The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-06-27
: SEEK STATE CASH
FOR PRIVATE USE
Senator Gardner and Others
Besiege Land Board.
ASK AID FOR Their SCHEME
WANT 81 800 TO PAY FOR REsER-
VoIR SURVEYS.

At its next meeting, July 6, the state
land board will decide whether it Will
appropriate $500 10 a private irrisa-
ton enterprise. which, IL is said, is
being promoted by State Senator
Henry Gardner and other citizens OF
the southern part of Utah county
This company, which has not Seen IN
cOrpOrated, but which is known as the
Strawberry Land & Irrigation COM
pany, is asking the state TO pay us
expenses for surveying reservoir site.
1t is not claimed that any state land
viii be benefited by this. The private
corporation, which, report has il, IS
planning to get in ahead of the gov
eminent in diverting the waters of
Strawberry creek, is to have the entire
benefit Of the survey. A committee OF
the land board visited the site recently
and viii report a { the next meeting
There is something of a history 70
this scheme. 1t first showed its head
during the recent session Of the legis-
lature when Senator Henry Gardner.
a SmOOt Republican from Utah cOun-
~. introduced an apparently innocent
bill. entitled as follows: Senate bill
No. 179, by Mr.. Gardner, An Act Pro
viding for the ENCOURAGEMENT of. Res
eTvOir Projects. the Selection of Two
of the Most Feasible Reservoir Sites,
the Preparation of Data and Records
and Use Of Same. and Appropriation
of Money to -Defray the Expenses
Thereof"
Provisions Of Bill.
This innocent looking measure con
tanned the following prOvisiOns
The state board of land commits
slOners is hereby authorized and di-
TCcted to eXpend as soon as the
weather permits. 50. 600 out of the res
ervoir land grant fund for the purpose
Il. Ia
strUcting two reservoirs. the expense
on each reservoir for determining the
matters herein provided to be $1,000,
at any place within the state of Utah
the investigation. in a general way,
shall be to measure the waters of any
stream or streams, the amount or
water that may be stored, to select
the most accessible place for the pur-
pose of diverting water. and how same
may be diverted, and to that end to
make surveys and do all necessary
work to the amounts aforesaid re-
spectively, the primary object being -
expend the money to the best advan-
two reservoir sites for the purpose of
elCOura ging the construction and
maintenance of reservoirs. so as to in
crease the availa bic supply of water
when most needed
The Bill Went Through
Much was said about Increasing the
value of state lands by the passage
of this bill, and 1t went through, the
spirit of fostering irrigation being
prevalent and the general suppOsition
being that the reservoirs were TO be
constructed by the state to benefit
state lands
But Senator Gardner and his asso-
GATES had different plans. II soon de
veIoped that they We're planning to
get in ahead of the government by di-
verting the Strawberry into Spanish
Fork and appropriating the water for
lands now PRINCIPALLY held be private
ownership.
Little more was said for some time,
until. the same aggregation quietly puC
IN the first applica ton for a reservoir
survey under the act. The land board
was besieged TO make it act quietly
and promptly. and finally a committee
was sent out to investigate the sit
uation and report. The committee
went out to the Strawberry. but it has
not yet told its opinion. This viii be
done at the next meeting of the
board.
1t has not vet developed what is the
other reservoir scheme covered in the
bill