Blanding Irrigation Company Provides
the First Electrical Power System
Besides providing the first culinary water distribution system, the Blanding
Irrigation Company also provided the first electrical power system. To
provide power for the city of Blanding, the company purchased a steam generating
plant in 1917 which was run by Edson Black. Edson Black owned a flour mill
southeast of Blanding that is where the first power plant of Blanding was
located. (Lyman, Clisbee 3) On January 19, 1929, the steam generating plant
was replaced by a city owned diesel power plant. (Lyman, Albert 64)
Building
a One Mile Long Tunnel
Another pioneer project in which the irrigation
company was involved was building a one mile long tunnel through Blue Mountain.
This was initiated around 1920 and given up soon after because there was
no money. The project was revived around 1940. This time they completed
about 1400 feet before funds ran out. However, at this time, the Utah Water
and Power Board in the State of Utah was providing funds to help develop
irrigation projects. (Lyman, Clisbee 4,5) The irrigation company applied
for a loan from the Utah Water and Power Board in the amount of $75,000.
The company agreed to buy out anyone who had stock in the tunnel, and made
plans to complete the tunnel through the mountain. (Lyman, Clisbee)
 |
Photo of Marvin Lyman. Marvin
Lyman and Vet Bradford were the contractors for the construction of the
tunnel. Marvin strongly pushed this project from the very start.
- Donated to the San Juan Historical Commission by Susan Butt (Blanding,
UT). |
Grant L. Bayles was the president of the organization at the time the
company applied for the loan. Later Fred S. Lyman became president of the
company and was president during the construction and completion of the
tunnel. Marvin Lyman and Vet Bradford were the contractors for the construction
of the tunnel. Marvin strongly pushed this project from the very start.
(Clisbee Lyman, p. 5.) Clisbee N. Lyman, a lifelong resident of Blanding,
gives this account of Marvin.
"I can remember in priesthood meeting when Uncle Marvin
used to get up and encourage people to contribute to the tunnels or go
up and work on it or do something to help. This was during the time before
the Irrigation Company took over the ownership of the tunnel."
During the construction of the tunnel, the irrigation company discovered
that they did not have enough money to cover all the costs. In the contract
with Marvin and Vet, the Blanding Irrigation Company agreed to pay them
extra when they ran into hard rock. There were several times when they
ran into the hard rock and the company had to find more money to pay them.
( Lyman, Clisbee 6)
Blanding Irrigation Company Takes Over
When the Blanding Irrigation Company took over, they paid off those who
had shares in the old tunnel company with shares in the Blanding Irrigation
Company. They were allowed to issue 300,000 shares in the Blanding Irrigation
Company and the Company had only given out 240,000 or 250,000 shares. The
shareholders in the Tunnel Company were paid in irrigation stock at about
60 cents on every dollar invested. (Clisbee Lyman.) According to Clisbee
N. Lyman, the company still did not have enough money to cover all costs,
and finally they asked Parley Redd, who was director or officer of the
Company, for a loan of $1,000. Parley personally lent them this money.
In order for the Irrigation Company to get loans from the Utah Water
and Power Board, the Irrigation Company had to put up all of its water
rights, canals, and improvements to secure the repayment of the $75,000.
These remained mortgaged until all the loans were paid off. ( Lyman, Clisbee
7)
About the time the tunnel was completed the City of Blanding purchased
from the Blanding Irrigation Company a one-half interest in the tunnel
so they could bring water from Indian Creek into the distribution system
of Blanding residents.
South Entrance Threatens to Collapse
On each end of the tunnel there was a distance where the shaft went through loose
rock before entering solid
rock. The loose rock was held by timbers, or heavy wooden beams. After
about 20 years of the use of timbers started to rot. There was a major
concern that the tunnel would collapse and shut the water off. A plan was
made with some help from the Soil Conservation Service to remove the overburden
on the south end until they hit solid rock, about 200 feet in distance.
Clisbee N. Lyman was president of the company at this time and was closely
connected with this particular project. Dave Guymon was the foreman for
the project and was assisted by Eugene Shumway with his knowledge of mining.
The Blanding Irrigation Company and the city shared equally in the cost
of this project. (Lyman, Clisbee 8) The city alone completed and paid for
a similar project on the north end of the tunnel.
There is a steep hill on the south end of the tunnel where the water
comes out. The water began to erode the steep hill. To stop further erosion,
a structure was built by the Blanding Irrigation Company and the City of
Blanding to convey water down the hill. They shared the costs equally on
this project. (Lyman, Clisbee 9)
Blanding Tunnel Monument
 |
| Blanding tunnel plaque at the south entrance.
"Blanding Tunnel
The concept of bringing water from the Indian Creek drainage into the
Johnson Creek drainage of the Abajo Mountains for use by the community
of Blanding. Was first envisioned by David P. Black and Walter C. Lyman.
Largely through their efforts a tunnel project was begun in 1921. Supported
solely from community donations of labor, food and equipment. Primitive
equipment and limited progress caused project abandonment in 1922. Beginning
in 1939, attempts were made to revive the project and by 1945 population
increase demanded renewed effort. Mayor Marvin F. Lyman and Sylvester Bradford
took up the challenge: Lyman handling the financial management and Bradford,
living on site, directed the work crews. Tenacious dedication and personal
financial sacrifice, generously extended, resulted in their achieving completion
of the tunnel, one mile plus in length, on December 27, 1951." |
Clisbee N. Lyman made a few comments about the plaque that has recently
been put on the south portal of the tunnel.
 |
Clisbee Lyman was a third generation president of Blanding Irrigation
Company.
- Clisbee Lyman Photo. |
"I find it rather ironic that this sign mentions many of
the people who have thought about the tunnel and started its construction
but it omits one very important group of people. This group, who built
the major part of the tunnel and completed it so it could be used, is the
Blanding Irrigation Company. I find it rather odd that they would put up
a sign like this and make no mention of the people who completed the tunnel,
and who were its sole owners at that time." (Lyman, Clisbee 9)
A more recent project in which the Irrigation Company played a part is
the Recapture Dam. When studies were first made on the project, the estimated
cost was $800,000. While detailed plans were being made, inflation kept
raising the price until the Company realized that they could not do it
alone. The Water Conservancy District agreed to see that the dam was constructed
including getting clearance from the Highway Department, State Engineers
Office, and others who were involved. The Conservancy District agreed to
pay most of the cost of the dam but the Blanding Irrigation Company still
agreed to pay $800,000, over a period of 40 years. The City of Blanding
has the right, during emergencies, to use water from the Recapture Dam
for culinary use. (Lyman, Clisbee 10)
 |
Recapture Dam and part of the Recapture Lake. The water is
used for culinary water in emergencies and for the farm irrigation south
of Blanding.
- Photo taken by Kristina Long, 1997. |
After the dam was completed, a pipeline was built from the bottom of
the dam to the top of the canyon, east of Blanding. This project was tackled
by the City of Blanding and the Water Conservancy District. Later the Water
Conservancy District, in conjunction with the Blanding Irrigation Company,
decided to extend the pipeline to the farms below Blanding and out to the
uranium mill. The Company signed an agreement and obtained a loan of $400,000.
This pipeline is now being completed. (Lyman, Clisbee 10)
The Irrigation Company had indeed played a very essential part in the
frontier development for the City of Blanding. They set up a power plant
and many water facilities for the community. The projects that the Blanding
Irrigation Company have done are very important. The Company helped, and
is still helping, to stabilize the thriving community of Blanding--a place
where there will always be a frontier in water development.
Gary S. Lyman wrote this in 1989 while a junior at San Juan High
School. He graduated from Utah State University in 1996.
Works Cited:
Lyman, Albert R. History of Blanding. Blanding, Utah, 1955
Lyman, Clisbee N. Oral Interview by Gary S. Lyman, October 19, 1987, San
Juan High School
Memorandum of Agreement, December 24, 1936 (In possession of Clisbee N.
Lyman)
Division of Water Resources, Utah Department of Water Resources, and Palmer
Engineering and Schick International, Developing a State Water Plan, Utah,
October 1973
Warranty Agreement, November 16, 1938 (In possession of Clisbee N. Lyman)
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Last Updated July 11, 1997 by Janet
Wilcox