, 1888-08-23
TO AVOID TROUBLE.
Engineer Mead's Plan to Prevent
Water Litigation.
A Scheme for the use of a Stated
Claim to Water.
A Project for the Benefit of Terri.
toriaI Ditch Owners.

The appended letter recently issued
from the Office of Territorial Engineer
Mead is self explanatory. A compliance
with the suggestions contained will accrue
greatly to the benefit of all irrigators.
The communication was addressed to the
appropriations of water, but was intended
more especially for county clerks. These
latter officials have in every instance re-
piled to. the engineer and heartily endorsed
his plan. Mr.. Mead yesterday stated
that there had been but few erroneous
claims filed in Laramie county and that
mistakes had been made by persons who
attempted to state their titles without the
assistance of either lawyer or surveyor.
The adoption of a uniform blank will an
nually save irrigators no mean sum in at
torney's fees:
CHEYENNE, Aug. q, 1SSS.-An ex-
animation of a large portion of the claims
to water, now on file in the offices Of the
various county clerks of the territory. has
disclosed the fact hat a wide diversity ex-
lists in the character Of the statements
contained in these claims.
This is shown in the different orders in
which the essential facts are arranged, in
the use of different units to designate the
volume of water claimed and in the vari-
GUS forms in which the dimensions and
grades of bitches are expressed. This
lack of uniformity proves a source of seri-
u annoyance and perplexity to those
having occasion to examine the records.
To reduce these varying units to a ON
nor standard, which becomes necessary
whenever any use is made OF these rec
ords, is a work involving considerable
time and labor which could be avoided by
the use of a standard form in the original
statements.
Another, and more serious defect which
has been observed in these claims is the
failure of many to state all the facts nee
essary to the determination Of the claim.
ants rights or his protection in them.
These omissions include nearly every por-
ton of a complete claim, but the most
serious and numerous are the failures to
state fully or properly the dimensions of
the ditch or the volume of water claims.
The unit employed for the latter is often
SO indefinite as to be practically valueless.
Square inches,'' Agricultural inches"
California inches" or Miners inches
are decidedly out of place in this terrific
ry. where the law recognizes no unit ex
cept the cubic loot per second.
These incomplete statements are des-
tined, sooner or later, to prove a source
Of serious ANNOYANCE, if not of expense,
to the parties filing them, since whenever
an adjudication is had the missing facts
will have to be supplied.
AS an aid to secure the proper filing of
these claims in the future and the conse-
quent protection of the rights and inter
ests of claimants, 1 have prepared a
standard form OF claim, the use of which
throughout the territory is strongly urged.
The advantage Of uniformity and system,
to be secured by this means, are so many
and important that it is hoped that this
request will in all cases be complied with.
Copies of this form have been furnished
to all the county clerks and county sur
veyors of the territory who will undoubt
edly make arrangements for their being
readily obtained. Respectfully.
ELwooD MEAD,
Territorial Engineer.