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Show December 6, 1893, Captain Van Orsdale submitted his report. He estimtd the c w of r l~~r ~ ~ n ~ t r u cotfi ao nca nal from the Snake River, hsviug s wplu.ity of WM cuhir. iwt VQr *erontl, incluJing iour or five laterals, at 9145,WI. This akount being largely in excess of the appropriation available for irrigation purposes, no action was taken upon the report, but during the session of Congress Senator Duhois secured the passage of the clauuse in the act of August 15, 1894 (28 Stat. L., 286), authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to contract with responsible parties for the construction of irrigating can~lsandth e purchase or securing of water supply on the Fort HallReservatiou, and providing that the cost of the same should he oaid from the funds of the Indians. November 24, 1894, Mr. Walter H. Graves, superintendent of the constrnction of a svstem of inis-a tion on the Crow Reservation, was instructed under anthoritv from the Department to proceed to the Fort Hall Reservation and investigate the matter of furnishing a water supply thereon carefully and report the result thereof to this office. April 27, 1896, he suhmitted his report in which he referred to several propositions submitted ta this office and to him. Regarding the Idaho Canal Company he stated that it had commenced the construction of s. cznal for the purpose of supplying the lands on the reservation with water; had practically finished several miles of the heaviest and most exnensive work upon it; had a good location for head works; and h d in place a fairly ;nh3rantial heaj pie, etc. l{eLanlinr rhe ,,ro~olalso f >lcs~r*C.u cick & IIower, 9uperinwndenr Czrares italcd that they did notreach him in time to enable him to indicate their proposed line upon the map; that the character of such works as they hd constructed was super-ficial in every respect, and that he doubted their ability to perpetuate the under-taking. They submitted no estimate for the construction of s. canal south of the Blackfoot River. Superintendent Graves's report not being regarded as sufficiently explicit to enable this o5ce to intelligentlv consider the matter he was summoned to this city for con-sultation, and Mr. all, president of the Idaho Canal Company, who was then in Chicago asking for an answer to this proposition, was advised of that fact. After an extended conference with Superintendent Graves and Mr. Hall, Acting Commissioner Smith, on May 22, 1895, asked Mr. Hall to submit proposals for the deliverv of 300 cubic feet of water to the Indians above Ross Fork Creek and an equal quantity below, on the basis of a perpetual right, and also the price for which his com&nanv w. ou ld wnvev to the United States all ite rig- ht, title, and interest in and to the irrigating canal known as the Idaho Canal Company's short line, including the franchises, righta of way and appurtenances, and the ditch and improvements already constructed on the reservation. To this communication Mr. Hall replied specifically May 24, 1895. His proposals were submitted to Superintendent Graves, who reported thereon June 1, 1895, expressing the opinion that the proposition of the company to deliver 300 cubic feet of water between the Blackfoot River and Ross Fork Creek was the best one that had been offered for the consideration of the Department. He made certain sugges-tions as to the enaranties to be exacted and as to the terms of p.a .y ment, etc. One of l h l advantagen tube secured from thipr<lpMed agrecnlrnt rma perpetual water right for rhc lands below Xws Fork ('reek at a tixed price per acre, it being ronwmplareJ that these lands would eventually he sold for the heLefit of the ~ndians. * * * June 19,1895, the draft of a contract with the Idaho Canal Company embodying the provisions approved by Superintendent Graves was prepared and submitted to the Secretary, with the recommendation that if it was satisfactory to him it be suh-mitted to the c om.m v. for its aecentance and D. roner execution. * * * July 10, 1895, the Secretary of the Interior approved of the terns of the proposed contract, as prepared by this ofice, and authorized me to have the sameexecuted on |