The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-06-22
putting in the dam it should have exacted

been replenished and the county itself
have the satisfaction of having done some
good with little or no expense. To
take our portion under pretenses OF
this nature is too ridiculous to contemplate.
This back-water theory is too shallow for
anything. The truth is as stated IN our
petition. The county assumed the author
ity to divide the entire waters of the Jor-
dan into six parts, five of which were
given, with grants, to the leading canals,
branching out at the south end of the val
ley, and the remaining half was reserved
for the settlers along the river and for
milling purposes We can prove this to be
the positive truth, from the testimonies of
scores of witnesses. But in after years
our one-sixth was seized by the county au-
thorities and given to the Hydraulic COM
pany These are the facts in the case. 1t
appears that this company had conceived
the idea of soft snap in the shape OF
land in the regions of the west
mountains, but as land in this country is
almost worthless without water, ours had
to go to make up what was lacking. This
formed the basis of our petition, which was
unanimously signed by the settlers extend
ing along the river, from the front of the
mountain, south, to nearly the mouth of
said river on the north, asking that the
county authorities return to US that which
was illegally taken from US. But alas! cur
petition was ignored on the grounds that
the county had no authority to act. This
reply, together with the part the county
has taken in this farce, indicates that
they had sufficient authority. at least,
to take, if not to return, that
which was taken, authority to distress
and seemingly none to relieve, authority to
commit grievous mistakes but none to make
amends. Is it not a sorrowful plight to be
ins At any rate, in this simple and just
request of ours, they might have acted
with perfect propriety, for law ana Justice
was already on their side In speaking of
the hydraulic company we wish it dis
tinctly Understood that we do not hold
them equally guilty in this affair. AS we
are strongly impressed that it is difficult to
| find more respectable body of citizens
| than the majority are, but unfortunately,
they were beguiled into this dilemma by
the few who concoct9d the scheme, and
when these gentlemen will fully under
stand the situation. they will, | have no
doubt, relinquish in favor of the rightful
owners. In fact they cannot do other
wise, without becoming equally guilty,
and it is not their disposition to become
| so. We have entertained the idea that the
right to petition is one of the inherent
rights of the people, and when the people
are reasonable and just in the requests
they should never be denied, and should
vent Immediate action, even then most
respectful explanation would seem to be
necessary. In this way the mutual gold
feeling, which is so desirable, is maintained
between the officeholder and his constitu-
ents. However, this petition was returned
to US without word of sympathy or re
spect, and no reason given why it was not
granted, save the abrupt mo authority
reply. We were asking for nothing but
: what we should have done without asking.
, Such thing as the dividing of a stream
without providing for the settlers along
said stream is not known save in this in
stance. 1t is the settlers that should have
been consulted first, and when they were
satisfied the surplus could have been taken
with good grace to improve our pub
lie domain. Instead OF that we are
the last thought of and the
least provided for What ever
is done or left undone the situation re
mains precisely the same with US. There
are no provisions made, whether the lake
contains little or much, and whether the
} river happens to be high or low, the six
: grants given by the county takes it all
Added to this the permits given to take
out the seepage water further down the
river, you will readily see that in times OF
scarcity there is but very little left fol-
any purpose. 1t is mystery to many, il
not to all why the county is willing tt
exert itself to such an extent in favor o.
this company, and utterly ignore the en-
treaties of others who are equally
entitled to consideration. To disinheri
the inhabitants of the Jordan is
dangerous precedent to establish in The
midst of this people. If people who have
lived in this stream since the ARRIVAL of the
pioneers in this country can be deprived o.
the water, so can others, elsewhere: throw
down the bars in this direction, and Vol
will pave the way for all like commuuitie.
to be assailed for the same object. To TAX,
our interest in this stream and confer tn,
! same on the hydraulic canal company re
quired special enactment on the part of thu
county, and the law of 'S2 prohibits this
Not even the legislature, the highest au
thority in the territory, can dis
criIninate in favor Of any particu
lar party; furthermore. the county ha
not complied with any method neces
sary to acquire legal title to this Fraction
of water, neither was it disposed of in ac
cordance to law. If it was theirs to dis
pose of, it should have been advertised ant
sold at public auction to the highest bid
: der. Therefore we are safe in saying tina
, the whole affair is irregular and illega
from beginning to end. Before closing w
may refer to one of many important case
: on record, namely that which tookpace be
r tween Goshen and Mona some three o
1 four years ago, in the district court o
? Provo, which alter a long and careful
investigation was decided that tn
/ water belonged to the original owners
This / consider is a GROWING argumen
! in our favor, especially when we take int
! consideration that the case is most apple
, able to the present situation. We have tn
best of grounds TO believe there would b
no difficulty whatever for us to attain til
same results. 1t would be most unfortu
4 nate for all the community, were sue
) cases decided otherwise, so far as water i
concerned. 1t is true we may have al
: abundance for all, during the present sea
{ son. But there is principal Of vital i'm
portance to all the community involved i
? this, one that we must sooner or later lear
to respect, that is, we must learn to respec
the rights of others as we do our OWE
, The golden rule as given by the grea
, Master has been sadly violated in this in
, stance, for it is evident we have not re
, ceived the treatment at their hands the
would naturally expect from US. Let n
, one think for moment that | stand alon
in this matter, for / am O My voicing tn
| sentiments Of all the intelligent peopl
along the river Jordan. Thanking Til
{ HERALD kindly for again allowing us to de
! fend our rights through its valuabl
, columns, remain yours respectfully,
JOHN S. LEWIS.