The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1937-03-26
LITTLE HORN
LODGE GRASS DAN

SNAoo DAm
incipiency with the construction
of the Reno ditch in 1884 and
1885. By 1915 all of the bitches
and canals in this. district were
completed. They were all design
ed to carry sufficient water to irri-
gate all of the irrigable acreage
in this district and are now in
good condition and capable Of
carrying a capacity sufficient to
irrigate the entire district affected.
Since the year 1919 the waters
of the Little Big Horn river ana
Lodge Grass creek have been in
sufficient to water this area dur
ing the irrigation season when
water IS most needed. AS a mat
ter of fact, the acreage actually
irrigated in this district with the
waters of these streams and their
tributaries during 1884 was 8,084
acres.
The entire cost of Indian and
privately owned bitches in this
district is approximately $780, 600.
These moneys have been spent,
the canals. and dtches are there
ready and capable Of receiving
the water, but Insufficient water
is available due to the fact that
in the spring Of the year when
these streams are full to their
capacity and in some instances
at flood stage, the waters are car
ried of in enormous volumes and
by July and August of the farm
ing season there are insufficient
waters available for the irrigation
of these lands. In order to main
tain these canals it is necessary
for the Crow Indian irrigation de-
partment to make and collect a
maintenance charge Of approx
mately SIPS per acre per year
and this is collectable whether
the user is able to obtain his wa
ter or not.
In the creation of this irriga-
ton system 1t was the intent Of
the government to bring water
the greatest amount of land
possible within the Crow reserva-
ton. The secretary Of the interior
by virtue of the treaty of March
7, 1858, at Fort Laramie, between
the government and the Grow
tribe of Indians, directed that
"the irrigation project be COM
menced and then continued TO
its completion, which, when COM
pleted, would bring water on the
greatest amount of land possible
within said reservation which was
best adapted for and susceptible
to farming and cultivation, and
for which there was sufficient
water for the irrigation of the
same.'
Big Horn county Is located in
southeastern Montana having a
total acreage of 3.192,260 acres.
OF which 957,834 acres n off the
reservation, and loss, $50 acres
are on the reservation. There
are approximately 100, 1000 acres of
irrigated land in Big Horn county,
approximately 10000 acres Of
which IRE in the Little Horn and
Lodge Grass valleys. Surrounding
these irrigated lands lie approx
mately 100000 acres of dry farm
land, the balance being especially
good grazing land. Big Horn coun-
ty and the Crow indian reserva-
ton is a purely farming and
stock raising country. The only
industry Is a sugar beet factory,
which is now being constructed
at Hardin at a cost of between
one and one-half and two million
dollars. In fertility and produc-
ton, as farming land and as q
grazing area, the Little Horn
and Lodge Grass valleys and the
surrounding country stand second
to none in Montana. These state
ments are borne out by the judg-
ment of the Holly Sugar Corpora
ton in the construction of a
sugar beet factory. These lands
attract the best farmers and live
stock producers.
Irrigated Crow Indian lands in
these valleys have been sold to
white people under advertisements
through the department of the
interior and they were purchased
under the representations that a
good and sufficient water right
followed the land. Since 1919, on
account of the drouth, through
increased acreage under produc-
CONTINUED on Page Six,