The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-02-10
ENGINEER ROSS SPEAKS
TO IDAHO WATER-USERS
Mass Meeting Held at Rupert to
Consider Reclamation
Project.
Special TO The Tribune.

Special to The Tribune
RUPERT. Ida. Feb. 9.-In answer to n
call sent out by a committee appointed
at mass meeting held in this city on
February 2, six hundred persons of Ru-
pert and the country tributary to It as
sembled In mass meeting at the opera
house this afternoon and listened TO an
address from d. w. Ross supervising en-
ginecr In charge of the reclamation work
ON the Mnidoka project. This meeting
NNlS held az the solicitation of MIR. Ross
and is q part of the plans In the organ
ization OF the water users association,
an organization that is intended by the
reclamation department to be the official
head Of the people OF the project In all
things that pertain to the project In
which the people have an interest 1t Is
with this organization that the depart
ment VIII at all times consult. upon
things in which 1t is intended the people
shall have a voice.
Address by Mr.. Ross.
Mr. Ross spoke In general terms upon
the same lines advanced at a previous
meeting. but going more into details. All
his arguments were greeted with the
heortiest enthusiasm. the people joining
freely In all the views expressed Mr.
Ross in his own quiet way enlarged upon
all the problems presenting themselves
upon the project TO both the people and
department and advocated the organiza-
ton OF an association whose duty II
should be TO look after the interests of
the people upon the project and with
ment TO deal directly. He stated
that he had found great difficulty In
finding the proper agency upon the prof.
Get to whom he could como for an eX-
preston or the views OF the people. and
that there was no organization TO whom
ne could forward information that was
intended for the whole people
What Department Proposed.
IL was the Idea of the department. he
said. to assist in the organization OF O
body that would not only deal with in
tcrests OF homesteaders upon the land.
but also with the interests OF the towns
and cities, and anything that might pre-
sent Itself to the people. such as sugar
factories, clectric-light plants. etc.
Similar meetings werc held upon the
project. one al Burley yesterday, at which
II was estimated that 600 people were pres
cnt, and in which Mr. Ross offered the
asking any questions that theS saw III
and of which opportunity they took adj
vantage. The meeting at that place was
satisfactory AFFAIR and II Is TO be hoped
that through the efforts of this associa-
,ion the differences now existing may be
amiably settled
to listen TO Mr. Ross and much enthusia SIR
prevailed. At 10 O'Clock this morning Mr.
Ross spoke to the people of Acequa.
Committees Appointed.
A committee Of three was appointed a
each OF these meetings and arrangements
were made for a Joint meeting of these
committees at Rupert next Thursday &c
draw up rules and bylaws and set 4
date whom, II is hoped, a place for the
big meeting OF all the people OF the project
will be present
The Rupert Commercial club viii meet
tomorrow night and Will forward 10 the
Secretary Of the Interior a request that
the right-of-way of the canal through
Rupert which fns been abandoned shall
be decided TO the city for park or ooule-
ward purposes. Mr. Ross Will recommend
that this action be taken.
A great deal OF dissatisfaction is felt and
openly expressed over the passage In
the Senate OF the Hepburn bill effectine
the sale of lots in these cities. and pro-
test Will be forwarded 10 the President