The Imperial press., 1904-12-17

| | Will- objected to some of the wording in the above letter, SO the following was prepared by the Doctor and signed by all the mem bers of the Water Users Association, except NIT. McPherrin. IMPERIAL, CAL, August 23, 1901. ! MR. J. E. LfPPESCoTr, Resident Engin-
 eer U. <. Geological Survey, Los
 Angeles, California.
 | DEAR SIR-I learn from Mir. Ward that you have recently taken up the consideration of the situation at Inn ! perial with MT. Newell to see if you can assist us in affecting a solution of onr difficulties. l trust that the result of our negotiations with the California ] Development Company will not hamper 1 your future actions in the least, as our recommendation of three million dol lar price for the California Development Company's holdings does not express what we consider nominal valuation of the property, although we would rather be compelled to pay it than lose national control of the system We realize that you will view the whole systems value from an Engineers standpoint, while we, as business men, with the view to the future, which is of certain worth to us, see speculative ] Ndlue III It.
 w. F. HobT, c. s. LOMBARD, W. A. EDGAR, I. w. GLEASON, F G. HAvENs, F. N. CHAPLIN, k. E. WILLS, $. J. ULREY, G. w. BorHwELL, J. J. MILLER.
 In view of the above facts, have not been able to agree with the other sign CTS oi the agreement with NIT. Heber on the policy to pursue since that time as l believe our true policy should be one of neutrality regarding the price until the report of the Reclamation Ser vice is made known. Signed, F. G. HAvENs. PRES. HEBER's LETTER EXECUTIVE OFFICE, THE CALIFORNIA DE- vELoPMEST COMPANY
 Los ANGELES, CAL. August 2, 1901. To THE HONORABLE SECRETARY OF INTER-
 IoR, F.. A. HITcHCoCK, WASHINGTON, D. C.:
 DEAR SIR-At the suggestion of F. H. Newell, chief of the Reclamation Ser vice, the settlers of the Imperial Valley, through their organization of mutual water companies, organized the ImpeT- ial Valley Water Users Associatio for the purpose of acquiring the irrigation system owned by the California Develop mtlt OOln pdilN-
 Said suggestion was carried out with the object in view to enlist government | financial aid under the Reclamation Act of June r., 1902, for the purpose of pay ! ing for the canal system, to join and consolidate it with that of the Yuma project.
 The chief of the Reclamation Service requested the leaders of the movement to agree with the corporation owning the system on the price that shall be paid for the company's water appropriation, water rights, franchises and property. h. order to destroy the local credit and if possible to wreck the com pany, so as to depress the value of the prop erty, the settler was induced to file claims for damages on account of alleged ! breach of contract in the delivery of water, and after much pickering and acrimony, the price has been agreed upon, which is three million dollars cash; less than one-third of its actual worth; said price to be paid to the com pany, if agreed to by your department, ont of the fund created by the Reclama- ton Act, and to be charged against the unreclaimed lands, yet reclaimabie, situated in the Valley, comprising 2OO, 900 acres or more.