions or raising the ele- .
alton at later date as was done
the Jackson Lake dam, will mean 8
great saving in construction costs.
he rapid completion of the dam "
18th 100 per cent storage facilities o
the desire of those who are most q
tally interested in the planning,
and directing of this "
ork. II
The American Falls dam is not an =,
extraordinary engineering work. The ~
rrowrock dam at Boise, which first :,
lied for the construction of a rail- "
ad, power plant, wagon roads, saw
i'll, telephone system, camp and a.
ment mill, was much more difficult r
ON an engineering standpoint. The a.
merican Falls dam is about half "
lgineering and half business ad- W
in moving the town of tf
merican Falls to it's new site on the al
INKS of the proposed reservoir. The Ia
eliminary plant and construction 1e
atures at the Arrowrock dam can
most all be omitted. A
Turning to the organization at
esent employed at American Falls
ere is an engeering section, legal
ction, clerical section and a de- al
rtment devoted to estimating for M
d planning the new townsite and Va
praising buildings which are to be ne
ndemned and purchased by the pa
,lamation service. The legal Sec 10
n is engaged on work in connec- gu
n with the purchase of right of
y, the examination of titles for Id
use purchases and other matters. @.
e reclamation service has copied lo'
county records for abstract pur- nj
les and bV the Use Of a nhOfOctat hi