Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1902-04-18
THE WATER QUESTION,
The City Must Go Without Water
at Present.


at Present.
We have heard much about tn,
Chinese exclusion bill, but the Chimes
water question interests the people 0
Shoshone far more.
The land upon which Shoshone is sit
uated was located and taken up mum
ber OF years ago by the Idaho Lane
improvement company, contajnin!
something like 900 acres. This com
pany also had water right of over 81
inches of water. By failure to use any
OF the water as is provided by law, the
company lost all their water rights ane
do not at this time claim any water right
nor have they claimed any water right:
for Il number of years, After the loss ol
this water right the people of Shoshone
entered a suit for water decree with
many settlers along Little Wood river.
The suit was brought in the name of w,
G. Hill. The court decreed to w. G.
Hill for the people Of Shoshone go
inches of water.
Wherein the Chinese water question
is of interest to the people of Sboshone
is, that QuoDg Sing leased peice of
ground on the north side of the river. of
Judge Waters, who was agent for the
parties owning the land in sections l
and 2, and proceeded to use the water
that was brought to Shoshone for the
purpose of watering the lawns and trees
of the Village ,diverting the water above
town from the town ditch, which use of
water deprived lawns in town OF sufficl-
ent water to keep them and much small
fruit suffered for want of water. A suit
was instituted by Sam Holt ct al to re-
strain Quong Sing from using this water.
The case was heard and the decision
of the Court is that Sing has a right to
this water. Further complications
arise at this point, for F. w. Cooling,
of this place has bought the entire inter
ests OF the parties for which, Judge Wa
ters was agent and is now the sole
owner. The court saws the water was
for lands in sections one and two, which |
gives to Mr.. Goodlng the balance of the
water and the people are up a stump. !
If Judge Waters could give Sing the |
water as belonging to this company, it |
stands to reason that Mr. Cooling as
owner of the balance of the land as well |
as that upon which sing has lease, |
would certainly be entitled to the bal
lnce of the water that has been used by |
.he town foe many years. If the water
belongs to Gooding then Sing has a
light to use it as lessee of the ground, |
1ut if the water belongs to the people of
Shoshone, as set forth in the decree,
neither Gooding or Sing has anv right
ahaIever to any of the water for agri-
purposes, thus depriving resi-
lents of the town OF water for domestic
Use.
1t is true Sing is resident of Sho-
hone, not citizen, but should five res
dents of Shoshone take to cuitivating
Z acres of ground. for which they can
ct leases from Mr.. Gooding. then none {
f the five would have enough water to
aise crop and every ones lawn and all !,
ur beautiful shade trees would die. and j
hoskone again be barren desert. !
Mr.. Gooding says that he will give !
Il his interests in the water belonging !
sections one and two to the people of !
hoshone ii Sing will do likewise. This \
,ems to be the only way that the peo- {
ie Will be able to save their trees, ,lawns !
nd have any for domestic use. !
No one blames Sing for getting this
ater if it belongs to his lease nor can
lyone blame Mr., Gooding for using the =
of the water If it belongs to d
I'M, and the court has so decided it; e
1t if the water belongs to the people f;
en- there is big kick coming If either q
les 1t.
here are many families in Shoshone
at can not afford to pay % cents
rrel for water; there are a number of G
or women III Shoshone who are sup "
rting themselves and their children v
ing laundry work, and it certainly
es look wrong for this water IT,. be -
zen for farms and gardens. ~
&C
Dr.. Claude Ferguson made a pro- p'