Arizona republican., 1905-09-14
AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE
Between Board Of Governors and
Judge Steele Of the Water Co.

Judge H. d. Steele, president
of the Arizona Water company, who
leaves with his son Porter for New
York on this mornings II ain, held a
conference yesterday with the board
of governors of the Water Users as
sociaItion. The meeting was held on
short notice, and two members of the
board could not be notified in time,
but all the other members We're pres
ent. The result of the conference may
be of the greatest Importance to the
irrigation interests of this valley, or it
may have little bearing on the future,
depending entirely on what action
shall yet be taken.
Judge Kibbey, counsel for the asso-
citation, in a previous conversation
with Judge Steele, had told him frank
". not for the purpose of a discus
sion, but merely as a statement of fact,
that there was dissatisfaction among
the farmers with the manner in which
the canal enterprise had been con-
Quoted. The result was that it had
been demonstrated beyond any doubt
that the water users must eventually
own or control their canals in order TO
make a success of the storage enter
prise and also i'm order to comply with
the demands of the government in the
matter. of water distribution.
1t was looking to this end that the
government appointed a commission
for the appraisement of the water
companYs holdings, an enterprise
which Judge Steele and his associates,
as we'll as the water users, had joined
in approving Judge Kibbey told him
that in view of The facts he thought it
would be a very proper thing for
Judge Steele to meet the board of
governors and talk over the situation.
Judge Steele said that if it was agree
able to the board he would be pleased
to NEE them when he returned from
his visit To Roosevelt, so yesterday all
the members who could be reached
were hastily called together.
Judge Steele spoke to them at some
length. detailing the difficulties the
company had encountered in the past
and almost continuously, and the great
expense it had incurred in its repairs
to the dam since last spring. He said
he was also aware of The expense that
would be necessary at once, even for
temporary repairs that would again
turn water into the canal. The meet
ing was naturally a private confer
ence and the full details Of what was
said both by Judge Steele and by the
members of the board are therefore
not available. nor would they be Of
special interes.. The final result or
the conference was the announcement
of Judge Steele that he appreciated
the desire of the people to own their
own waterway, and admitted the will
ingness of the water company to sell
out if it could secure terms it deemed
reasonable and equitable. There was
an intimation on his part that he
Trfr Of
idea as to what the association would
be willing to pay or what kind of an
arrangement could be made. To this
it was explained that the board of
governors was not i'm a position to
make an offer. Though it is the gov
erning body and must take the init
alive, there could be no transaction
except by the ratification Of the stock
holders. It was therefore ready to
receive rather than to make a propo-
sition. At the conclusion of the meet
ing the board authorized its counsel
to say TO Mr.. Steele that it would be
glad at any time to receive ana give
most careful consideration to any
directly or through him might desire
TO make. either before he left the city
or after his return to the east.
BY way of explanation, it is peril
nent to say that in the event the water
company does make an offer and the
offer is accepted. il would be tentative
pending the approval of the govern
ment, nor would it I'm any way inter
I! fere with the work of the appraisinE
commission which has been appointed
by the secretary of the interior. on
the contrary. it would have ten
dency to facilitate the work of the
commission in that if the association
and the water company comes to
pleasant understanding between
themselves. it will eIimirsate from the
work of the commission a number Of
questions which might otherwise prove
a matter of controversy between the
two parties. But the commission no
doubt will proceed with its work as
proposed as a matter of information
for the guidance Of the secretary of
the interior. If the association should
express it's willingness to buy the ca
nal system, the money would neces-
sarily be advanced by the government
and this could not be done until the
secretary of the interior had approved
the terms as equitable to all parties.