Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1890-03-01

The Senator's Plan for Organising
and Governing Reclamation Dis

SECTION I. That the United States shall
confer upon organizations, to be known as
irrigation districts, certain specified powers;
the first being those possessed by all corpor-
ations, to sue, be sued, have seal, acquire
the property necessary to establish complete
irrigation system for each district, 10 elect
officers of each district by popular vote to
construct reservoirs, canals and other n.y.
draulic works necessary to complete sys-
TEN Of irrigation, to make laws for the equit-
able distribution OF water within the districts,
to levy and collect all taxes upon arabic lands
within the districts. public and private. and
to raise money for the construction and main
tenance of irrigating works.
SEC. 2. Whenever the Governor Of 4
State or Territory in which an irrigation dis
trict exists shall notify the Secretary Of the
Interior Of the existence of such organiza-
ton, and shall certify that the organization
is in good faith, made with the consent of
the majority of the people residing interest
ed in such district, it shall be the duty of the
Secretary to cause a survey to be made.
Such district shall include in its boundaries
all arabic lands which can be irrigated by a
general system Of irrigation, which can be
regulated by the same general rules. They
shall also include in such district such pas
ture, timber lands, reservoir sites, lines Of
bitches and places for hydraulic works as
may properly belong to such district, and
shall fix time within which irrigation work
shall be completed.
Then shall they divide the district into
the following areas: First, reservoir sites,
ditch lines and other places for hydraulic
works; second, lands susceptible of irriga-
ton; third, pasture land; fourth, timber
lands.
The arabic lands shall be subdivided with
out delay into 20, 80, 100 acre tracts, and
shall be subject to entry under the home.
stead laws only. The arabic lands of the
United States in such district shall be subject
to the same charges, taxes and assessments
as are imposed upon private lands receiving
like benefits.
All charges, assessments and taxes levied
by the irrigation organization upon arabic
lands Of the district, together with the legal
interest on such charges, shall be lien upon
all arabic lands within the district to be IT.
rigated, and persons who shall thereafter &C.
quire title to any such arabic public lands
shall take the same subject to the charges
and interest. All lands in the district shall
be withdrawn from entry and sale except as
provided by this Act.
SEC. 3 Whenever irrigation works nee
essary to furnish arabic lands with water shall
have been constructed in . substantial and
durable manner, according to plans approved
by the Secretary of the Interior within the
time fixed by him, and there shall be an &C.
tual resident who is the owner On each legal
subdivision OF arabic public lands in such
districts entered under the provisions Of this
Act, the Secretary shall issue certificate
that the irrigation of said district is COM
| Plete AHu tHat INC PuuiiS Janus thciciH SoH-
tanned are In bona fide possession Of citizens
Of the United States or those who have de-
cared their intention to become such, and
that such citizens are residing on the lands.
The timber pasture lands in such district
shall thereupon become the property Of the
district, and the district organization may sell
such timber and pasture lands in such man.
ner as Congress shall approve. Patents shall
thereupon be issued for homestead entries
made in pursuance with the provisions of this
act; also for all other bona 6de entries Of
arabic lands in the district which were made
be fore the establishment Of the district, pro-
vided that applicants for such lands shall
have performed the acts required by the law
under which the entries were made, but as to
desert entries no further proof shall be re-
quired as 10 the desert character Of the land
or the fact of reclamation.
SEC: 4. Whenever an irrigation district
shall be situated in two or more States it will
be Necessary for each State in which any por-
ton Of such district is situated tn confer upon
such district the power and privileges here
inbefore set forth.