The Bingham County news. [volume], April 07, 1922, Image 1

About The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930

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U«k« JUiMUui
BLACKFOOT
County Seat,
Best County
in the State.
BINGHAM COUNTY NEWS
OFFICIAL
Paper of
Bingham
County.
PRICE —$2.00 PER YEAR
BLACKFOOT, BINGHAM, COUNTY, IDAHO. FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 1922
VOL. XIV. NO. 29
FORT HALL PROJECT
WILL START SOON
BILL IS WAITING FOR PRESI
DENT'S SIGNATURE,
AFTER WHICH
The following letter in regard to
the -Fort Hall Project was received
by E. M. Kennedy this week from I
Congressman Addison T. Smith: j
Washington, D. C., March 20, 1922.
$300,000 WILL BE DEPOSITED
AND $760,000 WILL BE AVAIL
ABLE FOR THE COMPLE
TION OF PROJECT.
Mr. E. M. Kennedy,
Blackfoot, Idaho.
Dear Mr. Kennedy:
I presume that you have been
advised through the papers of our
success in securing the appropria
tion for the rehabilitation of the
Fort Hall project, although I see no
reference to the importance of this
matter in the local paper. It means
a great deal for your section. $760,
000 are to he available tor the com
pletion olf the work, $300,000 of
which will be placed to the credit
of the project as soon as the presi
dent signs the bill, w)hich means
that active construction work will
be commenced a® soon as tbe wea
ther conditions will permit. In view
of the policy of the administration
not to permit any new appropria
tions, we are certainly fortunate In
having an exception made with re
ference to the Fort Hall project.
I feel very confident that In the
next season, we will be able to se
cure additional legislation which
Will permit the reclamation of ad
ditional lands, providing those in
terested in the various projects are
prepared to enter vnto contracts
with the Secretary of the Interior to
reimburse the Government over a
period of years itor the amount to
be expended.
Cordially yours,
(Signed) ADDISON T. SMITH.
STATUS OF AMERICAN FALLS
RESERVIOR PROJECT RECITED
Pocatello, Idaho, April 7.—The
regular meeting of the Pocatello
Chamber of Commerce was given
over to tihe American Falls project
with the largest attendance in
months
Guy Flenner, Managing Director
of the Idaho Reclamation Associa
tion, which is putting on the cam
paign to finance the great undertak
ing, presented a review of the con
ditions that had led the government
to cease activities at American Falls,
and that had determined it to aban
don the mammoth storage enterprise
unless the companies and districts
that had contracted to pay their
share on a participation basis made
good, or substitute acre-footage
were contracted and paid for.
Everything Stalled.
"These canal companies and dis
tricts found they could not pay the
amounts they had agreed to out of
their pockets," said Mr. Flenner.
"They found they could not sell ca
nal securities and get the money that
way. The whole thing was stalled
until this plan for a super-district
to finance the whole thing, was de
vised.
"If we can put this across the.
American Falls project will be com
( pleted. If we cannot the project
will be abandoned and it will not (be
revived during the lives of men and
women of the middle generation, of
today.
Easy for It to I*ave.
,r We have made it easy for the
government to get out; other places
such as the Colorado river project
are .making it easy for it to come
la."
Mr. Flenner said objections to
(bonding were rapidly vanishing as
It became known that this was not
a luxury bond but a -productive in
vestment—something that would
create new wealth and help take
care o|f taxes and the old accumula
tion of bills.
He expressed confidence that the
farmers of Snake River Valley would
help themselves, the valley, and all
south Idaho by organizing this dis
trict and putting the great storage
project over.
"Anyway," he added, "It is up to
them in the final analysis."
Foundation Work.
The speaker told of the satisfac
tory progress of the campaign, which
had beern necessarily slow and labor
ious, involving field work, office
work, publicity in 'most every form,
engineering, etc. Everything had
to he started from the grass roots,
be stated. There was no founda
tion previously laid as to tibia par
ticular problem.
He said it was expected the peti- j
tion, containing a tie a cr.ption off ev
ery individual piece o£ property in ,
the proposed district, would be ready
for circulation this week.
Law's Delays.
After it hag been signed up and i
filed the law's delays would inter- ;
vene, and he did not expect the first I
election, to decide whether or not
the district would Ibe formed, would
be held some time in June. If the
district is formed, a subsequent elec
tion would be held on the question
of bonds- Meantime, if the people
show an interest and good faith tlhe
government would give us reason
able time, but iff we show lack, of
concern the project would be lost to
us so soon as the government Bended
our indifference.
Independent Districts.
The speaker explained that some
of the contracting territory was re
presented by irrigation districts al
ready organized and in the cases of
some companies the desire had been
expressed to organize a ,3 such and
finance themselves.
"We have no choice," the speak
er went on, "and our only hope fs
that any organizing independently
do so in harmony with the progress
of the greater development so they
will ,not be shut out by the limita
tions the government must necessar
ily impose.
We also want such districts to he
sure they can finance themselves.
We want every section in that needs
this water, and they can get in any
old way that will satisfy the gov
ernment as to payments. That pos
itively must he done.
"Some companies that have con
templated organizing Independent
districts have abandoned the plan
and decided to join the big district
in the interest of time, assurance as
to financing, and economy.
Separate organizations Is a dup
lication of effort. Those joining in
the big district are put to no ex
pense for engineering, preparation
of petitions, which contain separate
descriptions of each piece pf prop
erty to be included (10 pages of the
ordinary newspaper in fine type, so
far), preparation of maps, and legal
services. Th% is taken care of out
of funds provided Iby county appro
priations. That expense will be
paid first and the rest of the cam
paign will await further assistance.
"Moreover, the -big district is, and
Of necessity must continue to be,
purely a financing district, having
nothing to do with the operation of
systems.
Would Brand a Libel.
The speaker closed with an ear
nest appeal for all classes to get be
hind this undertaking.
"It is of overwhelming import
ance to Idaho," he said. "With an
nouncement that It is to go forward
to -completion there will he instant
revival In the Snake River valley
and all over south Idaho. With its
collapse will come discouragement at
home, with all -that Is associated
(»herewith, and further lack of éon
fidence on the outside.
"We are already discredited
throughout the East and Middle
West a« being Impotent, and bank
rupt. A libel, of course, although
the ex parts case is adverse.
'Let us prove that we possess suf
ficient business ability to make use
of these wondertful resources of ours,
these new frozen assets, to lift our
selves out of the rut, and show them
all that we are sanely fighting,
constructive people, who are deter
mined to (build here, on fihe foun
dations laid hy our fathers, the su
perstructure of real commonwealth
greatness."
LUTHERAN CHURCH
(Firth)
Sunday School at 10 a. m. We
had a splendid attendance last Sun
day, we hope for (better next Sunday.
Services Sunday at 11 ». m. and
8 p. m.
Easter Sunday the children», will
tell us of the Risen Christ in a pro
gram that will be givoni between
10:30 and 11:30 a. m.
The Luther League will be enter
tained Friday April 7 by Mr. and
Mrs. Johnston.
The Ladies Aid meets at the home
of Mrs- Brewington when she and
Mrs. Fidher entertain.
LUTHERAN CHURCH
(Blackfoot)
Palm Sunday, Sunday School at
10 a. m., and sendees at 11 a. m.
We are arranging for an easter pro
gram so we want all the children
to be present. Easter Sunday the
program will he 2:30 In the after
noon. . .___,
The Ladies' Aid will he postponed
one week, and will meet in the
churclh parlors April 19th.
8T. PAUL'S EPISCOP AL CHURCH
Friday, April 7th.—Lenten ser
vices 7:30 p. m.
Sunday, April 9th—Sunday School
10 a. m- Morning prayer and ser
mon 11 it. m.
&. a Btrlngfellow, re*or.
DENNIS OPPOSES BIG DISTRICT;
FAVORS SEPARATE
Should we go into the large irri
gation district for American Falls
or should we organize our own irri
gation (district for our protection
and the development of our own
lands for our posterity?
Remember the Arab and the -camel
The Arab allowed the camel to puf
his head in the tent to get in out
of t-he rain.
Soon the camel was in and the
Arab out—out in the rain.
That's exactly where we will he
if we continue to listen without in
vestigating thoroughly the oily
words of the gab-mongers of the in
ner circle qf the power® that now be
In the southern part of the State.
A few years ago a certain hill
was hatched up with the idea of
having it passed by the legislature.
This hill proposed to have all of the
water rights and water regulations
placed absolutely in the hands of
three water engineers to be appoin
ted by the Governor. If the bill
had become a law the three commis
sioners could have done just as they
pleased with the water and our old
water rights of the upper country
would have 'been worth :n-o more
than any other right. Under this
proposed measure they could even
have taken our water and applied
it -elsewhere under the plea that it
would do more good. Owing to stre
nuous efforts the bill was defeated
in- the legislature. This proposed
bill wa® gotten up in and hy the lo
wer or what is commonly called the
Twin Falls country.
Now this same territory comes to
us with a proposition to throw our
canals into one big district togeth
er With their® for the purpose of is
suing bonds and raising money to
be spent, anld among other things Is
included the American Falls dam.
The sa'ne -thing'for us to do Is to
look thoroughly before we leap.
Why should be put our heads In
a sack? and anyway,
Why should we put our heads In
helping to build a dam at American
Falls unless we are absolutely sure
at which end of the horn we are
going to come out?
They tell us from down there that
by doing as they want us to we
would have all the water we want
and the water question would be
forever settled. There Is little
doubt that such a procedure would
settle the water question tor all
time and for -good. Because all of
tlhe unused water in Snake River
and its tributaries would be absorb
ed in the transaction.
But, a® there is more land than
theire is water to go round, It nec
essarily !foUow B that some part of
the country is going to (be left high
and dry.
Now one question among others
for -this upper country to consider
in this grand deal Is, are we going
to get water to irrigate our unde>
veloped lands or are we going to let
them figure us out of it and apply
it on lands down there?
As we understand it, the people
of the lower country propose to give
us of the upper country the water
in Jackson Lake reservoir, provid
ing we will go in with them and help
pay the expense of building the dam
down there.
Let Us look into this a little iblt:
Jackson lake capacity is about
850,000 acre feet. The Idaho Fails
section In 1916 purchased 102,000
acre feet on th-ls storage. Later bn,
after the shortage of 1919, the na
tural water usera in the Idaho Falls
section contracted for 287,170 acre
feet more of Jackson Lake storage
hy signing a contract to famish
money as the American Falls dam
wag built. This would indicate that
approximately 400,000 acre feet or
nearly (half the capacity of Jackson
'Lake would ultimately (be needed on
lands In this valley which has been
Irrigated rfor a long time.
By this we see that about half
the storage water In Jackson Lake
wiU be taken (by lands already un
der Irrigation. The other half
would remain for the lands up here
that have never been reclaimed. The
lands In this end of tlhe valley that
are susceptible of Irrigation from
Snake River are the Dubois Tract,
the Idaho Falls West Side, the Ida
i
I FIRST MORTGAGE FARM LOANS
I Quick Service at Attractive
I Rate, and Prepayment
1 Privileges.
1 If you are in the market see me at once.
I The snow is now leaving and we can soon ap
! praise your land, without delay.
J. A. STEWART
I Hopkins Bldg.
SlNIlHlllIHUmiNMimMHHIU
Blackfoot, Idaho
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MIIHIMIttllltUMItlltlllllimillllllllllllllllllllllltltlllllllllllilllllllllllllllllMil
ho Falls East Side, the Blackfoot
West Side and the Greater Fort Hall.
These ail total up 435,000 acres.
Which in turn would demand 1,305,
0(00 acre, feet of storage. This is
counting three acre feet per acre,
which is small. Thi s storage need
ed ifor the new development, togeith- i
or with storage for the old rights I
in Idaho Falls section, make a grand
total of 1,705,000 acre feet to de
velop the above mentioned lands as
times and finances would justify.
This means that this upper coun<
try needs 1.705.000 acre feet of stor
age water, and the capacity of Jack
son Lake when entirely filled is on
ly S50.000 acre feet. In other
words, they want to palm off a cay
use pony on us when what we need
i s a full sized draft horse.
Are we so incapable off managing
our own affairs flhat we need de
pend on the American Falls enthu
siasts to organize us into a large dis
trict with the absolute prospect of
giving the lower country the- voting
majority? They indicate that this
would not harm us as the U. S. Re
clamation- Service would-control the
above dam as they did the Jackson
Lake dam. Anld may -the Lord de
liver us from any more of that kind
of control.
However, it is Imperative that we
do something and that we do it right
away. It Is quite possible -that 400,
000 acre feet of storage could be
made available as an -insurance of
crop production in the near future.
But why couldn't we organize our
own large irrigation district and
build our own storage reservoir at
one of the many desirable locations
afforded In the upper country? Are
we going to wait until the Twin
Falls North and South and the U.
S. R. S. have succeeded In starting
the American Falls dam? Without
doubt they would be pleased to 'have
us sit quietly by while they devel
op their filings to the exclusion! of
>qr further development. We all
know that there is just so much wa
ter and some section of the country
must go without.
It would be exceedingly danger
ous for Ua to so Into the one big
district.
If we go Into the American Falls
project at all we Should go in as a
separate district Wlhere we could
have our owin say In t)he voting of
bonds and the! spending of money.
Also, we should not go iç even
on the above condition without first,
having an ironl bound contract giv
ing us ample water right for all of
our undeveloped lands.
For some time pas-t there has been
'apparent dissatisfaction with the
manner in which the stored water
from Jackson Lake has been (hand
led. The Interests south of Ameri
can Falls with their junior natural
rights and with the aid of certain
natural water rights here succeed
at each meeting to elect the wa-ter
master they want Irrespective of
whether he i s the choice of a n»a
jority of the old rights In Idaho Falls
section or not. Then these inter
lopers in the stream with their
storage water put Idaho Falls sec
tion at a loss to know why the re
turn flow in Snake River Is so much
less than it was before the stored
water was put In. Then also the
losses charged to evaporation, etc.,
of this storage -has gradually de
creased since storage wa® first run
in 1909 and 1910. It Is understood
that in the 1919 season after the
gate« at the outlet at Jackson had
(been raised clear of the water for
some time, which indicated that the
storage water was very low, If in
fact there was any left, tlhe Com
missioner of Reclamation at Boise
gave orders to have -the waters of
the Snake River distributed a« na
tural water. However, this order
did not seem agreeaible to those In
charge of the dam to the gates were
closed, thus holding batik the water
that should have gone through the
lake as (natural flow. Another Item
to rememiber: up to 1918 -the total
expense for running the water in
the river wag -not more than $6,000
a year. It la now coating $30,000
a year to run tlhe river water.
If It were not so serioue It would
-be amusing—the way we of the up
i
I
a
of
of
of
per valley have gulped down tlie
various doses of medicine that the
lower country has handed us. The
Liner circle sends out its oily wind
jammers, who are augmented by a
few selected from the variou® local
ities up here. We attend the meet
ings and listen to their honeyed
words. We drink in their smooth
sayings, and, like a baby holding out
its hand for a stick of candy, we
grab the stick and suck at it till
they get ready to hit us with the
potato masher.
S. W. DENNIS.
K. P. LODGE ENJOYS
BOXING AND WRESTLING
Last Tuesday evening about one
hundred and fifty Knights and their
friends enjoyed some fast boxing
and wrestling. The first prelimin
ary was four rounds of boxing be
tween Furniss and Campbell, two
local boys, who were very well
matched and alhowed good work.
Furniss gave up of his own accord
about twenty seconds before the end
of the fourth round.
The next event was one of reul
excitement, Beebe vs. McFarland.
When the participants stepped into
the ring and the crowd got a good
look, it seemed like a championship
bout. Some science and skill, back
ed by quick short arm jabs, upper
outs, side-steps and muscle -anld good
eyes and Judgment. When Beeibe
stepped into the ring and posed, no
one would have -blamed "Doc" if he
had run, but he didn't. No Sir-ee.
He was there with bells on and the
referee said both men won. They
went through the four rounds with
breath to spare (?)
The next was a preliminary be
tween two high school -boys. Moon
vs. Bell, who iboxed four round® to
a draw. Both these boys Show
good form and skill and worked all
the time with seemingly little effort.
Then came the wrestling bout be
tween Clyde Jolley and Jake Tay
lor. ThiB match alone would have
-been a good entertainment. They
were evenly matched and lost no
time i-n trying ffor their fall. Tay
lor got the first fall. Jolley the sec
ond and Taylor the third, winning
the mat dh.
At this time two well known
wrestlers, who happened to he in
the hall, gave a ten-minute wrest
ling exhibition. Fred Smith, who
claims the welter-weight champion
ship of Idaho, and Al. Steffenson,
the welter-weight champion of Mon
tana, and the ohainpion welter
weight wrestler of the M. W. A.
Lodge, showed the -crowd some real
fast wrestling, catching holds, crawl
ing out and grabbing another com
ing back. These men seem to the
writer to he very evenly matched,
and there Is prospects of a match
between them lnt the near future.
While Mr. Steffenson holds the title
for the M. W. A., Mr Smith says he
will defend the K. P. goal and be
lieves he can keep »t.
The entertainment ended with a
ten-minute go- between Alton Rhea
and Mr. Cedarberg of Firth,which
was wel1 matched and appreciated.
The High School Quartette, com
posed qf Elmer France, Darwin Sim
mons, Gerald Stewart and Harold
Hickenlooper, sang during the inter
missions, which broke up the sus
pense of waiting. This quartette is
doing some excellent singing and
are thoroughly enjoyed and appre
ciated at aniy gathering.
BAPTIST CHURCH
A number of outside attractions
have broken Into tho regularity of
the special meetings now in progrès»
but in spite of all, the attendance
ha® been reasonably good and the
Inlterest has been maintained and
the outlook is hopeful. Each even
ing until after Easter there will be
a song service beginning at 7:30 and
a sermon at 8 o'clock. On Sunday
morning the pastor will preach on
"God's Redemptive Purpose and Pro.
gram For Humanity In Christ." In
the evening at 8 o'clock the sermon
will he concerning the absent ones
and will (be entitled. "Wlhere Are
Tlhe Nine". The Juniors will meet
at 3 p. m. and the B. Y. P. U devo
tional meeting -begin» at 7 o'clock.
Please note change of time of all ev
ening meetings. The ladles' pageant
was again, pronounced a great suc
cess. The Sunday school institute
on Tuesday wa» perhaps the great
est thing of the sort ever held in the
city.
The ,new song books are proving
to be quite popular. The Crusaders
are training on some new songs. Be
sure to hear them Sunday night.
E. O. BUTLER, Pastor
The member® of the Relief Socle
tie* of the First and Second Wards
Eiheld a Joint meeting at the Second
Ward church Tuesday afternoon.
with Mrs. Geo. T. Marshall presid
ing. The lesson subject wag "Pray
er," and Mrs. J. S- McClellan was
the leader, assisted by Mrs. Elisa
beth McKeller. Mrg. Williams anfl
Mrs. Van Orden both stake officers
addressed the meeting. There will
be another joint meeting held next
Tuesday when a demonstration of
drM * torma 17111 b * glven -
CALL MEETING
PEOPLES' CANAL
CALL HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR
A MEETING TO
DISCUSS
AMERICAN FALLS RESERVOIR
AT MORELAND HALL. TUESDAY.
APRIL 11TH. PLENTY
OF SPEAKERS.
The following call Is being; sent
to the Stockholder® of the People's
Canal Co., and is a call for a meet
ing of the Stockholders to discuss
the Big District Idea:
March 28, 1922.
To the Stockholders of
The People's Canal Co.
The undersigned has taken the
liberty of calling an informal meet
ing of t-lie stockholders Off the Peo
ple's Canal Co., to be held In More
land Hall, Moreland, Idaho, at 2
o'clock on the afternooin of Tues
day, April 11, 1922.
We are taking this occasion at
the suggestion of some of your lead-
ing men, and we do not want It un-
derstood that we are encroaching
upon the prerogatives of your dlreo-
tors. On the other hand, we ara
calling the meeting as we have In
other districts and companies in or-
der to relieve It of any official sta-
tus. It Is to^ Ibe entirely Informal,
and solely for the purpose off answer-
ing any questions you stockholder#
may desire to ask, and of getting
your point of view. It Is necessary
to do this in order tlhat we shall
know how you stand. All we want
to know Is whether you want In or
out. We are not trying to force you
In or anything of that kind.
-If you need the water we suggest
that you come In. If you don't, we
do not want you in.
We trust that all of you will find
It possible to meet with us at More
land on April 11, in order that all
of these matters may he threshed
out. It will then be solely up to
you people to determine whether
you want to join and secure this
added water or not.
IDAHO RECLAMATION ASSN.
GUY FLENNER.
Managing Director.
The Current Club met Monday
afternoon fo rbhelr general meeting
with Mrs. Er, nest Pearson.
Officers were elected for the en
suing year as follows: President
Mrs. W. W. Beck, secretary. Mrs
David Wlltamuth; treasurer. Mrs. I.
N. Noyer. The department leaders
will be elected at each of their meet,
lngs this month.
The program for the afternoon In.
eluded a vocal trio by Mrs. Edward
Thoroson, Mrs. Ernest Jackson and
Mrs. James Christensen. A piano
trio by Doris Simons, Clarice O'Neal
and Lorraine Seetger. A paper by
Mrs. Neil Boyle on civic problems
and Juvenile delinquency. An ani
mated discusslo-ni followed. The
subject will be given further time
and consideration by the club
women.
NINA STEWART, Sec'y.
ATTENTION. BEET GROWERS.
Those desiring to contract -for
beets can do so by calling at the
Sugar Company's office any time be
tween the hours of 8:00 a. m. and
5:00 p. m.
29-30 UTAH IDAHO SUGAR CO.
SUNDAY SCHOOL INSTITUT!
A very successful and Inspiration
al Sunday school Institute was held
in tlhe Baptist Church Tuesday af
ternoon and evening under the diree.
tton of tlhe pastor, Rsv. E. O. Butler.
Methods and plans for the adult de
partment was discussed by Dr. Owen
C. Brown,- of Philadelphia, head of
religious work of the Northern Bap
tist Convention; and Miss Meme
Brockway off Los Angeles, a special
ist in elementary Sunday school
work, gave a practical lesson In
teaching aside from her lecture on
the teen age pupils. Rev. Shank* of
Boise, the state director of religious
education, also spoke at both sess
ions. Delegates from Pocatello, Ida.
ho Falls. Arco were numbered among
those present.
METHODIST CHURCH
Sunday morning next the new or
chestra will care for our church mo.
sic ag well as that for the Sunday
school. In the evening the service
will be exclusively for the young
people with their seniors as visitors.
FOR SALE—Rural
Phons 407R2.
Seed Potatoes.
ft.