Omaha daily bee., 1906-08-18
POINTS ON IRRIGATION LAWS
ID. Glenn Deaver Thinks Most Inn
portant Statutes Are Most Gem
orally Mtsunderstood.

''Thete are great many people In this
part OF the country who, not understanding
the irrigation laws. look upon an irriga-
ton project as mystery" said D. Glenn
Beaver Of the Burlington immigration de-
partment But the fact is there are no
laws upon the statute books that are more
plainly defined and more easily under
stood than are the irrigation laws. l
think IL is also safe to say there is no
other class of laws so much in the interest
OF the people are the irrigation laws
There are three practical ways Of get
ting water for irrigation. First, the COM
pany plan. whereby company enters into
a contract with the state to supply water
for designated tracts of land at a desig-
mated price per acre. Under this plan after
90 per cent of the water contracted for has
been purchased by the farmers the COM
pany loses control OF the plant which con-
troll passes into the hands OF the people
using the water, the management of the
project being directed by a board OF d.
rectors elected by the water users After
all of the water provided for in the con-
tract with the state has passed into the
hands of individuals, the original COM
pany passes out of existence the COM
pany getting its profits from the difference
in the cost of water to them and the price
they sell 1t at. .., go " P. -. ..,-
''The second plan Is for the government
to build the irrigation bitches and laterals
Under this plan the government in fact,
simply loans the settlers the money for
ten years without interest, and those who
take up or own lands under the govern
ment ditch repay the government for the
cost Of putting water on their lands in
A.. ~
ment to be made after raising the second
crop When all OF these payments have
been made by the individuals the govern
in that particular locality and the project
is managed by board of directors elected
| by the water users.
1.-The third plan, and one which is now
becoming very popular. is where the set
tiers organize a district to build irriga-
| ton works, the same as people in our
state organize district to build school
house. A number of settlers can form a
! water users association and vote bonds
for building their bitches and laterals. IL
their bonds are saleable they have no diff
| hculty In raising money to build-the irri-
| cation works. Generally speaking, such
| bonds are sought for, but II for any rea-
son there IS any doubt about being able
to market lie bonds they can be issued
in two classes. preferred and common
bonds and each individual Of the water
users association can enter into an agree
ment with the association to do a certain
number of days work on the project and
take their pay in the common bonds. For
example. If there are 200 water users In
the association and each OF them will
agree to do 100 days work and take their
pay In common bonds. this will add value
to the preferred bonds and give them
q market value.
Generally speaking. there should be no
mystery whatever about the building OF
irrigation projects. as all OF the laws gov.
erning irrigation are very plain and easily
understood"