The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-10-30
WRIGHT ACT WORKINGS
Fine Results of Its Operation at EscOn-
dido Pointed Out
Details Of Water Development at a minimum
Cost to Landowners-Supplles
Both Town and Country

Mr.. F. P. Willard OF Escondido writes
the Herald of the successful development
Of water in that region under the provis-
ions of the Wright act. His letter is as
follows:
Having noticed that the columns of
The Herald are open to matters pertain
ing to the welfare of every section of the
state, and especially to the southern por
ton, | herewith hand you RECITATION of
many erroneous and absurd statements
made concerning the present and future
condition of Escondido and the country
en- braced in the Escondido Irrigation
district brought about by our being un-
der what is called the Wright law irriga-
ton system. And here l will say that.
no matter what may have been the exper-
fence of other sections of the state, with
US the Wright law has rroved 10 be that
| ideal OF success hoped for by its promot-
ers.
Our irrigation system has been COM
pleted to the extent of placing water to
every portion of tho more than 10000
acres within the district. There are per-
| haps twenty persons in the district to
whom the distributing system has not
been extended. but for whom a connec
| ton to the main system will be made be-
fore the irrigation season of the next or
coming year. This system was COM
menced and com pleted in little over
| q
| terruption, at cost, in round numbers,
of $3.50, 900, or $35 per acre, to be paid in
twenty annual installments, and the water
becomes fixture OF the land, to DE there
after had for the bare cost OF maintenance
| no interest, no bonds and no salaried
officers to be paid.
The city of Escondido having been in
| cluded in the district, the assessable prop
| erty in the city being now about one
third OF that of the whole district, the
| actual cost to the acreage outside of the
! city-the farming lands-will fall short
of the maximum of $50 an acre.
The farming lands IN the district were
assessed this year for the purpose of dis
trict assessm ept at $40 per acre.
The rate of assessment levied for water
purposes is $40 per 500 valuation, or
| Sl.36 per acre for far-Iing lands for bond
interest fund, and $l.40 per 500 valuation
or 56 cents per acre for maintenance, ex-
tensions and repairs during the current
year.
This assessment of $l.92 per acre will
place at the mand of every land
owner in the district all the water that
be may need during the year 1896 for
irrigation purposes. The irrigator simply
pays % cents toll. to defray the expense,
every time he has the water turned on to
| his land during the season. The owner
of a ten acre tract or land will be required
| at the present valuation OF property to
pay $40, 20 year for all the water he can
use. with say So per annum toll. Most
people pay more 'rthan that for the privl-
lege of having three-quarter inch tap
run into their dwellings. the other end
being attached to the system Of a private
water corporation.
The actuai amount that must be raised
Annually to pay interest and principal is
fixed by the bond issue. The property
and persons who are to contribute that
amount are the movable element. AS
property increases in quality and values
| the rate mast decrease.
| With present property valuation of
5000, 600 the rate is $3.50; double that val
nation and the rate is divided. Scarcely
| half OF our farming lanus are under Gull
tivation for irrigation. and are now on
the market Tor from $50 to S75 per acre.
while cultivated lands, planted to fruits
and vines, are worth from $3.50 to $500
per acre.
When our lands are listed for assess
ment purposes at their actual value (from
a productive standpoint) of 500 per
| acre; then, in order to raise the fixed
sum necessary to meet interest and main
tenance, our rate of water tax will be
about 1 per cent. This, certainly, does
not show 'busted community strug-
Cling under the burden of q water tax
that they cannot meet. or crushed by the
iniquity of the Wright law.
| Upon the contrary, Escondido is today
! IN the front ranks of prosperity with one
! of tine best and cheapest irrigation sys-
| tens IN the state-and We are thankful
TO the Wright law for 1t.