The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-03-30

springs at the upper end of the lake.
1t would be necessary to build dykes
to hold the water back in June at
| many places where there would be
tide flats of great extent II no dykes
| were built to control 1t. There would
be places where water gates could
be made in the dykes and water al
lowed to flow back over the low land
if desired, but this would probably
have little value, as it would be un-
certain how often the water line
would be so high.
On the southeastern shore the
water line would follow the bluffs
east to Fort Hall bottoms, and the
water would back up into Ross Fork
gulch, where it passes thru the
cedars, and an arm Of the lake would
reach up the Port Neuf river and up
Bannock creek. From there the shore
line runs along the slope of the foot
hills to point about half mile
above, or to the eastward Of the
depot at American Falls, this being
indicated as the location for the new
depot in the new town. The dam is
to be located between the present
railroad bridge and the wagon bridge
and the blueprint indicates that the
railroad will not cross on the dam,
but below 1t in apparently about the
same location as at present.
1t would be necessary to move TIL
den bridge and the nearest location
they could find for it would be at or
above the Ferry Butte near the forks
Of the Blackfoot river with the
Snake.
ON the Eve OF Historic
Achievement
Building this reservoir will be &C.
complishing the dream of the dream
ers, who have been witnessing the
winter and spring flow of the waters
of make river into the sea and wish
ing for what they have scarcely or
never hoped to see-some plan for
holding it for use in the heat of sum-
mer.
| For many centuries the CONNER
cial interests of the world wished for
a short and practical route to India
without having to cross the parching
deserts left where dying civilizations
of antiquity were lost because they
engaged in war and the building of
temples and palaces when they
should have been building reservoirs
and irrigation works to perpetuate
the comforts and necessities of man.
But it was not until olumbus found
the way to the western world-till
the builders of railroads spanned
the continent, and men like Jim Hill
coupled them with ocean steamers
on the Pacific, that a practical and
reliable route to India was found.
The builders of the first canals in
this valley were as Columbus
pointing out the way and start
ing the journey. They expected
to achieve complete irrigation
works as Columbus expected
to anchor his caravels on the shores
of India. Then came the builders of
the first reservoir, corresponding
with the builders of the first sections
of railroad from the Atlantic sea-
board pointing westward. Then came
many small reservoirs on the tribu-
taries of the main stream, corre-
spending to the various railroads
! cross-sectioning the continent to the
Mississippi. Now comes the proposal
to plant dam across the great val
ley and stop all the water that comes,
as did the promoters of the Union
Petite when they set their faces to
connect the bands of steel with tide
water on the Pacific ocean, To the
average mind it seemed too great
task, and only the master minds car
ried uncesingly the vision of its pos
sibilities and it's sure rewards.
But when it was finished, even its
own projectors were astonished at
what they had achieved, and in the
effort to share the rewards there
came bevies of great minds seeking
out other routes to the Pacific till
we have half a dozen transcon-
tinental lines, each one built in the
| face Of firm belief on the part of
| millions of men that it could never
be done. And now that people have
become accustomed to their use, If it
were proposed to cut these lines for
single month and see how it would
be trying to get along without them,
there would be universal riot to
make sure that it should not be done,
for it would disturb commerce thru
out the world.
If it were now proposed to discon-
tinue the use of Jackson Lake and
the other reservoirs for a single sea-
son, to see how it would be to get
along without them and save the
cost of operation, there would be a.
riot that would be statewide. for il
would affect not only the irrigated
belt, but would menace the integrity
OF the state by striking down produc-
ton in large areas and cut off the
revenue into the reclamation fund
and thereby cripple projects all over
the west.
HERE is A SAMPLE OF
UNIVERSITY WORK