The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-10-17
Land and Legal Matters
of the Reclamation Service
BY NORRIS III. BEN
Supervising Engineer Charge Legal Matters
the Pa life Monlhly)
From the Pafc Monhly.)

which have been worked out and
adopted in the states of Wyoming,
Idaho, Nebraska and Utah.
A movement for improved legisla-
ton is active in several other states,
and a modern form of irrigation leg
islation as outlined by the president
and formulated in the reclamation
act, will probably be adopted by
most of the states which are still fol-
lowing the older forms.
If President Roosevelt had ac-
complished nothing else in this line
he would be deserving of great credit
for the impetus which he has given
to this movement for improved irri-
cation legislation by the states. 1t
is gratifying to know that the states
of Montana and Oregon are now pre-
pairing plans to be considered at
their next legislative sessions for
improvement of their irrigation laws.
Up to July /, 1906, large construc-
ton contracts nave been entered into
which involve total expenditure of
about $4,000, 900. New contracts
for other work are constantly being
executed.
Many tracts of land have been
purchased for reservoirs and rights
of way at a cost of about 100000,
and further contracts for such pur-
chases are pending.
Several canal systems which are to
form parts of the government irriga-
ton system have been purchased.
These transactions will involve an
Of of
which has already been paid.
Besides these canal systems the
United States has obtained control
OF several important systems without
any expenditure of government
funds, by means of agreements to
deliver the water to which the canal
systems were entitled, through the
enlarged systems to be constructed
by the United States.
The policy adopted by the reclama-
ton service in dealing with private
interests has been to avoid interior
ence with them as far as possible
and also to carry out all transactions
with private parties in spirit of
fair dealing.
The success Of the reclamation
service in making purchases at rea
sonable prices has been due to this
policy.
Although the reclamation act au-
thorizes the secretary of the interior
to proceed by condemnation for the
purchase of property necessary for
the work, every effort has been
made to avoid proceeding to this eX-
tremity.
All important purchases are nego-
tiated by representatives of the rec
lamation service in connection with
the water users association or other
local representative body of citizens,
and the prices are usually recon-
mended by these bodies for accept
ance by The government.
In THIS way the local property
owners on the project, who will I'LL
timately he required to pay for these
properties, have an important part
in determining the prices. This ac-
composites two essential purposes:
! First, reasonable prices are obtained,
and, second the parties who are to
pay the cost have a voice in deter
mining the prices This policy has
been extraordinarily successful, and
numerous purchases have been made
at prices satisfactory to the govern
ment the seller and the parties who
are to pay the cost. Hundreds of
such purchases have been made at
prices which. in many cases, are less
yhan railroad and other corporations
are required TO pay: and it has thus
far bpnn pacpscarv- IN resort IN ron
demnation proceedings in only one
case
Under the provisions of the fed