Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-12-06
WATER POWER co.
MAY LOSE PERMIT
Government Orders Hearing Be-
fore Local Land Office

The register and receiver of the
local United States land ONCE this
morning received through the CON-
missioner of the general land once
at Washington, d. c.. an order from
the secretary of the interior, direct
ing that a hearing be held before
the local Office to determine whether
the permit of the Washington Water
Power company OF Spokane. Wash,
to overflow certain lands within the
Occur d'Alene Indian reservation be-
tween the mouth of the st. Joe river
and the eastern boundary OF said
reservation to the extent OF 6.24O.81
acres should be revoked.
This permit was granted by the
department February 2. 1909, but
1t was provided that any permission
by the secretary of the interior under
the provisions OF the act OF Febru-
AIRY Is, 1901, the act under which
said permit was granted. may be
revoked by him OF his successor in
his discretion, and shall not be held
to confer any right or easement or
interest in, to or over any public
land. reservation or park. and was
als) subject to the further condition
that the permit should In no wise
release the company from the pay
y4anF of dam0Ua5 20 frfhaI Yr0na-tx,
which had been or might be caused
by the overflow. and the company
pay the commissioner of Indian af-
fairs for the bentf OF the Indians
$1.25 per acre for damages for the
land flooded
On April rs. 1909. petitions were
filed with the commissioner of In.
dian affairs by the citizens of st.
Joe. Terrell, Occur d'Alene and 81.
Maries. Idaho, and their vicinity, re-
Questing that the permit be revoked,
stating that the flooding by said
overflow also caused the overflow Of
rich agricultural land in the valleys
of the st. Joe and Occur d'Alene
rivers. thereby rendering the lands
worthless. and the stagnant waters
accommodating from said overflow
would become a pest and a menace
to the citizens of said communities.
A special agent of the general land
Office, after an investigation, made
report recommending the revoca-
ton Of the permit, and stating that
the lands within the reservation so
overnowed were in excess of the said
6.24O.S1 acres. and that they were
good agricultural land of the value
of from $40 to S100 dollars per acre.
and that the overflow interfered
with the usefulness and accessibility
of the Chatcolet National Park. and
also rendered valueiess approximate
ing 11O0 acres Of public land in the
Occur d'Alene valley.
On July 3, 1909. the department
called upon the Washington Water
Power company to show cause why
its permit should not be revoked.
The Washington Water Power
company filed an answer denying the
allegations, and eorroborating It's de-
mails by numerous afldayits. and re-
questing a hearing. On November
13, 1903. petitions were presented to
the department by citizens of St. Joe,
St. Maries. Harrison and Occur
d'Alene. and property owners along
the st. Joe and St. Maries rivers. re-
J questing that said permit be revok-
ed and representing that the food
ing Of said lands would result In the
inundation of the farms of the petit
tioners. thereby rendering them un-
inhabita BILE. and that the stagnation
of the waters backed By the dam
! of the said Washington Water Pow
er company has contaminated the do
nestle water supply to the menace OF
t public health. They also requested
that they be permitted TO intervene
! in any hearing which may be or
J dered
1t appears that the power gener-
: ated BY the cOmpany's dam Is used
in the operation OF mines in north
! lern Idaho, Is furnished for light and
power for the city Of Spokane. Wash,
: and also operates the electric railway