La Junta tribune., 1904-01-09

water rights in order 10 provide an
adequate and permanent ~at"r
ply. The Board OF Trade has
passed strong resolutions endors
lug the scheme, and it has also
been endorsed by major
ry OF the largest taxpayers
OF La JuntA. Some members OF
the city council are not as enthus:-
astic over the proposition as they
ought to be. and some OF them are
not in favor OF it all. but this
might be remedied If the proper
influence was brou. ht to bear.
Unbiased inves,ie alton OF the
proposed scheme will convince the
most skeptical that il is not only
practical. but that il is in fact the
only way OF providing a sufficient
water supply when La unta as
sumes metropolitan proportions
The scheme in nutshell is to
purchase early prioriiies IN the
Arkansas river in Chsffee county,
some OF them dating as far back as
1866, and move them down the
rlver to the headgste OF the Ot-ro
canal Tn" city OF La unta has
already expended IN the ncighbor
hood OF $4,000 in securing
options on these early priorities,
and as soon as the sale OF the
SIoo, 900 bond issue IS effected il
will be possible to bring about the
consummaiion OF the deal. Moth
ing. however, can be accomplished
until the sale OF the bonds Is ef
fected. People who ale well in
formed on the subject are OF the
opinion that the bonds can be sold
within sixty days providing de
termined effort is made.
The city has secured options on
83H feet OF water. but according
to the terms nf the options will
not be obliged to pay for oni, the
actual amount Of water delivered
at the headgste OF the OteIo canal.
The pGiorities OF most OF the water
rights are ahead OF the Rocky Ford
ditch. one OF the best IN the
Valley. and all OF them are ahead
OF the Catlin. These priortics will
insure a flow OF water in the Otero
ditch the year around. The city
has also entered into an agreem .nt
with the Otero Canal Company by
which the company permits the
use OF the canal for a term OF fifty
years to carry the water purchased
from the headgate OF the canal to
a point south OF la unts. the
Otero to have the use oi exc, SIS
water as consideration for carry
ing the same. The CITY, how
ever, has a preferred water night
and will be entitled TO the full
amount purchased II needed
At the present time the Otere
canal is IN better shape for larry
ing water than II has ever been
The canal has been badly managed
ever since It was constructed.
When entitled to iun OF water the
canal has no, been in shape to carr,
it. At one period during the sea.
son the Otero was entitled to a
twenty seven days run OF water.
but only had three days run be-
cause the canal was not in condi-
ton to carry the water. Land
under the Otvro that produced
Sio, 600 worth OF alfalfa seed in
previous seasons only produced
S2oo worth last year. During
1908 extensive improvements wete
made in the canal, involving an
expenditure OF nearly $40. 900. A
new dam and headgate was built.
besides two new syphons, one over
the Apishspa and another across
Timpzs creek, which will insure
the carrying of all water to which
the canal is entitled.
1t IS estim ,ted ihat 81 90, 900 will
cover the entire expense OF pur
chasing the water rights, building
new reservoirs, and establishing
IL