The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1925-02-12
MAKE CT. FALLS
HEADQUARTERS
Great Northern Establishes Of
fices for Colonization Work
Chinook New Location

the Great Northern railway as
headquarters for its Milk River
colonization work and within {
few days local office will be es-
tablished from which families
and field workers will be directed
to the project where 5000 acres
of sugar beets have been con-
tracted for to supply a million
dollar sugar beet plant.
Chinook is unofcialIy reported
as the site selected for the plant,
which is being dismantled in
Washington by the Utah-Idaho
Sugar company for shipment to
the Milk River valley. The selec-
tion of a site is known to have
simmered down between Malta
and Chinook, but it is likely that
the latter has been awarded the
plant.
The Great Northern has con-
tracted with the sugar company
to supply rs families for the sug-
ar beet field work and other field
workers required for the 5000
acres. 1t expects little difficulty
in getting the required number
due to the success it has had dur
ing the last two years in placing
nearly 100 families in that section
of Montana as nucleus for the
beet sugar industry.
For the most part tine fainfes
selected will be financed by local
finance organization already well
under way at Chinook, Harlem,
Malta and Glasgow. Local busi-
ness men have subscribed the
capital to work with any by
means of this the settlers will be
assisted in shipping equipment
and paying for field labor.
The contemplated settlement
work is described by Jay Wilder,
formerly connected with colonial
ton work at Twin Falls, Idaho,
as one of the largest undertak-
ings Of the kind Montana has
ever known. About $4,000 irriga-
BILE acres between Chinook and
Glasgow will supply the beets
for the Utah-Idaho company's
plant and this area is being rap
idly settled. Mr.. Wilder will have
charge of the local office.
The quality of beets grown in
Milk River valley is unsurpassed
and they have an unusually nigh
sugar content. the Great North
ern has found in it's experiments, !
says Mr.. Wilder. In addition the
cost of land and water charges is
relatively low compared with
other projects, he says.
Comparing the Twin Falls,
Idaho, project where he spent l5
years with the Milk River pro-
iect, Mr.. Wilder says that the
latter many advantages.
Land on the Idaho project has all
sold at one time between $500
and $500 an acre. Much of it is
heavily encumbered with taxes.
The average tax is $3.50 an acre
to which an annual water charge
of So is added. Interest charges
add another 81 making total Of
about $3.50 an acre, handicap
which the farmer must overcome
before being able to cut down
the principal of his debt or see
profits come in.
I'm the Milk River valley the
average price of land is now $50
an acre" Mr.. Wilder continued.
1.-The remaining unpaid construc-
tion charge is between SIT and
S18 an acre. The water charge is
low, about 80 cents an acre.
Therefore the total for water
and interest charges and the bal
ance on construction costs will
not amount to more than about
S6."
In Idaho the project farmer
raises everything except "bana-
mas and oranges, says Mr.. Wild
err. He believes that farmers in
the Milk River valley will also
go into diversifcation on great