, 1900-10-31
FACTS ABOUT THE
CITY WATER SUPPLY
A OF WYOMING.

STATE OF WYOMING.
County of Albany, S..
N. F. spicer, being duly sworn deposes and says:
In 1871 was Il resident of the then town of Laramie. Wyoming.
In that year a company was formed known a the Laramie Water and
Ditch company. consisting 81 Henry D. Hodseman, Ira Pease and my
self for the purpose of conducting the water from the city springs to
the city through a open ditch. Permission a obtained from the
War Department to make the necessary appropriation and the com
pany aforesaid conducted the water from the springs through the
open dt,cht to the city for the Isl of thu citizens. This business IA
continued till the summer or fall of 1872, when the bitches we're Ieas-
ed to the town for a period of n year for the nominal sum of one
dollar. the purpose of the transfer being to secure to the city the per
petual ue of the water under the rights secured through the permits
sion granted by the War Department and the appropriation made
hereunder.
Since that date the City of Laramie and the Union Pacific Rail-
road company have been in the peaceful and undisturbed possession
of the springs. and the bitches and the water therefrom, ave per-
haps n suit brought by a private party to gain title to the water for
private Sc. In that suit the party failed to obtain Judgment.
In May. 1900. Mr.. William Gncrest. superintendent of Water d.
vision No. I. came to Laramie for he purpose of taking testimony
to be used by the Board of Control N establishing the water rights Of
ciuzens living along the several streams of Albany county. WI
present for the purpose of establishing my right to water being used
upon the ranch then owned. MIR. Gicrest had previously sent a
notice to the old company, which fell into the hands Ct Mr.. Pease,
who called my attention tO the matter. When the hearing came o
Mr.. eIcrest asked me to give him tredetaAs of the matter, which
| did. The next time was before Mr.. eiIerest, Mr.. Arnod, attorney
for the city and also for the Union Pacific was present. called Mr..
Arnold aside and his attention va directed to the matter in detail. He
said: THE CITY AND THE RAILROAD COMPANY, HAVING
BEEN IN THE UNoIsPUTED USE OF THE WATER FROM THE
SPRINGS FOR A PERIOD OF MORE THAN TEN YEARS, ALL
o-,,r, ,,o,,re ABE or Ma nyn, :. .nu HL.. .Ay !. ..... -.
contest will be instituted. My only object is to preserve all the rights
which the city and railroad company may have, a Rave already
stated to MIR. Gicrest"
BUT Mr.. ARNOLD INSISTED THAT THE BETTER PLAN
WOULD BE TO INSTITUTE PROCEEDINGS, so THAT ALL Pos
sleLE PRECAUTIONS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE
RIGHTS OF THE CITY AND THE COMPANY MIGHT BE TAKEN.
serve the rights to the city and the company. which | had transferred.
as thought. many years before.
At the time of the transer in 1872, the action was in good faith
for the benefit of the city. and at the time the contest was instituted
before the state board the sole and only purpose a to preserve for
the benefit of the City of Laramie and the Union Pacific Railroad
company the rights which we're obtained through the original appro
priation made by Hodgeman, Pease and myself, AND THE ACTION
WAS TAKEN UPON THE ADVICE OF MR.. c. P. ARNOLD, THE
ATTORNEY FOR THE CITY AND THE COMPANY.
N. F. sPIcER.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 9th day Of October, 1906.
[seall c. s. eREENsAUM, Notary Public.