The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1904-07-27

The people of this valley learned last
Saturday evening just wnat is necessary
in order to induce the United States
government to take up the work of
irrigation here. Z. A. Noble. chief of
the reclamation service. addressed Il
large and representative meeting of cit
liens at the Commercial club OH the sub
iect. and his remarks are given i'll full
in this article. II. b. Scudder was made
chairman of the meeting and +. L.
Boardman secretary. In taking the
chair Mr.. Scudder very truly said that
this subject of government aid in irri-
eating the lands of this valley is the
most important that confronts the peo-
pie. 1t means. he said. that there will
be no further development of our Won
derful resources, or that practically 400
600 acres of land will be reclaimed. with
the consequent benefits that will come
to every resident of the valley. His re-
marks were brief but to the point and
at their conclusion he introduced Mr.
Noble.
He has mad force of men in the val
ley since last spring making a hydro
graphic survey and il has been definitely
determined that all the water in the
Yakima and its tributaries. taking theil
natural flow. has been appropriated. Mr.
Noble did not have anything to recon-
mend to secure government aid, but sait
it was for the people of this valley tc
formulate some plan and submit it tC
the government. The only plan that
seems feasible in view of ais remarks
is to nave the government store the
flood waters in the lakes at the head OF
the rivers and distribute it, In order
to do this. however. legislation is neces
-ary by the state of Washington. II
must be determined what proportion
of the flow is the natural flow of tho
river and what proportion comes from
the storage reservoirs of the govern
ment. Then. also. the courts must de
prior appropriations are entitled to
Many of them have appropriated many
times more water than they require OF
can use. and it is thought that it vii
be held that they are only entitled tC
what is necessary to irrigate Their
lands. The legislation that is necessary
,,.;n ohnh no nj nv Ia.
state irrigation commission and sub
mitted to the legislature next winter
Before the meeting adjourned a motion
was adopted authorizing the chair tC
appoint Il committee of five. to work il
conjunction with II similar committee
Of the Commercial club. to recommend
legislation to the irrigation commission
At this writing the committee has moi
vet been named by Mr.. Scudder
The subject of irrigation was gener
ally discussed by the meeting after Mr.
Mobiles remarks and that gentleman an
Swered Il number of questions. 1t was
the concensus OF opinion that the plar
adopted in the Salt River valley Of
Arizona, where the prior appropriations
turned their water rights over to tn,
government and assisted in building al
ditiona works. would not be feasible il
this valley. Conditions here are entire
" different There was scarcity OF
water in Arizona. while here there is al
abundance To irrigate all the land that
is now cultivated. Notwithstanding that
all the water is appropriated. 1t is not
all used The prevailing opinion seem,
to be that the legislation outlined above
must be enacted. The majority of tnt
people seem 10 want the government tC
take charge of ana distribute the sur
plus waters of the Yakima watershed
and to this end the energies of tn,
people must be directed. They mus
work through the state irrigation com
mission. W. b. Bridgeman of Sunny
side a member of the commission, was
present and was called on for nfor
nation a. To what it is doing. He stat
ed that he mad only recently been ap
pointed and had not yet met with the
commission. hut would attend its ses
sion at Walla Walla next month. See
rotary Walter Granger of the commits
sion was also present, but did not tax,