Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1923-06-09
NOW is THE TIME


the largest artificial lakes in the
world
Development of this kind to a
large extent is not commercialized,
but is for the making of cities and
homes and churches and school
houses, feed the hungry, furnish
work for the laborer, and grows i'm
value to mankind as the years go
by.
Now is the time for the people of
Mountain Home and Boise to work
together. All who have the best
interest of the great Empire known
as the Mountain Home-Sunnyside
tract really and truly at heart should
now work as never before, for now is
the time when the eyes of the whole
country are upon the wonderful con-
struction of a dam where a city is
moved from it's former site and a
trans-eontinental railroad changes
its course to prepare for its founda-
tion-a dam that the United States
Government will be behind if con-
structed, which will insure its COM
pletion, and its completion will in
sure to the farmers of the lower
Snake river valley ample water for
the irrigation of over a million acres
of land with a climate and soil UNI
surpassed in the world.
Something over a year ago the
people of Gilmore County and Ada
County subscribed literally to fund
to be used by U. S. reclamation en-
gineers in a survey to ascertain the
feasibility of building a canal on the
north side of Snake river to the
Mountain Home-Sunnyside tract On
ly vague rumors of their findings
have reached JUS and we are entitled
to know the result, and there should
be no jockeying for position before
the announcement is made.
While this survey has been in
progress General Hays of Boise out
lined a plan for the reclamation of
this tract through the Boise papers
in which he proposed to bring the
waters of the Salmon river, a number
of mountain lakes and the run-off
of Stanley Basin and Bear Valley
through tunnel to the Boise River
to then be diverted |
through another tunnel to the land
ut a cost of s5O,000,000 for the re-
of 100000 acres of land. |
This seemed worth investigation |
and the writer requested Mr.. Hays, |
son of the general and the engineer
who had made the examination and |
report on the proposed project, to
come to Mountain Home and bring
Ill data so l could get a nearer and |
better understanding of his findings
md estimates.
Mr.. Hays came, and together
With the Mr.. Lindsays and Tom
3lodgett we looked over his maps,
.harts and other data, and at this
ime Mr.. Hays stated he would not
recommend the building of the works
Tor even the beginning of actual
until further surveys
nd measurements were made.
His plan contemplated the build
ng of a railroad into the heart of
he Sawtooth range that would be
f little or no value after the COM
letion of the work, the building of
ne very high dam and several
mailer ones, and the construction
f over 80 miles of tunnel, and yet
nth all of these expensive works,
cit if the water was there it might
rove our best bet if the American
alls water was found not available,
ut in the meantime Mr.. Will Glib
Dn brought to me pamphlet issued
y the United States Government
living the record of three successive
ears in which the water was mea-
lred at the five points where Mr..
ays proposed to divert it, yet a
tile lower down in each instance,
nd the year of the largest run-off
ould not furnish water for one half
the project.
This to my mind settled the Sal
on river project as being impract- +
al.
If the bringing of the American
alls water is found to be available
II this tract, its construction feas
lie and the cost is within S100 per
re, we should begin campaign
r the organization of one BIG DIS
RIOT, comprising the Mountain
ONE and Sunnyside tracts and pro-
ed to reap the benefits that are
ghtfully ours.
| say this with due respect for
ose who advocate this water for
e Bruneau tract, but let us look
ithout prejudice at the two prof.
Is. While it is true it will take
longer canal to reach the Noun
in Home-Sunnyside lands, yet its
stribution will cost less than one
If as much. The Bruneau tract is
uninhabited, has no
cans of transportation except trails :
d a few roads made by sheep y
lyons and is virtually in the same
imitive condition as when ira
rsed by the Idians. While the
1untain Home-Sunnyside tract is I
)vided with a transcontinental
lroad running through its center, \
ne of the best wagon roads in the |
tie, two power lines, telephone I
es, telegraph lines and enough
tiers to insure prompt and deci- |
e action if the water is available I
en-, too, the Bruneau tract is near |
1000 feet higher than the Noun I
n Home-Sunnyside tract and I
uld be more liable to frost.
rhe people of Mountain Home and I
lnyside have waited long for this,
! now is the time for them to de- |
nd the findings of the reclamation
sineers, and if favorable, proceed