The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-10-27
WILL
SUPPORT PROJECT
Communities Set Aside
Differences to Support
Enterprise

catello Chamber of Commerce met
with the Rotary club at Blackfoot
on Tuesday at their weekly dinner
to have heart to heart talk to-
gether on matters Of vital interest,
the most important Of which was
giving financial support TO the ex-
pense Of the survey and the drafting
of the report on the survey Of the
Greater Fort Hall Project, so that it
may be presented to the authorities
at Washington on the first Of Novem-
ber.
The secretary of the interior
recommends an appropriation Of half
a million dollars for the enlargement
of the project for the coming year,
and he did this on the assurance that
the report upon the survey would
bear out the statements already
made to him about it. Pocatello and
American Falls have been paying
practically all of the expenses Of the
survey and drafting, and Blackfoot
has put up only 500 which was done
by the Commercial club. The re-
naming $1400 of our share has not
been raised, and until some disputed
points were cleared up, the commit
tee was unable to obtain the funds.
The main point Of objection was that
ever since the government built the
reservoir and canals on the reserva-
tion, the original water users have
been having trouble getting de-
livery Of their water in July and
August The government has been
very arbitrary about the water con-
troll, and have taken advantage Of
he individuals. A report has been
circulated recently, saying that
lnder, the present plans, water is to
1e taken from the Blackfoot river
lrainage basin and carried thru a
unnel to the Bancroft flats to water
'5, 900 acres, and Blackf0Ot people
construed this to mean that it would
,e deducted from the total flow Of
he drainage basin of the Blackfoot
liver and would necessarily cut our
water supply. With this prospect
hey declined to put up money to
urther the interests of the project.
,ome irritations that arose in con-
lection with the shoppers week at
'ocatello during our institute an
loyed Blackfoot people and infiamed
matters SO that difficulties were in
ensifed, The Pocatello men came
lp to explain what was not properly
Understood by the Blackfoot men,
nd as the close Of the meeting
here was harmony of purpose and
t Intentions.
The first speaker was Joe Young,
Hartman of the Pocatello Rotary
lub, who said that mutual under
tanding was desirable, and that
1hatever there might be that was
reventing unity of efforts in putting
he Greater Fort Hall project across
hould be set aside or remedied, as
II other matters were trivial in
because of the far
eaching effects of the proposed
exclamation. He was followed by
oseph Bistline, president Of the
1reater Fort Hall project, who ex-
lained that Bancroft has no water
nd has only asked permission to
anticipate in this project on condi-
lon that she can buy water in the
.merican Falls reservoir, trade 1t
Or water in the Jackson lake reser-
OR and then trade that to settlers
n the lower Blackfoot in exchange
Or water on the headwaters of
|lackfoOt river. II this can be &C
1t will add to the ma
erial wealth Of southeastern Idaho,
1ore lands can be watered, and
here will be more return flow in the
treams to be stored and used again.
Bancroft cannot or does not ac-
uire water to give in exchange on a
asis agreeable to the water users
n the Blackfoot river 1t will not be
llowed to draw water from this pro-
oct. Bancroft has considerable
acking politically in this state and
rom Senator Smoot Of Utah, and II
n arrangement can be made by
hich all these forces can be united
| their efforts at Washington it will
9 easier to succeed with it. Mr..
istline stated that in a meeting
arly in September, held at Fort
Iall, James Just had fought out
latter in the meeting and gained his
oint and had it written into the
scord Of the project, that this un-
Continued on page four