The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-05-03
WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 1906.
WATER USERS ASSOCIATIONS.

According to q newspaper interview
with II. N. Savage, supervising engi.
neer of the government reclamation
service, the several irrigation projects
in Montana are progressing as salts
factorily as could be expected, in view
OF the great amount of preliminary
work that is required. Mr.. Savage Is
authority for the statement that, In
connection with the Milk river project,
the most important matter at pres.
ent time is the formation of the water
users associations by the people at.
fected, which is required in connection
with all systems of government irri.
cation. An organization of this kind
vas recently formed among those in.
terested in the lower Yellowstone pro.
ject in Dawson county, its nature be.
ing indicated by these extracts from
its articles of agreement with the fed.
eral authorities:
l. That If the secretary OF the inter-
ior shall authorize and cause the con-
struction of said irrigation works, the
said association will take prompt &C.
ton for the determination of the rela.
tive rights Of its shareholders TO the
use of water for said lands; and that
in the determination OF such rights
and of their respective rights to the
use Of water acquired under said act
Of congress-, the rules and principles
set out ia said articles of incorpora.
ton, for such determine alton. shall be
deemed the established rules and prin-
ciples for that:purpose.
,. That only those who are or may
become MEMBERSHIP said association,
under the provisions of its articles of
incorporation, shall be accepted as
applicants for rights to the use of va
ter available by means of said pro-
posed irrigation works.
3. That the aggregate mount of
such rights to be issued shall, in no
event, exceed the number of acres of
land capable of irrigation by the
total amount of water available. for
the purpose, being (l) the amount
now appropriated by the shareholders
Of said association: and , the amount
to be delivered from all sources Ia ex-
cess OF the water 10 appropriated:
and that the secretary Of the interior
shall determine the number of acres
10 capable of such irrigation as afore-
said, his determination to be made
upon due and expert consideration Of
all available data, and to be based
upon and measured and limited by
the beneficial use of water.
1. That the payments for the water
rights to be issued to the shareholders
Of said association, under the provis-
ions of said act of congress, shall be
divided into not less than ten equal
annual payments, the first whereof
shall be payable when the water is
first delivered from said works, or
within q reasonable time thereafter,
and due notice thereof by the secre.
tary of the interior to the association,
and that the cost Of said proposed ir.
rigation works shall be apportioned
equally per acre among those acquir.
ing such rights.
5. That the said Lower Yellowstone
Water Users association hereby
guarantees the payment of that part
Of the cost of the irrigation works
which shall be apportioned by the
secretary OF the interior to its share.
holders, aud will promptly collect or
require prompt payment thereof in
such manner as the secretary of the
Interior may direct; that it will
promptly pay the sums collected by 1t
to the receiver Of the local land Office
for the district in which said lands
are situate: that it will promptly EN-.
ploy the means provided and author
lied by the said articles of incorpora.
ton for the enforcement of such COL
lections, and will not change, alter or
amend its articles of Incorporation in
any whereby such means of
collections, Or the lien given to it by
the shareholders to secure payment
thereof, or of any assessments con.
templated or authorized thereby, shall
be impaired, diminished, or rendered
less effective, without the consent OF
the secretary of the interior.
g.. Thatthe United States shall in no
manner be responsible for the sums
collected by said association until
they have been paid into the hands OF
the receiver Of the local land Office, as
provided by the law, and in accord.
ance with such regulations as may be
prescribed by the secretary Of the in.
terror.
7. That for the purpose of enforcing
said collections, the association will
adopt and enforce proper bylaws,