The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-02-18

have been threatened by said company,
that, unless we sign contract abrogat-
ing all rights OF the individual, with no
bona fide guarantee on part OF the comp
any, we cannot expect any water, though
our crops burn and our homes be made
desoate. Consumers, it is up to you"
His sentiments were loudly cheered.
N. G. Evans then read the following
report of the farmers committee:
1--WE, your committee, respectfully
submit the following report: After con.
sutng with Judge A. s. Bennett and
A. A. JAYNE, who informed us that the
people, who are, and have been, patrons
OF the Valley improvement Co., have
rights which they can in their opinion
maintain, and secure water this season,
we have, in line with this, circulated
petons as follows:
We, the undersigned, hereby agree to pay to
the committee consisting of f. n. Benson,
n G. Evans, A. G. Staten, Fred Bailey and
E. A. Franz, on or before July l, 1904, the
amounts set opposite our respective names as
our proportional part, according to water
used, of expenses for legal services and other
legitimate expenses incurred in matter of set
tlement of questions now pending between
or in litigation with said company, for the
purpose of procuring water for season of 1901
and thereafter And we hereby authorize
said committee to employ attorneys ana
agree with them as to their compensation,
and to insure all other necessary expenses in
said matter.
Dated this 9th day of February, 1904, at
Hood River, Oregon.
"This petition now has 120 signatures,
with subscriptions amounting to $685.
20, but we hope that we will be able to
make arrangements for supply without
serious litigation; but we must be pre-
pared to demand our rights in court if
it becomes absolutely necessary for the
season OF 1904.
ave would recommend that steps be
taken to secure and repair the Valley
Improvement Co.'S plant, provided that
the same can be purchased at satisfac-
tory cost; or build another plant, said
plant to be owned by lands below the
ditch, and the ownership becoming an
appurtnance to said lands"
At this juncture, H. F. Davidson,
president of the Davidson Fruit Co.,
and one of the originators OF the Valley
Improvement Co., arose to question
of privilege, stating that after the report
was disposed Of he would submit sup
Elementary report, and that while he
had done but little work with the COM
mittee the relations existing were per-
fectly agreeable, and that his supple
mentary oral report was not a minority
report, as he and the other members
of the committee had not disagreed on
any point, but that at the time he was
selected as a member of the committee,
he had outlined a plan for the water
consumers to own ditch and was
working beyond the duties assigned the
committee.
Immediately upon the adoption of the
report, Mr. Davidson arose and said sub
stantially that in his judgment it is up
to the farmers to own and operate the
water ditch; that no corporation would
furnish the water at cost, which should
not exceed $3.50 per inch per annum,
including interest on the investment.
When the farmers own the ditch, and
the water rights are attached to the
land, all possible competition will be
forever eliminated, and loan can be
negotiated at low interest, for 60 or IS
per cent of the value of the system, max
ing it possible for the farmers to own
the plant.
Continuing, Mr.. Davidson gave some
early history of the ditch, saying that
originally it was intended that H. e
farmers should own the ditch, but at the
time the farmers were unable to meet
the financial obligation While the SER
vice since then has been eminently un-
satisfactory, the existence of the ditch
has very materially helped the farmers
to condition whereby they can own
the ditch henceiorth. He recommended
an organization and a subcommittee Of
three 10 complete the same, and to re-
port upon the value and cost of new
system, as compared to the lowest price
they could get on the present system.
This committee is supposed also to make
what recommendation they deem best
Mr.. Davidson wants the dividends to
come from the farms, instead of from
the ditch stock, then the water rights
would be OF no value, except when sold
or given as security with the land. Clos
ing, he hoped that that day, Saturday,
February IL, 1904, would 90 down on
the records Of Hood River valley as the
first birthday Of an organization which
will forever emancipate the farmers
from the iugglefy and caprice of specu-
lators in water aud its privileges on the
west side of Hoad River valley.
1t was NJ. Z. Istnberg who declared,
ave have been tearing down, but now
we must proceed to build up" He Sc
| cured the appointment of the following
committee to carry out the recommen-
dations put forth by Mr.. Davidson: f.
n. Benson, n. c. Evans and G. ID.
Woodwork
Joe Purser said he didn't think the
committee would ever report. He has
been here IL years and nothing has
been done yet. The rest of the house
was not so pessimistic.
Fred Bailey then outlined the meth
DDS of ditch building by the Colorado
farmers, and thought il would be good
scheme TO have some of them show the
farmers here how it was done.
To get things to a tangible basis and
give the farmers a working organization,
W. r. Hoole introduced the following
resolution:
Whereas, the time has arrived when
the further prosperity Of the Hood River
valley is now dependent upon the action