THE IRKIGATION AGE. 



279 



Excavated in this manner, the earth taken from 

 the ditch is comparatively dry and is delivered at a 

 distance, insuring a berm of from ten to fifteen feet, so 

 that there is no weight added to the banks of the ditches 

 and the waste banks are therefore not likely to be re- 

 turned to the ditch by erosion, nor will the banks cave, 

 as is the case when torn up by a shovel and the waste 

 bank delivered immediately adjoining the ditch. 



When this new style of excavator was first intro- 

 duced, contention was made that a ditch of this con- 

 struction would be no better than one built by dipper 

 dredges after several freshets or after having withstood 

 the frosts of one or two winters. It was conceded that 

 a much more perfectly shaped ditch was made than 

 could be dug with dredges. But the important question 

 was, will a ditch built in this manner prove a more 

 permanent waterway, retaining its maximum capacity 

 and therefore become a much more economical ditch 

 than can be produced by other methods, or was it simply 

 a ditch of greater .temporary neatness in appearance? 

 No argument is as convincing as the ditches themselves. 

 Ditches have been dug by this method for three years 

 in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota in nearly 

 every kind of earth, including the deep black prairie 

 soils, which are easily eroded, and ditches in Minne- 

 sota particularly susceptible to caving from the action 

 of frost. 



We are illustrating herewith two ditches made by 

 this machine. The one showing the compound curve 

 or right and left curve is located in La Salle County, 

 Illinois. The photograph was taken early in spring, 

 after the winter's frost had left the ground, and the 

 water had receded after a spring freshet, a condition 

 which would plainly show any inclination of the banks 

 to cave. The other ditch shown is located in Lee Coun- 

 ty, Illinois, and was one of the first constructed by this 

 method. At the time this photograph was taken the 

 ditch had been built two and one-half years and had 

 passed through two winters. 



This ditch is worthy of special study. Note that 

 the waste banks have been little affected by erosion. The 

 berm is practically its original width and it is therefore 

 reasonable to suppose that little of the excavated earth 

 will ever be returned to this ditch by erosion. The banks 

 of this ditch, by being shaved out of the original strata 

 of the earth and left perfectly firm, are nearly as 

 smooth as the day they were built. The ditch by being 

 constructed perfectly true to grade and containing no 

 loose earth to obstruct or change the current, has in- 

 creased in depth and the channel has been deepened 

 most in the exact center of the ditch. This is a posi- 

 tive proof that a ditch built in this manner retains its 

 shape. It also substantiates the argument that a sci- 

 entifically correct ditch is obtained only when dug in 

 a manner which will not disturb the earth in the banks 

 or bottom and leave them as firm as nature made them. 



It is well understood that practically all irrigation 

 ditches of the Southwest carry water containing silt 

 possessing cementing properties. When a ditch is con- 

 structed in this manner in this territory, a small amount 

 of this silt will effectually seal the ditch, in most kinds 

 of earth, not only maintaining a maximum capacity, 

 reducing the seepage to the minimum and obviating the 

 construction of drainage ditches in irrigated districts, 

 but also removing the peril of most irrigated lands 

 the accumulation of surplus alkali. 



RECLAMATION SERVICE NOTES. 



The Williston Water Users' Association, of North 

 Dakota, has guaranteed the return of the moneys invested by 

 the United States in the construction of the irrigation works 

 of the Williston project. 



On June 13 the Secretary of the Interior withdrew from 

 any form of disposition whatever under the public land laws 

 a strip of land extending around Goose Lake in northeastern 

 California and southwestern Oregon for use in connection 

 with the Pitt river irrigation project. The area withdrawn 

 covers approximately 40,000 acres. 



A contract has been awarded to the Canton Bridge Com- 

 pany, Omaha, Neb., for the construction of five highway 

 bridges in connection with the Belle Fourche irrigation pro- 

 ject, South Dakota. The bid was $1,200 for each bridge. 



Authority has been granted to the Reclamation Service 

 to purchase from the Atlantic Equipment Company, of New 

 York City, two steam shovels for use in the construction of 

 canal and embankments in connection with the Payette- 

 Boise project, Idaho. The bid was $8,750 each, f. o. b. cars 

 at Richmond, Va. 



The Secretary of the Interior has executed a contract 

 with the Umatilla Water Users' Association to secure pay- 

 ment to the United States of the cost of construction of the 

 irrigation works for the reclamation of arid lands in the 

 State of Oregon, under the act of June 17, 1902, in what is 

 known as the Umatilla project. 



William H. Thompson was the successful bidder for the 

 construction and completion of the work provided for in 

 schedule 1, main canal, Payette-Boise project, Idaho. This 

 contract calls for the excavation of approximately 402,000 

 cubic yards of material. The contract price is $93,325. 



The Ticton Water Users' Association, of the Yakima 

 Valley, Washington, is to secure repayment to the United 

 States of the cost of construction of irrigation works for 

 the reclamation of arid lands in the State of Washington. 



The bid of the Pacific Portland Cement Company, of 

 San Francisco, has been accepted for furnishing 8,000 barrels 

 of Portland cement for use in the construction of the Okano- 

 gan and Umatilla projects, The bid was $1.65 per barrel, 

 f. o. b. cars at Tolenas, Cal. 



By the terms of a contract executed between the United 

 States and the North Platte Valley Water Users' Association, 

 a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of 

 the State of Nebraska, the Water Users' Association guar- 

 antees the return of the moneys invested by the United States 

 in the construction of the irrigation works of the North 

 Platte project. 



Reclamation Service has been authorized to complete the 

 work on the main supply canal, Belle Fourche project, South 

 Dakota, by force account. This work was abandoned by the 

 Widell-Finley Company, and no bids were received for its 

 completion. 



Proposals will be opened at 876 Federal building, Chi- 

 cago, on July 7, for furnishing 45,000 barrels of Portland 

 cement, or any part thereof, f. o. b. cars at the bidder's mill. 

 Particulars may be obtained from the Chief Engineer of the 

 Reclamation Service, Washington, D. C. This cement is to 

 be used in connection with the North Platte, Shoshone and 

 Garden City projects. 



Proposals are solicited for the construction of a com- 

 bined office and residence building in connection with the 

 Garden City project, Kansas. The bids will be opened July 

 10 at Garden City, Kas. Particulars may be obtained upon 

 application from the engineer at Garden City. 



Owing to the inclement weather experienced by the sev- 

 eral contractors on the work on the Minidoka project, Idaho, 

 during the past winter, the Secretary of the Interior has 

 granted an extension of thirty days time for the completion 

 of the work to the following contractors : Orman & Crook, 

 Monarch & Porter, and the Bates & Rogers Construction 

 Company. This extension calls for the completion of the work 

 on July 1, 1906. 



Proposals are being solicited for the construction and 

 completion of the Strawberry tunnel, Strawberry Valley pro- 

 ject, Utah. The work involves 18^000 linear feet of tunael, 

 the same being a portion of a system for the diversion of 

 about 500 cubic feet of water per second from Strawberry 

 River to the Spanish Fork Valley. The bids will be opened 

 at Salt Lake City on August 30, and particulars may be 



