The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-02-11

the state land comm,ssionon,,' ",''" W
see what the situation was tho,o aa1
""oo trip to Yakima to ip,srviov ,,'o
reclamation officials. ~" '''e
lie found that under ,ho
oy our legislature in 1905 ever, r "''
"ole drop of water in tho lL'o' ,
"'.e""'S OF kittitas county had hoaa
"i'nurawn from appropriation sinco
"' 'ooo' ana were held out of entry
W any one except the recl,ma,;a.
bureau FOR four years or un,u 49,
"''"''on service saw tit to examine
'"e''' ana make use of whatever ~ o,,.
water rights they might ul,ima,oI,
nhu most convenient for usa ,no,
various projects in the lower ,onn,r,
'r' oiemmon> reported To the cor,,oi,
'""U lor various legal reasons no
thought the rights of the recl,r,,,,,
service to enjoy this especial PRIVILEGE
o'o' 'he people of kittitas comfy
would not be sustained by the corr,s
ana asked that the facts which he had
Oo''e''e" De submitted to some LAWYER
OF the very highest STANDING in rho
state Tor review of his suggestions and
thoroughly examined from every
standpoint.
us suggestion was adopted, and
non /. l.. Stiles OF Tacoma. ex.member
Vi '"e supreme court of the state, and
one OF the strongest lawyers in the
state, was employed to examine the
whole question.
Judge Stiles rendered his written
opinion in the case and held very
strongly that the filings already made
by the committee were LEGAL and
superior to the rights Of the reclama.
ton service to have the waters OF the
state Withdrawn from entry for the
convenience of the Yak ina farmers and
land owners for whose benefit the
reclamation service are principally
acting.
The committee after receiving this
opinion from so eminent an authority.
felt that the time had come for them
10 ask the cooperation of every citizen
IN hittitas county to back them in their
subse quent efforts, and called the meet
ing on Saturday night.
The committee that have been furth-
ering the investigation thus far con-
sists of B. +. Reed, chairman; +. H. !
Snowden, secretary and treasurer, and
&. 5. Palmer, j. I. Hubbel and Reece
Jones
AZ the meeting Saturday night Mr..
Slemmons frankly stated the situation
which confronted the people here, aud
notified them OF the difficulties they
might have 10 overcome to obtain their
rights That the first thing TO do was
to get clear right TO sufficient water
for their use in the valley, either by
negotiations with the reclamation SER
vice and presenting the business Of our
claims, or il that failed, then by going
into the courts backed by the best legal
talent that money could obtain, and the
best case money can prepare and fight
it out to finish The people of K'tti-
tas county by snch an issue stand to
lose nothing, for they have nothing TO
lose. The 7, clamation service have
much to lose by the adverse termina-
alton Of such suit We only ask what
belongs to us of right, and what we
we're originally given to understand by
loose and left handed promises by re-
clamation officials and by others in
places OF political influence, that we
should have. We ask now the fulfill
ment Of the spirit Of those promises
and insist that the issue be no longer
lodged.
We ask if the reclamation service
has already involved its appropriations
within the state of Washington SO
deeply by its present projects that 1t
cannot take our project, that it at least
omit claim TO Us the right to the use OF
the water for our project, ana aiio" Us
tn build our own canal. With clear
,i,le 70 the water for our lands, 1t Is
the unanimous opinion Of our bankers
bnsiuess men and farmers That the
money for the construction OF the cana
c,p he obtainod and canal for all
practica purposes IA good as "ouiu
furnished by the reclamation SERVICE !
'.an he hullt for one half the expense. !
and within one half the time that would
b. required by the Government.
A. the meeting SATURDAY, night 10
,as decided to incorporate The EllenS
burg High Line Canal COMPANY, anu anu
ion IN take uD LUt l