The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-30
b nc salt &c Herald:

To The Salt Lake Herald:
A communication appeared in this
mornings issue of the Tribune over the
signature of Alexander f. Lee. on the
subject of the much-mooted scheme de-
Nlsed by government engineers for pro-
Niding water for irrigating Salt Lake
valley. The writer applauds the little
coterie of South Jordan Canal company
stockholders, who, with the assistance
of number OF persons who were not
stockholders. defeated the purpose Of
the meeting at West Jordan last
Wednesday.
I respect Mr.. lee as a man. but dis
agree with his conclusion that govern
ment aid should not be secured to make
the whole Of Salt Lake valley habit
able II any practicable scheme that
would be less expensive and equally
henehcent were presented I should
doubtless favor accepting II and saying
TO Uncle Samuel: Thanks for your
kindness. but we don't need your help"
In the absence. however. of any other
plan for the accomplishment of the OBJ
Jeet ! am unwilling to insolently re-
ject the aid Of the government
Mr.. Lee does not presume to con-
denim the scheme from an engineering
standpoint. It would be presumptuOus
Tor any person who is not q competent
engineer to do so. One reason ne offers
for his opposition is the expense of IL.
and with pessimistic fOrethOught he
wonders how II would be met II a slump
in prices for farmers truck should oc-
cur or grasshoppers should take our
crops. If the pioneers of Utah had
been pessimists they never would have
located here. nor would any develop
ment agrieulturary or otherwise have
occurred here since, had pessimism
been the rule here.
AnOfhar rpa son adx-er,coI b-- f.
for his opposition Is the fact that the
canal companies Of this valley are now
loaded down with debt. That appeals
to me as a very good reason why we
should accept a loan from the govern
ment of the necessary capital to make
the Improvement with the privilege OF
paying it back in ten annual install
ments without interest-and not hav-
ing to commence payments until the
work is completed, and the water Sc
cured. affOrding us a chance in the
meantime TO clear off our present in
debtedness.
/ am not an engineer, and IN matters
involving important questions In hydro
states or kindred subjects il would
be folly for me to set my own judg-
ment up or accept that of others equal
~ inexperienced in opposition to the
opinions Of men who have devoted their
lives to such studies.
TO reject the government plan as i'm
practicable is to impute to the govern
ment engineers dishonesty or incom-
potency. ] prefer TO believe that they
are neither lnaves nor tools. and my
faith in them is strengthened by the
fact that their plan is heartily approved
by the best of our local engineers. In
Guiding our state engineer). who are
ready to stake their reputation on its
success
To ,-aiact the r,ta,, 1,oca,-so Of Sc az-
pense or of our poverty, indicates a
lack of faith i'm ourselves and our val
ley, that is anything but creditable TO
US.
For any stakeholder Of the existing
canals to reject the scheme or lend his
influence to defeat it because he as an
individual doesn't want to invest any
more in water or devote himself to
farming. or doubts whether he indi
vidually may be benefited by il (ai-
though admitting that others might be
and the country develOped), is to admit
that he is a very narrow-minded per-
son. totally lacking in public spirit.
am a stakeholder in two of the ca
nails. I don't expect to follow farm
ing for a living. but l have sufficient
faith in the farms I own, and enough
regard for other residents of this val
ley. and others still who may yet come
here to reside. and whom / expect to
be benefited by the proposed improve
ments. TO labor and pledge myself TO
secure it. even though it may involve
a sacrifice on my part.
have advocated the prOpriety Of
asking no more than 200 or $50 second
feet for the vested rights of the ca
nal companies combined in Utah lake
and Jordan river leaving the govern
ment TO dispose of whatever additional
water may be obtained, at cost Of the
improvements, 10 the canal companies,
preferably, or TO owners of other lands
if the present canal companies didn't
require it all. / have feared that il
more were demanded for our present
rights the government might reject the
proposition lest the cost of the i'm
provement might make the price per
i second foot Of the additional water too
high for it to find purchasers.
Failing to agree upon accepting
either of the amounts suggested for
the primary rights, it is now proposed
! that the offer be made the govern
ment TO accept 300 second feet-50
! for each Of the companies interested
which amount may be satisfactory 10
/ the government, though not so certain
! as If the lower amount were named.
The stockholders of three of the ca
nal companies and Salt Lake City's
representative having already agreed
/ to accept a smaller amount if nsces-
! sary in order to secure government aid,
/ there is no doubt but they will be sat
4 isfied with 60 second-feet if they can
! get it, so it is proposed to again con-
! yene the South Jordan stockholders in
I the West Jordan meeting house at II
/ a. m. Friday April 1. To see if they
/ will agree to it.
! The question for the stockholders to
| consider viii be: VIII they as COM
pany agree to accept 60 secOnd-feet
] OF water delivered at the head of their