The Meeker herald., 1886-08-07
Water 0tghss.

This most important matter II NJ
tracing unusual attention during To
present season of dfou;h. and II II wv3
that every owner Of soil should knoS
what constitutes u Water Right W
have aroounts of irrisating bitches u
the southern part Of tho Territory Il
Colorado ~ early ~ the year isss. btd
as the nativc Gr~asrr wAs too lazy it
steal wafer from his ncigi,l,nrs ditch
and u very small ditch would supply iisr
limiirsi demands of whole settlement
tnrfr wnS no nrsSi ot sa~s On the xtne
jcct until the grrcsi for gain ~as brought
with civilization by tho white man.
As the demand for water increased
and the supply proportionaiciy dirnin.
tsic,i. whole communities were thrown
into cnm.iy and turmoil aud the courts
bur,icn-,i with litigation To settle tise
rights of parties To wafer when their
were really no laws by which the dis-
pu,c could bc settled.
In isTp the Legislature Of ColotDl,
made i,s first efforts 10 sys,rsnaiixc aisi
regulate the wafer rights Of claimants
os canals and bitches already in usc a,,i
many disputes were settled by decfcc tf
court.
In issi II enacted a set Of Irrigation
Laws better than the much bnast4i
water laws of the older state Of Cal.
forn,a. and for the information Of all 10.
icscsicd In this momcntous question vc
publish the entire Section iTec. Scci!eu
10. Of the General Laws Of Colorado.
SIC. 10. ls.l Every person. assncsa.
iion or corporation hereafter cons,ruG-
ing or cnlarging any ditch. canal OF feci.
or Tor any reservoir, for irrigation. atd
taking water directly from any naiura
stream. and Of n carving capacity Of
one cubic foot per second Of time as 81
constructed or enlarged, shall. within
ninety days after the commencement of
such construction or enlargement. fi.
and cause 10 be recorded In the Office Of
the county clerk OF the county In which
such ditch. canal or feeder may bc sit
uatc,i. or II such canal, ditch or feeder
tr situated In any water district. in the
Office Of the county clerk of such county
into which such water district may e.
tend. n sworn statement In writing,
showing the name Of such ditch. canal.
or of the reservoir supplied by such
feeder. the point Mt which the head gate
thereof IL situated (if IL lie new con.
struc,ionl. the size Of the ditch. canal or
feeder. in width and depth. and the car.
rying capacity thereof in cubic feet pcr
second. the description Of the line there
OF. and the time when the work was
commenced. and the name or names Of
the owner or owners thereof. together
with a map showing the route thereof
the legal subdivisions Of the land. II on
surveyed lands. with proper corners
and distances. and In case Of an enlarge.
ment. the depth and width. also the car
rying capacity Of the ditch enlarged.
with the width and depth of the ditch.
canal or feeder as enlarged, and the in
creased carrying capacity OF the same
thereby occasioned, and the time when
such enlargement WAS commenced, and
no priority Of right for any purpose
shall attach to any such construction OF
enlargement until such record is made
II law means ANYTHING II means wha,
II SAYS. and 1t is not necessary to gel
an old Californian to interpret it. Thu
water claimant who keeps nearest IL
the letter of the law will be farthes