Arizona republican., 1905-11-07
A MIXED CONFERENCE
 ON CANAL PURCHASE
Representatives of the Various Valley Interests Express
 Satisfaction With the Course of the Board of Governors

moved a vote of confidence in the board of governors, and it was unani- mously carried by the other gentlemen present representing the varied inter- ests.
 In the afternoon the board resumed its deliberations, there being but few of the outsiders present. Engineer l.. c. Hill, in charge of the construction al Roosevelt, being in town, the mem
 bers desired to hear from him con- corning some features of the situation
 He was invited in, and in response to a question stated that the government
 appraisers are expected here on the
 25th. He was asked if their meeting
 could in any manner be hastened, and
 replied that MT. Wisner is in Detroit
 and the other two are in Oklamoma.
 All are due in Los Angeles on tle 18th,
 and here on the 25th. From his knowl-
 edge of their appointments he did not
 believe their presence here could be
 secured more than four or five days
 sooner, if at all, but that is now only
 nineteen days hence. He was asked
 then if in the event the association and
 the Water company came to terms
 Immediately, would the government
 take charge at once and proceed with
 operations. He replied that he was not
 in a position to say what the govern
 ment would do, but it was his opinion
 that it would not move until it was in
 possession of a good title to the prop erty. Concerning the time the appraiS-
 CTS would require for their work, he said that if the parties to the contro-
 versy had previously settled the ques-
 tion and arrived at an agreement that
 was satisfactory to both sides, they
 could no doubt arrive in a very few hours at a conclusion and recommen- dation as to whether the terms were
 reasonable or sufficiently so for their approval. However, if no such agree ment had been entered into and they were called upon to appraise the property carefully. even with the es- inmates already at hand, it would no doubt take them at least ten days, as they would nave to drive over the property and acquaint themselves with conditions. MT. Hill believed, though, that the government would take charge at the Arizona head just as soon as an agreement was made so that it could be insured of a good title
 to the property, providing that agree | ment was one it could approve of.
 
 government had any cognizance of the attempted negotiations between the | water company and the board of gov ernors. He said he could not answer that question definitely. but so far as he had been informed he believed it | had not. Mir Kingsbury asked him if | he could suggest anything that would further expedite negotiations. and he said ne could not.
 Another resolution was passed in | structing counsel for the board to | write to President Fowler. outlining | the boards action and suggesting to | him the difficulty of taking prompt action on the proposition until the
 water company has placed itself in a 1 position to give a good title to the property. This not to be construed as
 any intimation that the board will ac- ] cept the present offer or in any way
 bind itself to do so. but it is the con | fessed desire of the board to advise l buying when the terms can be agreed
 upon and it is desirable to have things | ready for a quick transaction as soon
 as it can be made. It is believed that MT. Fowler is in position to make this situation clear to Judge Steele
 and his representatives here will most likely do the same. though the board
 is in no position to suggest a policy
 for them.
 During the days conferences, Lin coin Fowler in a brief address to the | board stated that ne would speak for the Appropriators' Canal Go. suffi-
 ciently to say that whenever its ca nal was desired by the government for
 the people to be incorporated as a part
 of the distributing system of the val ley, the company would willingly sell,
 asking only a cost price valuation.
 which is approximately $40.000.
 MT. Heard also, as a representative | of minority interests in the old canals, | requested that when the matter of the | purchase of the water company's hold | ings was taken up either by the board
 of governors or the government ap- praisers, the board if possible see that | the entire property is appraised and | different schedules made for the diff | ferent systems, showing both the ma | jority and minority holdings. He said l he thought this information would be desirable for all parties, so that when | the question was under consideration there could be an entire cleanup of the | northside canal system and all entan- elements be settled at once. He also | suggested that MT. Hall be requested | to furnish a schedule or statement, in dicating the nature of the water com pany's assets to be transferred. The principal thing he thought of at the moment as a reason for such scned- | ule was to determine whether or not
 these assets are. to include unpaid wa | ter contracts. During the discussion of the afternoon it was asked whether
 or not the government appraisers
 would place a valuation on the minor | ity holdings as well, and the opinion l seemed to prevail that they would nec- l essarily place a valuation on the en- | tire property.
 | A. J. Edwards returned yesterday | morning from a business visit to Los