Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-04-19
Canal Company Stockholders Set
Forth Their Side OF the lrri-
cation Question,
90 NOT WISH TO 0DSTRUCT.
Maintain They Simply Desire to Pro-
tcet Certain Rights Acquired ia
Utah Lake Waters.

west JoIddu, oull Laht NN""N't
Utah Mr.. Editor. Dear slr-In order
that the position OF the South Jordan
canal may be more thoroughly UNDER
stood by the people Of this state, shall
ask for a little space In your valuable
paper and also the indulgence of the
readers Of your paper provided you can
see your way clear TO allow the space
for this letter,
The stockholders II the South Jordan
canal have been severely criticized In
the newspapers of Salt alike City for
what some people choose to call stub
bornness and they have styled us "ob-
SiructonIsts' Now, the real facts In
the case are these: The South Jordan
Canal company does not wish to OBJ
struct the proposed Improvements upon
Utah lake and Jordan river and they
have never attempted such a thing or
DO they intend to do so; but the COM
pany has acquired certain rights IN the
lake which they are determined TO pro-
tect II they can. In the first place the
court decreed all Of the water that the
lake will discharge at what is known
as compromise point, which is sos cubic
second feet and upon the testimony Of
experts II decreed the capacity OF the
several canals using water from the
Jordan river to be S2S second feet, but
IN order TO get the amount of water
necessary to MI the canals to their full
capacity II would necessitate raising the
lake one or more feet above compromise
point which the companies have never
attempted 20 do nor under the present
arrangements Is II likely that they will
do 80. But aside from the primary uses
ot the water along the Jordan the Ave
canal companies, viz. the East Jordan,
salt Lake City, North Jordan, South
Jordan, the Utah and Salt Lake
Canal and Irrigating companies have
never since the establishment OF these
canals made Il beneficial use OF all Of
the water which Utah lake would dis
charge between compromise point and
what Is commonly known as low water
mark, that IL the point where water
would cease to flow from Utah lake
through the river channel. That rs a
fact | think no one who Is acquainted
With the circumstances will attempt
To deny and with the exceptions 81
four or five years 'he lake has reacheu
compromise point, Hence there has
been no lapse OF the rights Of the canal
companies through their inability %
make beneficial use Of the waters OF
Utah lake between these two points as
before stated With the exception OF
q few years the lake has reached conf
promise point. besides great deal
~ water has usually ran to waste down
the Jordan river into the Salt Lake
and as there Is no better way Of judg-
Ing the future other than by the his
tory OF the past, | would ask all reason
able minded people " there IL anything
IN the history OF the past that VIII war
rant the belief that the same humid
conditions will not prevail In the future
that has prevailed In the past and
that the lake will again reach COM
promise point notwithstanding the fact
that great deal OF the water that used
TO How into the lake Is now used for
irrigation purposes In Utah and
WasatCh counties. In order to meet
panies TO farther increase the storage
capacity Of the lake and to secure
maximum amount of water through the
ifrlgating season, have spent $50
000 In establishing Of a pumping plant
with a capacity Of 400 cublt feet In order
that water that has heretofore run 10
waste down the Jordan river may be
stored for beneficial uses.
L. 81.
South Jordan Canal company Is
entitled to one-ffth Of all the water
which Utah lake.will discharge between
low water mark and compromise point
and one-ilfth Of the water developed by
the pumping plant and that may here
after be developed by Increasing the
capacity Of the pumping plant, and UNI
der the new conditions that would be
created by the carrying out Of the gov
eminent scheme We would get az no
time no more than one-ilfth of 800 feet
Hence the stockholders claim that their
rights and privileges are worth so Sec
ond feet of water delivered TO them free
of cost, and that they would he willing
20 accept No second feet II the stock
holders desiring more water would sub
scribe for % additional second feet
which would insure the South Jordan
canal l2i second feet, with 1000 acres
OF land 70 irrlgate would be- one Sec
ond foot per 70 acres for the entire
amount OF land under the canal, with
w per cent for scepagc and cyapora-
ton In transit which Is none too much
for the actual needs Of the farmers 70.
siding under the canal now.
II the South Jordan canal accepts 90
second feet In lieu OF its primary rights,
u means that 90 second feet would be
the maximum amount OF water that the
company would get ut any time for
their primary rights and that the add-
tlonal amount that may hereafter be
developed would be divided prorata
among all the canals, whether II be- new
canals that may be taken out upon
higher level, or by the extension Of the
present canals beyond their present cor.
polate limits, with no assurance orany
additional water beyond their 60 second
feet which We accept In lieu OF our pr.
mary rights. Therefore we claim that
the present canal companies should
nave prior claim upon an the water
II II would ever recede TO the point
where II would not furnish any more
than what Is necessary 10 irrigate the
land under the present canals and that
II anyone has to suffer In periods OF
drought which we may hereafter ex.
poet Il should be those who acquire
new rights In the proposed reservoir.
Now, II the community win devise some |
means by which subscriptions can be- |
taken for any amount beyond Is second |
feet | believe the South jordan people |
win be willing to do the square thing |
and TX basis for our primary claims
which would be just and equitable to |
all parties concerned and satisfactory
70 the whole state
There is ore more point that we do |
not feel entirely satisfied upOn, and |
that Is this II the proposed improve. |
ments are carried out 1000 second feet |
Of water win be developed which, II Is |
claimed, viii water 10000 acres OF land |
Or furnish one second foot OF water |
for 10 acres that H. one second foot |
OF water for 70 acres win be furnished
at the head OF the respective canals |
allowing nothing for losses In transit |
we claim that II would take 25 per |
cent for the entire amount OF losses |
leaving hut $50 second feet for dlstribu-
Ton TO the farmers In the various lat
srais along the canals, This would |