186 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



CAMBRIDGE, ILL., March 6, 1906. 

 IRRIGATION AGE, Chicago, 111. 



Dear Sirs I will endeavor to answer the inclosed letter 

 and give the information he desires. If you are satisfied with, 

 the answer to this communication and the letter I havef 

 taken the privilege of writing in answer to Mr. H. J. Myers' 

 letter in the February issue you may address similar com- 

 munications to me and I will endeavor to reply to the best 

 of my knowledge. 



I will now answer as best I can the letter of Mr. J. T. 

 Richmond. In regard to the cost and general information 

 on ditching I think I can give a fair idea of the cost in the 

 States of Illinois, Iowa and Missouri. 



I will give the cost of ditching by hand excavation, as 

 this is the principal and about the only method used for 

 making ditches of similar dimensions to the one he mentions. 

 The cost is approximately as follows : For ditches from 24 

 inches to 42 inches in depth and from 12 inches to 20 inches 

 in width the price ranges from 18 cents to 26 cents per rod; 

 this includes the laying of the tile and sufficient covering of 

 earth to hold tile in place. Then for each additional foot 

 or fraction of foot depth of dig 10 cents per rod is added. 



The ditch of dimensions mentioned by Mr. Richmond 

 would cost about 20 cents per rod. 



If excavating is done by the cubic yard the prices range 

 from 8 cents to sometimes as high as 25 cents. 



Should the digging be in gumbo, gravel, or hardpan, the 

 cost would be proportionately increased. These prices give 

 to the laborer from $2.00 to $4.00 per day. 



About 75 per cent of the tile, sewer, and other small 

 ditches could be excavated with a successful ditching ma- 

 chine and then grade the ditch and lay the tile by hand at 

 a very small cost. The other 25 per cent of the work is in 

 ground that is too soft and wet to carry the weight of the 

 horses and machine. 



According to Mr. Richmond's statement the excavating 

 of a ditch with his four-horse rig, allowing $3.00 per day of 

 ten hours for each man and team and $1.50 for the wear 

 and tear on machine the cost will be about two cents per 

 cubic yard or less than five cents per rod for a ditch thirty 

 inches deep and eighteen inches wide. Then add about 

 four cents per rod for grading and laying tile and you will 

 have the approximate cost with Mr. Richmond's machine. 

 This is something that will bear investigating by any one 

 contemplating ditching that can be done with his machine. 

 Yours respectfully, 



ABRAM A. FUNK. 



GREAT FALLS, MONT., March 3, 1906. 

 THE IRRIGATION AGE, 112 Dearborn St., Chicago, 111. 



Dear Sir Replying to your communication from Rev. D. 

 Graef, of Newport, 111., making inquiry as to land offered by 

 Charles T. Kleese, of this city, in Teton County, just north 

 of here, I can say that the land, so far as I know, is all 

 right; better, in fact, than any land your inquirer would find 

 in the entire State of Illinois. 



The particular tract to which reference is made comprises 

 about 8,000 acres, and the first water right out of Teton River 

 of 3,000 inches goes with it. As I remember, about fifty inches 

 goes with each quarter section, or 160 acres of land. 



The land is level and capable of the very highest culti- 

 vation. It will raise fifty bushels of wheat to the acre with- 

 out any trouble whatever, and there is no such thing neces- 

 sary as rehabilitation of the soil through any artificial process. 



Without any interest in the matter whatever, I should cer- 

 tainly say that, for anyone who desires to farm, and by that I 

 mean real farmers, the price of $15 an acre is extremely rea- 

 sonable, as it will be many times that in this section before 

 very long. At the present time the better quality of land at 

 Billings, about 200 miles south of here, is selling at $100 an 

 acre, which five years ago was selling for $10. 



If the parties mean business the land is all right. 



Yours very truly, 

 E. A. LORNEY. 



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