1904 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 555 



ment is stopped from proceeding in and recommends that several wells be 



the direction of actual construction by sunk on the line of canal in order that 



a Carey Act selection which is pend- these may be used by contractors and 



ing before the State Land Board, settlers. 



which includes a portion of the best This recommendation has received 



lands, and which if allowed will make the favorable endorsement of the Chief 



it inadvisable for the government to Engineer, who has ordered well bor- 



develop a project there. ing outfits to be shipped at once to 



The altitude of the Chewaucan re- Minidoka. 



gion, while high, 4>4OO to 4,800 feet, The Secretary of the Interior, act- 

 is yet adapted to the cultivation of ing upon the advice of the Assistant 

 fruits and garden vegetables of all de- Attorney General, has decided that 

 scriptions, including grapes, peaches, Mr. Nels J. Blagen has a right to be 

 apples, apricots, melons, etc. Two relieved from his bid for the construc- 

 crops of alfalfa are raised on irrigated tion of works in connection with the 

 lands. This is due to the protection Minidoka project, Idaho, and is en- 

 afforded the valley by the Run Rock titled to a return of his deposit of 

 Mountains on the west. $8,000 which accompanied his bid, he 



having declined to execute the contract 



awarded him. The return of the above 



Notes on the Minidoka Project. gum tQ Mr Blagen has been ordered 



"T" 1 HE Secretary of the Interior has by the Secretary. 



authorized the purchase of the The deposit was made by Mr. Bla- 

 following described tracts of land, now gen in compliance with the require- 

 in private ownership, which, it has been ment of the advertised notice that each 

 found, will be needed by the govern- bid must be accompanied by a certi- 

 ment under the Minidoka project, as fi e d check for 2 per cent of the con- 

 they lie within the flood line of the tract price as a guaranty. Mr. Blagen 

 reservoir of that project: was awarded the contract, he being 

 NE l /4 SE }4, SW l / 4 SW l /4, and the lowest bidder, but declined to en- 

 Lots i, 2, and 3, Sec. 17; N % SW ter into it, and his deposit was held to 

 }4, and Lots i and 2, Sec. 16, Lots 6 be forfeited to the United States. The 

 and 7, Sec. 19; Lot 5, Sec. 20; and contract was then awarded to the next 

 Lot 5, Sec. 21, T. 9 S., R. 28 E., Boise lowest bidder. 



Meridian, Idaho ; also the SW *4 SE Mr. Blagen claimed that owing to 

 14, and Lot 2, Sec. 8; and NE *4 NE a change in the specifications by the 

 %, and Lots 5 and 6, Sec. 17, T. 9 S., engineers after his bid was submitted 

 R. 27 E., Boise Meridian, Idaho. the value of the contract was affected 

 Considerable difficulty has been ex- to such a material extent that the con- 

 perienced in getting water for domes- struction of the work could not be ac- 

 tic use on the Minidoka lands on the complished at the price bid without 

 north side of Snake River. Only one serious loss or diminution of profits 

 well has so far been put down to wa- He contended that he was thereby re 

 ter. This is the one sunk by the Rec- leased from obligation and entitled to 

 laniation Service several weeks ago. a return of the deposit. In this con- 

 This well was sunk to a depth of 88 tention he seems to have the approval 

 feet, and now has 13 feet of water of o f the Attorney General, 

 excellent quality and an abundant sup- 

 ply. A study of The Little Missouri River. 



Contractors ensras'ed in grading trie 



road though 8 the* Minidoka tracf are J HE investigation of n-ngi aUon 



using this water for several camps in possibilities on the 



the vicinity Engineer Ross states that soun River, conducted 



t sToubtkl if many settlers will sue- James A French of the Reclamation 



ceed in getting water before spring, Service, has been concluded. 



