The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-08-18
WILL BOND
FOR WATER

TUX WAlEK
A preliminary meeting Of farmers was
held at the Barrett school house Mon
day evening, and steps were taken to
bond the district for water. The short
age Of water in the district above the
Farmers ditch is being felt more and
more as new ground is cleared and
brought under cultivation, and the
movement towards bonding the district
that was talked OF last winter culmin-
ated in the meeting Monday night.
when 35 signed petition to the county
court.
The small ditch that has supplied the
older residents in the Crapper and Bar
rett districts for many years carries
only about 400 inches Of water, while
the present needs are fully five times
as much. There is scarcely farm that
is getting half enough water, and in
some cases considerable cleared land is
lying idle. Some Of the new places can
not be improved for lack OF water, and'
the farmers above the Farmers ditch
on the West Side realize that they must
put in an irrigating ditch Of sufficient
size to supply future as well as present
wants II they expect to get the proper
results from their land.
The proposition is to bond the district
to be benefited, and the area proposed
is part of Dukes Valley and OdeIl on the
east side, and all of the district on the
west side of Hood River not now sup
piled with water. 1t is estimated that
this district will cover II 900 acres The
cost Of ditch large enough to carry
sufficient water TO supply this large
area IL roughly estimated at 100000.
II may cost considerably more, but will
probably not exceed $40 for each acre of
land benefited. Given 20 years to pay
for it, the cost will not amount to ~ an
inch OF water per year, with free water
at the end of 20 years,
There is no question but that irrigat-
ing water is worth 500 an acre to the
land for any purpose, and there should
not be dissenting voice in voting for
the new improvement. The fact that
the land in spectators hands lying
idle will have to pay for the water,
whether it is used or not, is point in
favor Of the bonding scheme, and will
tend TO force improvement among that
class of property owners.
The meeting at the Barrett school
house was attended by about fifty prop
erty owners residing within short dis
tance Of the place of meeting. f. W.
Angus was made chairman and d. +.
Markham eacretaTy.
Mr. Angus stated briefly the object Of
the meeting. and read a synopsis of the
state irrigation law, as published in the
Glacier March "a, 1904 He stated that
he thought i; would be a good policy to
bond the entire Hood River district,
providing the other water companies
wished to come in and turn over their
property for what it was worth, but
that it would be left entirely with the
other companies to act. He wanted it
distinctly understood that ii was no
stock-jobbing scheme, but all they
wanted was water, and would bond a
district outside of the territory covered
by the present bitches If the rest of the
valley were satisfied with what they
had.
J. II. Shoemaker stated that the pro-
posed district included l4000 or $4,000
acres, which would be reduced 1000 or
5000 acres ii the East Side section
adjoining Hood River did not want to
be included He thought the expense
OF the ditch would not exceed $40 an
acre, but he was satisfied to pay $40 an
acre II necessary, and then would con-
slider it good investment for u perpet-
ual water right on the land.
II ~ Gharriah gtatnJ That NJ N p,aat
ing of the directors OF the Water Supply
Co, it was agreed to turn over their
stock at par to the new corporation il
the bonding proposition went through,
which would amount to $4,000. The
stock was worth 25 per cent premium,
and he thought the offer Il liberal one.
Their present rght-of-way was valuable
as far as 1t went, and would save the
new company considerable on that item
alone. They were interested in the
new scheme, and would be glad to see
il succeed.
Mr.. Castner thought it would be
good idea to include both the big bitches
now furnishing water on both the east
and west side, but il was not the inten-
ton to force the sale of either of the
ditches, but it would be left to those
companies to decide for themselves.
A petition to the county court that
had been prepared, as the first formal
ity to comply with the law, was read
and upon being circulated received SO
signatures, as below A committee
consisting of Scott Boorman and P, H.
Martin was appointed to circulate the
petition among farmers who were not
at the meeting, and it is expected that
majority of the farmers to be bene-
fitted will sign the petition, and it will
be placed in the hands of the county
court as soon as possible, in order to
get vote on the proposition this fall
The meeting was adjourned subject
TO the call of the chair
The petition and first signers;
PETI ION.