The Imperial press., 1904-12-17


 republic oi Mexico. together with the contract with ilie republic ot Mexico. approved lN its Congress ccling and granting io ii thc right Co divert, appr'- priatc, use and sell the waters of the Colorado River, and to rcccivc thusc diverted ou American territory at thc river north ol the international line, and conduct them through Mexican territory back over aud acrsss thc inter. national line. in certain proportion. tor use and ior sale iu the United states oi America for irrigation and other pur- poses.
 A copy of sad contract is herewith enclosed. marked Exhibit \. and in this connection | wish Ca state that, as near as can bc estimated without actual measurement, there are approx imatelv SA1. .OpO acrrs oi arahlr, irrigahlc lands situated iu Lower California, Mex ico. which will ultimately receive water from ihe system under discussion. and which will contribute 70 cents per acre foot oi water per annum, with profcr management, sufficient water rights appurtenAnt to the above mentioned lands in Mexico can b. sold hy the . association Ia ultimately repay the $500 .Oo0 advanced in the settlers in the United States, and the annual water rentals thereafter, in my opinion, will be sufficient to pay all maintenance charges both in the United States and in Mexico and besides create an annual . surplus.
 Our contracts provide maximum . service oi four acre-ioot oi water Ter annum ger acre. The reclamation eu- glneers estimate that it will require . nearly double that amount; which eSii- ! maie l consider erroneous, basing my . opinion upon actual experience and ! observation in the Imperial Valley, and { from tbs reports oi our practical Irriga- { ton engineers oi long experience
 The Consideration for the purchase of . the Mexican Company stock which . completes the chain ot the Imperial ] Canal system, is sei forth in the propo- | siiion ut purchase and sale which has . been agreed to by both the buyer and . seller; a copy of which is also enclosed . herewith and marked Exhibit \. which . was ratified ai 8 mass meeting composed . of the settlers August g3, lSDi.
 The agreement provides that the Cal . ifornia Development Company shall re- tain. in payment for said stock Ur prop 1. ertv. 30. .oD0 acres oi land owned by the . Mexican Company and 2Do, ODD acre-ies.t l of water per Anuum lerpetually, charge able with 50 cents ger acre-iOOt per . annum as rental, which said rental shall . bs assigned io and collected by the . California Development Company dur ! ing a period oi ten years commencing 1. on January l, leD5; also twenty-five ! fg5) per cent. of all water rights sold by | the Mexican company in the republic of ! Mexico. Or fl no water rights are sold, ! then 9 per cent 0f the water rentals I received from ibe service of land other than that retained by the California . Development Company for period of I five years from the third day 0i April 1. next.
 There is also q silent consideration for the purchase of the Mexican Com , pany stock, which ls the payment here iofore made, and to be made on the water shares purchased by the present settlers and eutrymen, on government, school and scrip lands.
 While the agreement of purchase and sale herein referred 10 and marked Ex- hibit B, does not make the division of payment a. above set out. yet such was contemplated and 10 construed by both parties iO the agreement.
 When the California Development Company called upon Congress last
 l.. ..3 s. sasHa.