The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1905-01-14
ELECT SAME BOARD
Payette- Boise Water Users As
Sociatiou Hold Annual
Meeting.

ed, and much enthusiasm manifested
The old board of directors was elected
without opposition, they consist Of
Frank Steunenberg, d. r. Hubbard, H.
A. Partridge, J. J. Walling, A. r. Stalk
er, A. A. Richards, A. J How'd, J. II.
Lowell, c. F. Paine. After the meeting
the board met and completed the organ
ization by electing the present officers Of
the association, as follows: J II. Low
ell, president; H. A. Partridge, yico
president; A. A. Richards, secretary;
u. Il. Hubbard, treasurer.
Partial reports show that 5000 acres
of land have alread been signed up,
which is far in excess Of what was antie-
ipated. The board feels that the final
success Of the undertaking is assured.
The work OF securing contracts is being
pushed anu IL is hoped that everything
will fc in readiness to begin work in ths
spring. meeting will be- heid at Par
ma next Wednesday evening. Janua ~
Is, at which Judge Richards and other
speakers will I've present and any ques-
tions up N which the landowners are
not clear will be discussed A number
Of our landowners are in doubt os to the
status o: water rights under the proposed
plan. The same question having arisen
under the Middleton Mill Ditch is re-
piled to by their attorney, John c. Rice
of Caldwell as follows:
CALDWELL, January Z, 1905.
To the directors Of the Middleton Mill
Ditch Co., Middleton, Idaho.
Gentlemen Mr. Lowell president of
the Payette- Boise Water Users Associ-
alton, called on me today with reference
to the attitude of the stockholders of
your company with reference to signing
the stock subscription contracts of said
association. told him that | expected
to attend your annual meeting, but he
asked me to write you, because they did
not want to wait that length Of time, il
it could be avoided, I therefore write
you and hope that this letter will make
the conditions clear as indthem to be.
In the first place the Water Users As
socation, and the government reelama-
ton project do not interfere or intend to
interfere in any way with existing water
ri ghts The law Of congress is explicit
eu that matter, and the bylaws Of the
association are equally so, and provide
ii YOU notice, for distribution according
to prior rights in case eff necessity.
What the contracts call for is payment
of proportional part Of the cost Of the
government works. Tile contract
which YOU people sign is based upon the
proposition that the government or the
association will practically purchase
your works at their far and equitable
value, and make them part Of the
whole system Of the government works.
Your people are to be credited with their
proportional interest in the price at
which your works are sold to the govern
ment or association. And there is "a
clause attached that these contracts
which the landowners sign shall not be-
come operative until your company shall
have agreed with the Water Users asso-
citation as to the price to be paid for
your works. Your stockholders are
therefore fully protected. Your prior
tiles remain as before, subject 80 adju-
dication Just the same. The difference,
if the government works are constructed,
will be that the matter of diversion and
delivery to your ditch Of the water to
which it is entitled, will be in the hands
Of the larger association, and win be
in the hands oi the larger association,
and will be better done, without your
company having to fight for it.
It seems to me that there is no Ques-
ton but that your interests will be in
the direction Of signing up, and putting
yourselves in line for the construction
Of the government works.
The sale of the works is for the pur-
pose of making them part Of the whole,
but the whole theory is that such a sale
viii not take works out Of your hands so
far as local distribution is concerned
It is recognized as one OF the certain
ties that the large association cannot
distribute to individual land owners,
but there will have to be local units for
such purpose.
Yours very truly,
JoHN G. RICE.
REMEMBER the irrigation meeting
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