The daily sentinel., 1904-10-04
A Profitable Meeting.

convince the most skeptical that the
public in general and the land owner
in particular were exceedingly anxious
to take hold OF the High Line canal
irrigasing project. that thing was
amply in evidence in the shape of an
enthusiastic meeting of the people
directly interested at the Auditorium
last evening. Between three and four
hundred were present and a large per-
cent of them were ranch men and
land owners. and there was that in
terest manifest in each face which is
seen only when each individual feels
that he is factor in the gathering,
and there was that unanimity of pur-
pose and feelings which is daily gath.
ering strength in this community for
u 'long pull, strong pull and pull
together to get the High Line ditch
through the Reclamation Service of
the Federal government
j. H. Ramey, president of the
Chamber of Commerce. called the
meeting to order and announced Judge
Caswell for presiding officer of the
meeting. In II brief but befitting
way the Judge stated the object of the
meeting, ''You all know" he said.
''of our failures, but ycu do not know
how long and untirinR we have work
ed to hiring about the result that we
now believe is near happy consuma-
ton. b" He then introduced the prin-
cipal speaker of the evening, Mr.. A.
l.. Fellows. who is connected with the
United States Reclamation Service.
and who had been invited by the
Chamber OF Commerce to come and
tell the people what was necessary to
do to get the government to take up
the project
Mr.. Fellows said that he was graft
fed to stand tonight where he had so
often looked with longing eyes. The
government had stood aloof up to this
time. because it did not desire to take
up work that private capital would
do. Now the conditions are such that
the government could take hold, if,
after some further investigation the
situation was as it appears to he. He
Whistler, other men of the service,
who understood the matter. were anx-
ious to be here and their wishes con-
cerning the project were the same as
those OF the people here. and it could
thus be seen what the sentiments of
the men of the survey were.
The government had set apart a
fund for reclaiming the arid lands of
the west and vas looking for the best
projects. 1t was the peoples money
and it must be properly spent and the
work of construction must be we'll
done.
In taking up project of this kind,
said the speaker, three things are to
be considered
There must be sufficient land.
There must be sufficient water.
The cost must be at such figure
afford to return the money to the
government, without interest. within
ten years.
These three things he thought
according to the information at hand.
existed here, and the first thing to do
ers Association, its incorporation
alcng lines required by the govern
ment. and the petitioning of the gov
ernment, by the land owners. to take
up the work
AS the district is already organized.
/ thaca oOnI1 ,,roaaa1 IN - 4,
this work without delay.
The land owners must subscribe for
stock in the new organization. Every
acre would be entitled to one share
of stock. and that share would repre-
sent sufficient water for that acre.
The public land would be put in. The
maximum amount of stock one per-
son may take is 160 shares. Parties
owning more land than 16O acres could
make trust deed to the Association
for the overplus and sell it ally time
during the construction period. He
| thought 80 per cent of the land in pri-
vate ownership should be subscribed.
He regarded this as one of the best
irrigation districts in the country.
Mr. Mcconnell, who has charge of
the Montrose district, was present by
invitation and was happily introduce
ed by the the chairman.
He said he could best spend his time
in giving an outline of experience in
the organization of the Montrose dis
trict. This he said he would sum up
in this advice:
The only way to dodge the govern
mani ranni L amants 1ras To f.nrnrnlu wi th