192 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



April 



The Government, too, the principal 

 owner of the unoccupied lands of the 

 valley, has determined to improve and 

 make marketable its property and es- 

 tablish thereon thousands of new 

 homes for intelligent, independent, and 

 prosperous farmers. 



The Minidoka project which lies on 

 both sides of Snake River in southern 

 Idaho embraces 130,000 acres of choice 

 land. Its engineering works, now rap- 

 idly nearing completion, are a dam of 

 the rock-fill type 650 feet long on top, 

 50 feet high, requiring the placing of 

 110,000 cubic yards of rock. 101,000 

 cubic yards of earth, 1,200 cubic yards 

 of rip rap, and 1.000 cubic yards of 

 concrete in core wall. The spillway 

 and main canals, 21 miles in length, 

 will carry the water to the laterals 

 which have a length of 102 miles. The 

 canal excavation required the moving 

 of 3,500,000 cubic yards of earth, 45,- 

 000 cubic yards of loose rock, and 

 170,000 cubic yards of solid rock. 

 Nearly 19,000 horse power will be de- 

 veloped from the dam. 



A transformation little less than 

 marvelous has followed the initiation 

 of this great work, and while it has a 

 parallel in the opening of a similar 

 project by private enterprise, in that 

 section a year before, it is nevertheless 

 worthy of note. A year ago last 

 spring the Minidoka tract was an un- 

 inhabited, dusty sagebrush plain, a 

 spot forbidding, desolate and uninvit- 

 ing. To-day the land which is em- 

 braced by the lines of canals is dotted 

 with farm houses, three thriving towns 

 containing 125 business houses have 

 sprung up. A new railroad traverses 

 the whole tract and 4,000 people are 

 now* living where two years ago there 

 was no habitation. 



These thriving towns are located on 

 land which is held by the Government 

 for townsite purposes. Congress re- 

 cently passed a law providing for the 

 -ale of tlu- town lots and the date of 

 the sale will be announced in the near 

 future. Sale will be at public auction 

 for cash to the highest bidder. As an 

 opportunity for investment or a desir- 

 able location for establishing a busi- 

 ness these towns are particular!}- in- 



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