The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-06-08
DITCH SW|NDLE,
ONEIDA, IDAHO
Tribune Correspondent Visits
the Scene of the MOnstrOus
Outrage.
TRUSTING PEOPLE ROBBED,
WITH NO RECOURSE
Foul Attempt to Besmirch the
Fair Name of John +.
Taylor.
BY G. E. ARNEY.
TO The Tribune.


Special to The Tribune.
BOISE. Ida. juno IL have visi,et
that portion OF the oneida irrigation dis
trict lying about Dayton. Clifton anc
Garner.
When the earth was hammered into
shape nature dealt kindly with that To-
caity. 1t was given good soil. natural
grades. a nearby range, rock and natural
basins for impounding the water not far
distant. IT is beautiful country. Sur
rounded by any other than the present
unfortunate condition OF affairs. IL would
average Its owners today 500 for each
acre. This is based on n knowledge oil
like land In other parts OF Idaho.
/ looked over the Initial files OF one OF
the state departments today. and located
the application for this irrigation district.
Among others, 1t was signed by Arthur
w. Hart the present head OF the Young
Mems Mutual lmprov ement society OF The
Mormon church for the Oneida stake OF
Zion. In his estimate OF the total cost
OF the system. which was based on the
report Of a competent engineer and was
correct, he placed the figures at S2S2. 900
This is the amount the ditch should
have cost. IL is the amount which the
settlers under the system would have paid
had their affairs been handled honestly.
II is the maximum figure OF the cost or
tho entire completion OF the works In any
other community in Idaho save this
Moreover, II Is the only community in
Idaho where men could even live today
who had done TO their ncighbors what
Arthur w. Hart and George c. Parkin-
son have done TO their neighbors in the
handling OF this Irrigation project, for to-
day, the total bonded Indebtedness of this
project is estimated at 100000. and those
posted insist that an additional $lS0.0oO
VIII be required 10 complete this system.
Interesting Details.
There are numerous interesting detsiIs
attending the perddious practices or these
companions In crime. few only having
been told in The Salt Lake Tribune dur
ing the past few months,
These exposures coupled with the
csustic but altogether conservative casti-
cation OF these thieves by Judge James
II. Richards OF Boise In the Malad trial.
are the agencies which have served TO
put quietus 10 the further public trials
OF these causes.
There may be faint glImmers of the
Ills visited on these poor people by these
tyrants in the bank case at Malad and
later in the bond case at Salt Lake. but
the case against Parkinson has been set
tied. AS l predicted many weeks ago.
Parkinson has settled, His Shiny trail
OF crime covered range too extensive
for him to permit the public to obtain an
other glance behind the veil. at his poll
tical. commercial and ecclesiastical Chi
canery.
No other community anywhere in Idaho
could be bullied to silence In the face OF
such conditions exist In the affairs OF
the Oneida Irrigation district. For the
most part. however. the devotees OF this
faith have accepted the Inevitable. even
though IL is thoroughly lnoculated with
fraud. plunder and with mystery.
No explanation has been made OF the
reckless expenditure of these funds and
until this is done a very respectable num-
Der OF the settlers under these works are
refusing 10 orcv tne Demands made on
them for exorbitant assessments. AS near
as could learn, there are ninety-six land
owners who are in this class OF lnsur-
gents.
Here is a letter which tends to explain
the mystery which shrouds this affair;
Dayton. Idaho April %. 1910
"John Murdoch.
Dear Sir: In the fall of 1906 you re-
ceived a letter order from the directors
Of the district and the same was pre-
sented to the treasurer OF said district
for the purpose OF adjusting an assess
ment that would have become delinquent.
also saving penalty that would have be IN
added on all unsettled accounts the fol-
lowing January,
This account sS1, is still unsettled.
and you are hereby invited 10 meet with
the directors and general manager at this
office on the first TUESDAY In May and
no later than the first Tuesday in June.
1910. to reconcile the acc ounr
If not settled by that time we VIII be
under the necessity of collecting the zane
Please give this due consideration.
that we can have it settled satisfac torily.
BY doing so You viii greatly oblige.
ONEIDA IRRIGATION DISTRICT
''By Geo, II. Carver"
No Explanation.
The settler has no knowledge OF the
figures which go TO make up this sum or
any sum and hence Murdoch and the
other poor people are on the road 10
either one Of two dilemas: pay up and
content yourselves in ignorance or move
out.
But this does not end the situation for
a spirit of destruction has set In against
those outspoken folks who murmur at
this specie OF autocracy.
Murdock has been arrested for helping
himself to enough water to save his al
falfa crop from burning up.
What security has he OF a fair unbiased
trial since George G. Parkinson and Ar
thur w. Hart were relieved from repay-
ment TO this irrigation district the money
they had stolen from IL?
John e. Taylor OF Clifton Is being DUR