The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-04-10
The Caldwell Irrigation District to Be
Revived.
An ELECTION ON APRIL 24th.
The Old Board of Directors Concluded
That the District is Not DisOrganized
The Whole Matter to Be Re0peRcd.--
Mr.. Bradbury'S Proposition.


Last week w. G. Bradbury owler Of
the Phyllis irrigation canal was in this
town and met number of prominent
people. This visit grew out of a con
yersation between Governor Steunen
and Mr. Bradbury which occurred in
Denver some time ago. The purpose
of it was to consult with Caldwell PEG.
pie and Others respecting the Phyllis
canal. Mr.. Bradbury indicated that be
would be pleased to entertain propo.
sition to dispose of the Phyllis to the
Caldwell Irrigation District and take
the bonds of the district in payment.
He was not, however, prepared to fix a
price and nobody was authorized to
make him an offer, However, it was
agreed that steps should be taken look
ing to some sort of organization in Or
der that the matter could be placed be-
fore the people for their consideration
and determination. Later in the week
an informal meeting of Caldwell citi-
zens was held in. the Office of John T.
Morrison Esq. to discuss what was best
to be done. AS the meeting was entire
ly of a prelimary character, not many
were present. The movement from the
Grst had rested mainly on Mr.. T. G..
Egleston who was a most enthusiastic
worker during the organization of the
Caldwell District a couple of years ago
The meeting was called hurriedly be
cause Governor Steunenberg was in
town and it was desired that he should
be consulted with. Those present were
Governor Steunenberg, T. I. Egleston,
Chris. Fahy, Frank J. Smith, J. T. Nor
risen and Ed Hedden. After discuss
ing the situation at length it was deem
ed advisable to proceed on the follow
ing lines: First, assume that the Cald.
we'll Irrigation District still had a legal
existence and that the directors who
were elected and qualified retained
their power under the law. Second.
call an election for the purpose of elect.
ing a complete set of officers. The
reasons for pursuing this course were
substantially, that as matters now
stand there is no where any official au-
thority to negotiate with Mr.. Bradbury
or anybody else; that it would be ex.
pensive and tedious to reorganize the
district, especially under the law enact
ed By the late legislature. Besides, in
Governor Steunenberg's Judgment,
there is grave question of the validity
of the law recently enacted and in or
der to organize district at this time it
would perhaps be necessary to organize
under two laws. There were mary
reasons advanced why it would be ad-
Visable to proceed On the theory that
the Caldwell District is still alive and
that the directors are empowered to
call an election to elect q new set of
officers. If at this time a reorganiza
tion were attempted it might be de-
feated merely from a conflict of views
as to whether or not the Ply Ills should
be made the basis of the organization
or a new canal constructed. Under the
adopted plan that question will not be
at issue, but it is to be distinctly under
stood that the new directors when
elected and qualified will proceed to as
certain whether or not it will be more
advisable to purchase the Phyllis or
construct an independent system. If
the directors conclude that the best
thing to do is purchase the Phyllis then
the matter will be submitted to the
people to be voted upon in connection
with the organization of new district
which shall embrace all the lands COW
cred by the Phyllis. If it deemed i'm
practicable to purchase the Phyllis the
Caldwell Irrigation District is still free
to pursue the original design of con-
structing new and Independent ditch.
1t will therefore be seen that the whole
present purpose is to get at a starting
point and put some sort of effective
machinery at work. The question of
the validity of the course of the old di-
reCtors of the Caldwell Irrigation Dis
trict is an immaterial one because all
they propose to do is call the election
and provide for holding it. No one is
obliged to attend the election and every
body that desires to kick has a wide
waste of privilege to kick in. There is
no compulsion anywhere and if the
people do not want an irrigation dis,
trict they needn't have it. The election
is called for Saturday, April "a and no
tees are out. 1t is important that act.
i've men be elected directors. For
further information apply at the Office
of the Caldwell Irrigation District in
this town.
To Chicago or ST. Louis
via Omaha or Kansas City.