Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1922-04-14
PROGRESS OF THE BIG DISTRICT

Focatello April sth:--During the
past week meetings have been held in
the upper Snake river valley in order
to furnish all available information Of
the proposed super-district as means
of financing the American Falls pro-
ject, according to a bulletin just passed
by the Idaho Reclamat on Association.
These meetings have been confined
to companies that had contracted for
storage water in the American Falls
project and on the strength Of whose
contracts the government proceeded
with the work until the delinquency as
to payments covered such a long per-
iod it was announced officially that the
project would be abandoned by the
government unless payment were made
In order to make it possible for these
companies to meet their obligations
the big district plan was devised.
All Want The Project
Everywhere meeting $ have been
held there has been nanimous desire
expressed that the great reservoir pro-
ject be CONSTRUCTED" says the Dnf,.-in
The only division was Is 10 r.i,ns
of financing, soma advocating insclen-
a Il districts. n ,pinign IN each
o~niFany needing ssoreee wata-
e=.ted at tx r... ngs, was ,af tae
big district plan WIS the most desfr-
able from the standpoint Of financing
and economy. 1t was explained how
ever, that an Independent district could
provide storage water by direct con
tract with the government providing
it was formed in time ana could fliance
itself The Big district plan receivea
SO per cent or better support at the
meetings from those needing storage
water.
Signing Petitions
The petition asking that an election
be called to give the people of snake
River Valley an opportunity to vote on
the question of organizing the big dis
trict is being circulated. April 25th
has been called as the date for fling
it.
"The petition is merely a legal pre-
iminary. It is being generally signed
in order that the important subject
may be disposed of by the vote of the
land owners. Twenty five per cent of
the territory embraced in the proposed
big district must be represented on
the petition, or approximately 100000
acres.
Means Nothing Unless
During the week Congressman Ad-
Olson T. Smith wired the Association
that the appropriation for townsite
work at American Falls had been re-
inserted in the department bill It
had been eliminated on a point of or
der.
"This appropriation viii not be used,
however. until it is definitely known
the canal companies viii participate
IN the construction of the reservoir
The result of the big district campaign /
will determine that. If the financing (
1lan goes through. the government viii /
nave its money available as to the /
ownsite and other purposes. If the /
1lan fails the government viii with
lraw and the American Falls project I
viii collapse. Nothing has been done I
here for some time and nothing is be-
ng done pending the outcome Of the
ampaign.
1.-THE action on the townsite appro-
,riation is in line with Secretary Falls
romise to proceed with construction
f the reservoir only on condition that
he canal companies make good. No
oubt the secretary used his influence
0 have the item established in the
i'll so he would be in position to full
IL his promise in acse the companies
ound a means of financing their end
{ the undertaking.