Ogden Standard-Examiner | 1920-11-17 | Page 3 | Idahoans Must Finance American Falls Dam

Idahoaiis Must Finance I American Falls Dam j WASHINGTON. Nov. 17. Govern-iinent Govern-iinent cooperation In the building of itho large dam at American Kails de- pends on assurances of adi iiuati and satisfactory financial backing on tlx Ipart of Irrigation dlslrlotS and coin-i coin-i panics In Hnake river calley, Idaho. In eent that satisfactory financial back-ling back-ling is arranged, the secretary of the ! Interior may present the proposal be-I be-I f ore congress either late In the Coming session or early In the special session I But the plan is still m u preliminary ; stage The recent report emanating trom Idaho Palls to the effect that Secretary Payne had approved a proj-jrr! proj-jrr! looking to the building rf :i $60,-1 $60,-1 000,000 dam at American Palls, and to IT tf!Xl ! III! II Jtho reclamation of 1,000,000 acres In j '.Snake ryor v.illev, Is both pvemature and grossly overdrawn. All that has been done bj tlto interior departnaenl 'to dato Is to authorise ths reclamation .-, rylcs to make a survey of the Snake river valley, and of the American Km lis Idani sit-: and reservoir site, the lands under existing projects being a.essed a slight sum per a iv to meet the costs of tins survey. In connection with this work, options op-tions are being asked on property In 'American Kails, which town. If the 'project is built, will bo submerged loo l or more by the waters Impounded behind the contemplated dam. 1 1 after the survey Is completed tho American Palls storage project la approved, ap-proved, and if the existing irilgiitlon districts and the owners of lands that 1 may be reclaimed eouie forward with a definite and satisfactory plan of fi-nanoipg fi-nanoipg their respective shares of the big project, the secretary of t lie In-Jterlor In-Jterlor v. ill recommend it to congress. I ,1 .. ... .1 . III,., t dam at Jackson lake, would be built under direction of the reclamation service and under tho same conditions, but local interests must raise most of the funds to carry out this project. In tho event the American Kalis project Is approved, the government, for Itself, will take over one unit, and reclaim 100. 000 acres lying near Minl-j rloka, for development under a soldier settlement plan, for the benefit of ex-service ex-service men, and congress would be asked to advanco the cost of this portion por-tion Aside from that, however, prl-, vate Interests must tome forward wllh a satisfactory showing of their ability to raise their respective shares of the total cost. This apportionment I being based on the areas named In contracts recently submitted by the (secretary of the Interior.