The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1909-09-02
WISH TO TURN OVER THE
CANYON CANAL
State Engineer Stephenson
So Notifies the Water
Users Association.

K. b. Wilson, president OF the
Canyon Canal Water Users Asso-
citation, last week received the fol-
lowing letter from State Engineer
James Stephenson relative TO the
turning over OF the Canyon canal
to the settlers. The communica-
tion is dated August 90 and is as
follows:
"Dear Sir:-Tn view of the fact
that we will, within short time,
wish to turn over to the settlers the
Canyon canal project, which has
been built under the provisions of
the Carey act, l should like, at
your earliest convenience for you,
through your association. 20 ap-
point an engineer TO meet with an
engineer appointed by the Trow-
bridge & Niver Co. and myself for
th { purpose of making close ex
animation of the project and listing
such improvements as should be
made to put the canal in the proper
shape for the irrigation season of
1910. l am anxious to get at this
work as soon as possible. How
ever, my time is pretty we'll taken
up until the middle of September.
Kindly let me know what date
would be acceDtable to your engi-
neer and I will endeavor TO have an
open date to go over the ground
with him and with the engineer of
the T1owbridge & Niver Co.
Kindly make this meeting as soon
after the middle of September as
possible.
Very truly yours,
James Stephenson, H.,
State Engineer.
The above action on the part of
the Trowbridge & Niver Co, is not
unexpected, although it is difficult
to conceive upon what grounds
such an application is made, and,
in view of the we'll known condi
ton of the canal and Its failure 10
deliver water through the present
irrigation season, why such an ap-
plication should even be considered
by the state engineer.
OF the condition OF the canal we
believe there is no question:; at
least. there should be none, because
the weaknesses of portions OF the
work are obvious to the veriest no
vice in irrigation matters. In view
of this fact, why should the appli-
cation of the Trowbridge company |
be considered by the state engineer
and a request made upon the Water
Users association-the settlers
themselves go to expense OF hir-
ing an engineer to point out the de-
fects? If the canal had successfully
withstood test of running the
full volume of water contracted to
be delivered during an irrigation
season, and there still remained
some intricateS points of construc-
tion in controversy, then the request
to submit the matters in DISPUTE to
board OF engineers would be IN
order and would be cheeTfully com
piled with by the settlers. There
is no such controversy at this time.
The settlers simply demand that
they be given the amount OF water
they contracted for with the COM
panv and steady and sure supply.
The company has had three years
in which to fill these requirements.
They have not done so.
Instead of considering the appli-
cation of the Trowbridge & Niver
company to turn the canal over to
the settlers, wouldn't it be a just
proposition for the state engineer
to demand of the company that
they furnish the settlers a thor
oughly constructed, safe and honest
ditch1 This may be fool notion
of ours, but we can't help believ
ing it would be the proper thing
to do.