The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-11-08
COLUMBIA cos GRANT
Congress Establishes a RATHER Peculiar
Precedent.
SOMETHING ABOUT YAKIMA HOPS.
Money TO be Made From That Pro-
duct Even Though Prices May be
Lew - Instance cited 10 Prove
That Assumption.

On July %, 1894. there was approved
an act passed by congress, granting TO
the Columbia Irrigation company right.
of-way through the Yakima Indian reser-
walton. This act expressly provides an
annullment OF all rights of the company
in the grants or provisions of the act, I'M
less the canal shall shall have been COM
pleted before July %, "a, and . miles must
be completed within two years. This bill
was passed through the efforts of Hon.
John Wilson, in congress and the canal
question is the sixty-mile project insti-
tuted by Senator lde, of Spokane.
A certain wiseacre in Yakima has
long contended that not enough water
was flowing in the rivers OF Yakima to
equal the amount already appropriated.
Of course, this assumption is ridiculously
erroneous; but were it true, even then
Mr.. Ide would not find his hopes buiIded
upon a foundation of straw particularly
inadequate in windy country because
congress stipulated that the company
should have "the right to appropriate
and use any and all water necessary for
their use from the Yakima river, not
otherwise appropriated and in actual use
at the time of the passage OF this act
Therein congress establishes precedent
which may raise profound discussion
in coming legislatures of the Evergreen
State. For, il it be true that new ditch
companies may be granted rights syn.
onymous with those given the Columbis
company, some day the irrigators will
find that more water certainly has been
appropriated than is flowing in the rivers
Troubles must arise when companies are
allowed to appropriate certain quantities
for bitches OF given dimensions and
length, TO irrigate specific areas of land
when canals are not buiIded OF the mag.
nitude at first contemplated In almost
every instance the companies of Wash
ington have appropriated more water
than their bitches now carry, because
these waterways have not yet been COM
pleted and may not be for years to
come. When the time does come
then, that they attempt to claim Their
appropriations on grounds OF priority,
will there be sufficient water flowing to
enable them to secure it? And if not,
who will be found responsible for the de-
ficiency? Congress overlooks priority OF
appropriation, basing its grant solely
upon the quantity mot in actual use at
the time of the passage OF this act" The
older ditch companies may well look into
this matter.
The Columbia company was given suf
ficient land for reservoirs, for right-of- way
connecting these reservoirs with the ditch
and rs feet from either side OF the center
of the main canal was constituted The
right-of-way, same being freely given
stone. earth and timber from the reserve
were also given for use in canal construc
ton. A particularly salient feature Of
the act is the stipulation that the com
phuN euhii Oluu itseli, It's shCCcsSpIh vi
assigns, not to attempt to secure from
the Indian tribe any further grant of lane
or its occupancy" than is provided in
the act. This prevents connivance at Sc
curing long leases upon the valuable res
ervation lands, and protects the gullible
wards of the government-who are. also
TO be given freely all the water necessary
for the irrigation of the lands allotted to
them, lying under the ditch.
The whole OF the act is broad in scope,
yet the rights of the Indians are every.
where carefully guarded The HERALD
regrets-because of the local Importance
of the instrument-that its length renders
it somewhat difficult OF publication in full
but the above are the main features, and
fair idea of the concessions made by
congress may he gained therefrom.