The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1905-05-04
WATER issue
STILL IN AIR
FAPMERS FORM NO CONCLUSIONS
East Siders Undecided Whether They
Want Water or Bonding Idea
Makes no Progress.

-
accepted the report of the committee
appointed to devise plans for straight
ening out the water tangIe. dis
charged the committee, listened to
testimonials concerning the merits
and demerits of irrigation for or
chards and field crops; elected COM
mittee of three to shape matters for
a bonding district; took straw vote
on the bonding proposition aud ad-
/ journed without date, leaving the
matter in a more unsettled condition
than the situation appeared before
the meeting.
/ y. |, Mason was made chairman
of the meeting in the absence of Ros-
well Shelley. Sam Campbell read the
minutes Of the meeting two weeks
previous, and ii. f. Davidson report
ed for the committee selected to find
a way out Of the difficulty. This
committee consisted of II. f. David
son, George II. Prather, ID. II. Thorn,
d. l.. Davidson and b. L. Sproat.
The committee recommended that
the farmers buy water this summer
from the East Fork lrrigating Co.,
and in the mean time make arrange
ments to form a bonding district for
the purchase Of the present ditch or
the construction of another. 1t was
further recommended that a commit
tee be elected to take up the matter
and proceed along businesslike lines
to secure "A co-oreruiiye ditch. 1t was
the belief of the committee that Co
operative ilrigatinE systcm could
better concerye the interests of the
farmers that "A ditch operated by pri-
vate parties.
A motion by Virgil Winchell that
the report be accepted and the com
mittee discharged carried. II. II.
Davidson then moved that a perma.
nent committee of three be elected to
have surveys made to determine the
boundaries of a proposed bonding
district and TO make all necessary ar
rangements toward bringing the bond
ing issue to vote, as will he done
Saturday 10y the farmers in the Bar.
rett district Of the West Side.
Chairman Mason called for remarks
on the question, and Mr.. Winchell
wanted to know if the demand for
water was great enough to warrant
bonding. for ditch. "We do not all
use water, and some of us would be
taxed for the benefit of others" 4" con
tinued Mr. Winchell.
There was some discussion on the
point whether land owner could re-
main in or out of the proposed dis
triCt as he saw tit, and ID. l.. David.
son of Willow Flat told of the success
of bonding systems at Weser, Idaho,
V,,l,p, I, -, 4 H.,
not to exceed 81. Is an inch year.
Mason considered the bonding pro-
position "A good thing, but wanted
to know if the farmers are ready now
to take up the ownership of a ditch.
DO we want water on our orchards"
inquired Mr.. Mason former president
of the Hood River Apple Growers
union. In his opinion the farmers
do not.
"Ihere is loss of humus when
orchard lands are irrigated" " contin-
ued the eX president. Moisture can
be retained without irrigation. and
the apples are of a better flavor with
out the application of water. New
towns grown at Boise by irrigatinE
taste sour and are poor keepers. There
- NtilBtl bllub Nt may blUlE5 llt
flavor Of our fine fruit by irrigation
eve must take individual cases in
each instance" stated Ii. +. Davil-
son. 81 have 80 acres in berries n
Willow Flat and must have 30 inches
of water. Mr.. Lago here has 100
acres in cultivation, and says Ee
would not use over 10 inches Of vatcr
on his farm if he had it. | believe
water to be beneficial to trees after
they are Il years old If applied two
or three times in the fall it makes
better apples. "
Peter Mohr believed water was good
first man on the East Side to plant
apple trees. Chris Dethman took the
cue, and has gone heavily into APP
pies. "l}ut intend to raise other
things besides apples. keep COWS,
hogs, chickens, raise clover and want
water, went on Mr.. Mohr.
Milton Odell declared he needed
water and favored bonding.
L. +. Clark has young orchard,
does not need water and ii appOsed
to the bonding idea.
d. l.. Davidson favored diversified
farming. eve must have water or
bay if our orchards do not need IT,
and am heartily in favor of tho
bonding scheme" said he.
If the land is properly cultivated,
water is not necessary, Lut il never
lheless is "A benefit, said J.. u.
Boyd, vino favored bonding. He said
water kopt his apples from droppir <
last fall.
D. II. Thorn believed moisture coull
be retained without water.
Mr.. Porter Of Sears ~ Po, ter doesI t
approve of irrigating orchards.
lieving it does little good. lie -
opposed to bonding.
John LawlCss wanted little water
and favored bonding.
B. l.. Sproat said he expected to
use water IN his orchard later on, whtn
ne will seed it to clover. He wanted
to know something Of tie C"st #
bonding and what the scl,r, pallv
is 81 am told that Mr.. Bone has tie
situation in his own hands aLI that
it will be- impossible Tor the iurmel.
to construct another system.
Mr. SIroat declared be is not Il
E'Itl al lhlL'l' ShFlLR IL ttl t' J.
one COW, and was trying to get Jap
to milk it. 81 have made Il oney
enough the last three years iI,n OB
Ben Davis apple trees to buy all the
hay | need, aud find there is credit
of $50 remaining to the Ben Davis. -
Mr. Thorn declared the situation
was in the hands OF the farmers.
After the bonding issues carries, said
he, eve would be empowered to cen
demn the present ditch and secure
the same by lay ing what the apprais-
ors valued it, and that at no moro
than what it would cost to con t-,r,.