La Junta tribune., 1909-09-18

AVA Irrigation District, which WAS
l9 organized inMay Of the pres
ent year. will vote upon the propo-
sition Of authorizing bond issue Of
$780, 900. for the purpose Of taking
1over the ditch, reservoir. water rights
and everything pertaining to the ir-
rigation system Of the Laguna Canal
Company which was built twenty
years ago this month to furnish q
water supply for the Holbrook coun-
try.
The Holbrook canal was built in
dividually through the enterprise and
foresight OF. II. f. Holbrook. of Pu-
eblo, who died about year ago. He
had faith in the possibilities OF irri-
CATION to make the Great American
Desert bloom and blossom. When the
work OF constructing the canal was
commenced in September. 1889. there
were just two lone homesteads in
the Holbrook country, owned by w.
N. Randall and f. NJ. Deitz. That is
an evidence OF the faith with which
Mr.. Holbrook was possessed. Work
on the construction OF the canal was
commenced In September, 1883. and
the canal was completed and had its
first run OF water In the spring OF
1892. 1t was built individually by Mr..
Holbrook at cost Of 100000. In
1892 the Holbrook canal was sold to
the Laguna Canal Company. Mr.. Hol.
brook being president and treasurer
OF the corporation and owning a
majority OF the stock. w. n. Ran.
dali was vice-president and general
manager up to the time Of his
death
The headsate is located on the
north bank OF the Arkansas river. one
and one-half miles northeast OF Man.
zAnola. and the canal v twenty-five
miles long, twenty feet wide on the
bottom with . capacity Of 600 cubic
feet The canal has two river de-
crees. one OF l55 feet dated Sep.
tember 20. 1889. and another of 445
feet dated August 80. 1898. The
Holbrook reservoir was acquired In
1894. and the reservoir Itch, known
as the little ditch" is fifteen and
One-half miles long. OF the 10000
acres In the district. between 1900
and 1000 acres are supplied from
the reservoir. The Holbrook reser.
yoir has a decree. dating March 2.
1892. OF 1856 .00i. $50 cubic feet. or
1900 acre feet.
In April OF the present year a
petition was presented to the board
Of county commissioners asking for
the organization OF the Holbrook Ir.
rigation District which was granted.
and 1T the election held on May
IL. 1903. w. E. Stanton. Z. l.. Estep
and J. II. Seeman were elected di.
rectors. The board was organized
and elected W. T.. Stanton president.
J. u. Lewis secretary. and NJ. +.
Miller attorney.
The Board has worked out 4 plan
which 1t believes will be for the
best interests Of the Holbrook people.
and is submitting this plan to be
voted upon ty the people on Octo-
Der 5th. II Is as follows:
To take over the ditch. reservoir.
water rights and everything compris.
Ing the irrigation system OF the La.
xuna Canal Company. At = cost Of
3i3j. 900: to increase the capacity Of
Reservoir No. by building = dam
TO raise the level OF the water five
feet making Its storage capacity
1900 acre feet. $4,000: to buy and
develop the Dye reservoir To I'LL from
the Hoibrook ditch. $1,000: to en-.
large the Holbrook canal from the
headgate to the reservoirs. $4,000:
to buy water rights from the farmers.
.eSss, 900: this Il allowing $500 for
each eighty acre water right under
The main canal. and 5000 under the
reservoir. and includes both the oris.
.inal and additional water rights At
that price: TO provide that the first
years interest on the bonds shall
be paA With bonds. S3s.oso.
II the farmer owns his water right
asd Il = fully paid Tor. biz indebted.
ness. outside Of the bonds he will
own rspesssatins BIZ water rsght.
viii amount to $3.50 per acre under
the main canal and 10 $3.50 undcr
the reservoir canal. II he has no
water right. II this time. for his
land. his indebtedness will b. $3.50
per acre. This y reckoning upon the
tasis of there being 10000 acres In
the district, watch 10 approximately
correct fie ,
Wa- n>~nA -. .n.~Hssaa> s,SSnnednpaA