The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1923-10-25
RESERVOIR NEWS

A bulletin issued by the Idaho
Reclamation association, thru its
managing director, Guy Flenner,
contains the following Information
as to developments at American
Falls, site of the big reservoir, and
Is issued ''in response to numerous
mail Inquiries"
THE work of grading the streets
of the new townsite and Of installing
water and sewer systems is nov
under way. The work of moving
houses from the old townsite to
make way for the reservoir will be
undertaken near the first of the year
and is to be completed by April 1,
1924. There are $50 buildings to be
moved, mostly residences. Practic-
ally the entire business section Of the
construction.
Work on the dam will be COM
menced about July /, next. The first
material for this structure will come
from the big railroad cut made
necessary by change of the o. 8. L.
grade and trackage.
''In the neighborhood of 100000
will be expended at American Falls
Ill COubLTuCLlOu WOIA, d6lQo lIOu tuG
dam, in the next nine to twelve
months.
Big Help to Farmers
''The cost Of the dam and reservoir
will be paid by farmers of the Snake
river valley and that cost has been
materially reduced thru successful
negotiations with corporations hav-
ing holdings at American Falls that
must be moved.
THE arrangement with all prop
perty holders contemplated a re-
placement value. In other words.
thru payment or exchange of prop
erty the property owner would be
made reasonably whole by virtue of
the enforced change.
1.-THE cost of replacement as to
these corporations was very heavy,
running into hundreds of thousands
of dollars and II the procedure as to
other classes Of property and owner
ship were followed the cost to the
farmers would be extremely heavy
on account of these necessary
changes.
Negotiations were had with these
President Gray, of
the Union Pacific received reports
covering the entire situation and ar
have been completed
the Union Pacific will abb
sorb very considerable amount of
this expense instead of standing on
It's rights and forcing the cost onto
the farmers. The Mountain States
Telephone company, whose plant and
lines will have to be moved, SINH
a ri 70 Tor oh
of the costs, thus further re-
he farmers. The Idaho Power COM
)any has also materially co-operated
n the same connection. In this way
Ind in new construction necessitated
~ building the reservoir it will have
contributed in development much
more than the amount paid for its
lights there.
Eastern Publicity
"The American Falls reservoir
roject has received more publicity
n eastern newspapers and maya
ines than any irrigation undertake
ng in the history of the west. Re-
emily more than fifty eastern news
apers carried in their Sunday pic
orial sections pictures of American
'alls and stories of the project, to-
ether with recognition, pictorally
nd otherwise, of the work of this
ssociation on the project.
''The Pathe and other move enter
rises have taken up with the asso-
iation plan to "shoot" the moving
the town, which will be shown in
very movie house in the country.
while this publicity is conferred
n American Falls the benefits will
g general in southern Idaho and
ill stimulate interest in reclama-
| the east and middle west"