THE IBBIQATION AGE. 



87 



government in Nevada, the Truckee-Carson, or the Sun 

 River Project, etc., should lack settlers? 



I am thinking somewhat of going west in the spring 

 and would like to know just what the trouble is with the 

 government irrigation projects that the-' are not settled bet- 

 ter, and whether it would be better for me to buy private 

 land such as you mention in your November number in the 

 Blue Water Valley, etc. 



As the government guarantees enough water on its land, 

 and also has it drained properly with ditches, etc., and as 

 there is no danger of its going into bankruptcy, etc., I can't 

 see for the life of me why it isn't the best thing in the market. 

 Could you favor me with the facts of the case. Also if pos- 

 sible let me know which project would be likely to offer a 

 settler the best chances in the spring. 

 Yours respectfully, 



E. E. BISBEE. 



Mr. Bisbee will find in the following letter from Mr. 

 H. L. Hollister some of the inducements offered by what are 

 known as private projects. 



Mr. D. H. Anderson, Editor IRRIGATION AGE, Chicago, HI- 



DEAR SIR Referring to the letter of Mr. E. E. Bisbee of 

 341 Summer street,' Somerville, Mass., to which you request 

 me to make replv. I beg to make note of my observations of 

 the practical workings of the Government Reclamation law 

 and -the Carey Act. In the reclamation act, the government 

 has set aside the money derived from the sale of public lands 

 to be devoted to the construction of irrigation works. 



All lands under such irrigation systems are settled under 

 the Homestead law, the farm unit ranging from 40 to 160 

 acres, and each unit representing a full homestead entry. 

 Beyond the construction of the irrigating works and the sale 

 of townsites, the reclamation service cannot go. Whatever is 

 done in the way of improvement the people themselves must 

 do. The homesteader is tied up for five years. He cannot 

 leave his land and he cannot sell to advantage. 



Whoever buys his relinquishment must go on and live 

 the full five-year period before he can get title. He cannot 

 borrow money on his equity to make improvements, because 

 the law does not recognize any equity until he has made final 

 proof and secured his patent. 



These are severe conditions for which the reclamation 

 service is in no respect responsible. The eminent men con- 

 nected with the service are doing the best that can be done 

 under the law, but the proposition is not an inviting one to 

 a live, up-to-date man. It appears to one that it will take 

 many years to realize that degree of development which has 

 been predicted under the government projects. 



Under the Carey act the government gives the land to 

 the state to be sold to settlers at not to exceed 50 cents an 

 acre, the state being authorized to enter into contract with 

 private capital to construct the irrigating system. The state 

 is allowed much latitude in fixing the conditions of settle- 

 ment. 



The government, in the Carey Act, requires that no per- 

 son shall be permitted to take more than 160 acres, one-eighth 

 of which must be reclaimed before full title is given. 



The residence period for the settler is left to be fixed by 

 the state, which has wisely made it 30 days, or during the 

 period of publication of the notice of final proof. Persons 21 

 years of age or over each have a right to 160 acres under 

 this act. Married women cannot file. 



In the Twin Falls country, in which I am interested, the 

 Carey act works out admirably to the advantage of the' set- 

 tler, the state and the investor who tyjilds the irrigating 

 system. Our company manifests its interest in every form 

 of development. It has built the irrigating works for the 

 great North Side tract and is at work on others. 



It has colonized the tract with high-grade American citi- 

 zens, it has platted the towns, and put in waterworks sys- 

 tems, it has established banks and built hotels, it had built 

 twenty-five miles of railroad to accommodate the first set- 

 tlers before water for irrigation had been turned into the 

 canal system for the larger part of the North Side tract, em- 

 bracing 150,000 acres. The company also has built a hydro- 

 electric power plant at Shoshone Falls and power from that 

 source has been in use for more than a year at Jerome. 

 Power will be available for light, heat and power in all the 

 settlements and in remote parts of the several vast tracts 

 which are embraced in the Twin Falls country. 



With all these helps, the Twin Falls region has prospered 



beyond all expectations. Twenty thousand people or more 

 have taken possession of the South Side tract in three or four 

 years, and twenty thousand more will soon be established on 

 the North Side tract. Some of the land has advanced more 

 than 1,000 per cent in value and the top has not by any 

 means been reached. 



It is to the advantage of the company to have the land 

 settled quickly and it is just as advantageous to the settler 

 to have it so. In proportion to the investment the settler's 

 profits are many times greater than those of the company. 



One more point in favor of the Carey act is that the 

 installment period may be extended to suit the amount of 

 the total payment while under the Government Reclamation 

 act it is ten years, all payments to be equal. Under our plan 

 the down payment is $3.25 an acre and during the first few 

 years the payments are small, giving the settler a chance to 

 develop the earning capacity of his property. On our Twin 

 Falls Salmon tract the installment period is twelve years. 

 The price at which water rights shall be sold is fixed by the 

 State Land Board, based upon the estimated cost of the 

 irrigating works and the expense of carrying the business 

 through the installment period. 



The good feeling existing between the company and the 

 settler is a frequent subject of remark. The company's policy 

 has been not merely just, but at all times most liberal. The, 

 human element is evident in all the dealings between the 

 settlers and the company and the results are such that people 

 have been attracted in great numbers and have added to the 

 general prosperity of the region. The Carey Act certainly 

 has_a most wonderful vindication in the development of the 

 Twin Falls tracts. 



Yours very truly, 



H. L. HOLLISTER. 



In a communication from Mr. A. L. Rinearson, a civil 

 and mining engineer, of Boise, Idaho, dated November 16th, 

 he asked a auestion concerning the proper understanding of 

 acre feet when speaking- of the capacity of a reservoir. 



The editor of this journal was not in position to reply 

 to him directly and submitted the matter to one or two en- 

 gineers of good standing, and sent a reply to Mr. Rinearson 

 based on suggestions received from them. 



We are printing Mr. Rinearson's letter, in full, in this 

 issue with the reply which was subsequently sent him by 

 the editor and an answer to that communication by Mr. 

 Rinearson. It will be seen by going over the letters follow- 

 ing that we are desirous of getting the opinion of engineers 

 throughout the west concerning this inquiry. We, therefore, 

 request all engineers to whose notice this may be brought 

 to write us their opinion of an acre foot as applied to the 

 capacity of a reservoir. 



BOISE, IDAHO, November 18, 1908. 

 THE IRRIGATION AGE, Chicago, III. 



In about all of our projected works for irrigation, we 

 speak of acre feet when talking of the capacity of a reser- 

 voir. 



Now, in your varied experience, how much land will 

 one acre foot (43,560 cubit feet) irrigate? 



I ask this question in a general way. Of course I know 

 that it varies with each locality. I have asked several en- 

 gineers 'this question and I was surprised what a difference 

 of opinion there is among them. To mv mind it shows that 

 few, if anv, have tested the actual usefulness of an acre foot, 

 as applied from a reservoir to irrigation. Answers to my 

 question are from 1 to 3 acre feet. I cannot answer it for lack 

 of definite information. Of course I can guess what our soil 

 would use. I am working out the plans of an irrigation sys- 

 tem, with reservoir. The soil is our Payette Lake bed and 

 in our locality inclines to clay that is 50 to 65 per cent is 

 clay. 

 I enclose stamp for personal reply. 



Very truly, 



A. L. RINEARSON. 

 December 8, 1908. 



Mr. A. L. Rinearson, C. E., Boise, Idaho. 



DEAR SIR Your favor of November 18th was delayed 

 in reaching the writer's hands, owing to absence on the Pa- 

 cific Coast. 



(Continued on page 89.) 



