30 Mile Canal

   This is the story of a dream come true.

   Only the Old Timers can remember when the idea became vigorous enough to be called a dream.

   Efforts were made to put across the idea as far back as 1896-97 and at intervals since that time,

following years of partial or total crop failure due to insufficient rainfall.

   In the years above mentioned a beginning was made and several miles of canal were constructed, only to be abandoned after a limited use, on account of financial troubles.

   In 1923 a district was formed, surveys were made and bonds voted, all of which was rendered of no avail by difficulties terminating in court proceedings and unfavorable decisions.

   Late in 1926 a handful of men -- farmers, gray-heads mostly, who had seen many a promising crop fail for the lack of just a little moisture at the critical time -- men who through the years, wet years and dry years, had been consistent advocates of the idea, the dream of placing the south side valley in west Dawson and east Lincoln counties under irrigation -- got the notion into their heads that the best and possibly the only way to get a ditch was to go ahead and dig it themselves.

   The idea proved popular with their neighbors. They held a meeting or two, organized, incorporated, hired a corps of engineers, let contracts and con-