The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1909-07-28
TIETON LAND OWNERS OF
NACHES BRANCH DECIDE TO
COOPERATE ON Project
Hold Meeting at Court House Satur-
day at Which Committees Are APP
pointed-Think Agitation u Good
Move and Are Hopeful That Secre-
tary Ballinger Will be Convinced of
Necessity.

Eager to do all in their power to
hasten the completion of the Tieton
canal, especially of the Naches branch
by 1910, an enthusiastic meeting of
land owners under the Naches branch
was held at the court house Saturday.
There were present a number of active
farmers and business men of this city,
and the Tieton situation was thor
oughly discussed. The meeting went
on record in favor of meeting with
the committee of the Tieton Water
Users association in an effort to have
water put on the Naches branch by
1910.
H. NJ. Gilbert, chairman of the
committee of Tieton Trustees called
the meeting to order and told of the
efforts of the trustees to secure the
construction of the laterals by the
use of cooperative certificates, a plan
approved and followed under the
Garfield administration. He stated that
at the time this meeting was called
it was understood that a system of
back credits would be acceptable to
Secretary Ballinger. but that an in
terview with Engineer Davis appear
ing a few days ago indicated bactl
credits might not be acceptable.
The object of the meeting Satur-
day was to learn the attitude of the
land owners relative to cooperating
with the Reclamation service in the
construction of the main and sub
laterals.
The importance of getting water
on the land next spring rather than
a year later, Mr.. Gilbert stated, was
not fully appreciated.
Delay Means Heavy Loss.
Your 1000 acres under the Ma
ches branch" he said, lis worth not
less than 500 per acre. A delay of
one year means first the loss of the
interest on this valuation, which at
per cent would be $SS,00O. Then by
having your orchards delayed one
year in being planted and in COM
ing into full bearing you are losing
one years crop"
Using a five year term lease as an
illustration, Mr.. Gilbert showed that
when the first year was lost. practi-
cally the profits of one year when the
orchard reached maturity was lost
Teton orchards at maturity" he said
will be conservatively $500 per acre
or a loss on 1000 acres by a delay
of one year of over sc,0OO.OOO"
Cooperation Is Needed.
The trustees of the Teton Mr.. Gil.
bert stated, desire to know whether
the land owners appreciated the inn
portance of getting water and whether
they were willing to cooperate in
some way that might be devised sat
is factory to Secretary Ballinger.
The response was in favor of CO.
operation. The court house room
was filled with landowners and they
favored doing everything possible to
secure the much desired end.
NJ Strauss was named as chairman
of the meeting and outlined plan
for the land o wners to construct the
laterals.
Col. Ed. Parker saw legal techni-
calities in several plans suggested.
Attorney l.. II. Roberts asked some
pertinent questions which were an
swered by j. O. Gull attorney for the
Tieton association.
Mr. Marsh suggested difficulties en-
countered in the refusal of the Re-
clamation service to accept payments
in full on water rights. He hoped
the conference in Portland, August 3
would result in recommending that
paym ents in full be allowed, which
would augment the funds.
Land Owners feady to Cooperate
Mr.. Galloway voiced the sentiments
of the landowners quite generally in
their eager desire to get water and
cooperate in every way possible with
Secretary Rallinger and the Reclama-
ton service He expressed the belief
that Mr. Nallinger would not be
found wanting, that he would meet
the land owners on any reasonable