The Dolores star., 1905-09-08
COMMUNICATED,
C ceortez. Colo, Aug. %, 1905.
~ y y" t'TlnInraS f,oto

Editor Of The a;ssrs Star, ,.o,o
Dear Sir;-The expected has hap
pened, (not'the unexpected this time)
for after the dilAtory t9ctics' and delay
Of the representatives Of the Ditch
Company we did not expect them to
sign the proposed contract by and be-
tween the Montezume Water and Land
con Party yysaS Of the first Part and
''.S Naw thss 9acts IT. IN se the cese are as fol-
lows notwithstanding some parties
have attempted to psryert the same):
Some time In March Of the present
year mass meeting of farmers and
water users of this valley was held in
the court room at Cortez, Colorado, and
at that time committee of five per-
sons was elected by the people In mass
meeting assembled, to go to Durango,
Colorado, to confer with the receiver
u the Montezuma Water and Land
company to haye said receiver fix or
name q price that the Montezuma
Water and Land company would ac-
cept for their irrigation system in this
valley (for the people had beep given
to understand that the system could be
bought outright) but when the coni-
rnittee reported the result Of the con.
ference with the representatives Of the
Company (the receiver and T. q.
Henry IT reported that the representa-:
tives of the Montezuma Water and
Land company would not and did moi
fix or name price that the Company
would accept for their irrigation system
whereby we could purchase the same
outright, but the representatives of the
Water aud Land company made
another proposition to the said com:
mittee.
The proposition was that for and by
certain considerations and terms, the
Water and Land company would re-
pair, enlarge and construct a system,
and for certain stipulated amount oi
bonds of the Moptezume Valley Irriga.
tion district, to be paid to the Monte
yuma Water and Land company, would
execute deed to this irrigation dis
trict of all its certain system Of bitches,
canals and irrigation works in Monte
yuma county, Colorado, together with
all rights Of way, rights of water, prior
rights, etc.
Another committee was there elected
to circulate among the farmers and
water users of this valley, petition to
the board of directors of the Montezu-
l A44 xdiCJ 4LIIkatiOn AlStIlCt, IeuuGStr
ing the board to call meeting Of the
board to confer with the representatives
of the Montezuma Water and Land
company, and to formulate, sign and
execute contract with said company
through their representatives, that the
/ contract might be ratified or rejected
by the qualified electors of this irriga-
tion district. This board met the repre-
sentative of the company, It. c. Henry,
and discussed the various phases Of the
contract (Which had already been
formulated by others than the board J.
On the second day of this conference
the members of the board were dis.
cussing that part of the proposed con.
tract which refers to the amount of
water to be held In reserve, or stored,
for each so acres Of tilable land in this
district. All members of this board
contended that the amount as stipu-
lated in the proposed contract would
not be sufficient for the lands in this
valley. Now, at this time all members
of the board were in good humor and
they were cOntending for greater SUD;
4 ply of storage water, but in no way had
they stated that they would turn down
/ the proposition If they did not get more
storage capacity. But at this juncture
i tn.the proceedings Mr.. Henry left our
Office, went out on the street and stated
that the board had turned him down;
but the members OF the board were still
waiting in their Office for his return.
He returned to the Office In about an
hour and half, got his overcoat and
without making any explanations
stated that he was going to try to catch
the train, that he was going away.
And by reason of his stating to his
| friends on the street that this boar "a
bad turned him down, he scored one
for Henry, for the reason that some of
the people became d little Indignant
because of our supposed turning him
down. Two Of the members Of this
board then signed communities tion
and addressed the same to Mr.. Henry
At Denver, Colorado. The said com
munication stated that If there had
been any misunderstanding on the
part Of Mr. Henry as to the attitude q
the board, the undersigned members oi