Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1910-07-29
IN THE LIMELIGHT--IRRIGATION
PROJECT AT A STANDSTILL
REFUSE TO SIGN CONTRACTS
The Trouble Is With Those Who
Will Come Under the Gravity
Ditch.

Irrigation Is attracting no little at
tention at this time. After some
seven or eight thousand acres had
been signed up 1t was found that
certain people in the valley below
Grants Pass were backward In TAX
Ing water. There are over eight
thousand acres of the finest land In
the county in that section and scarce
ly fifteen hundred acres are repre-
sented on the books OF the irrigation
company. The building of the big
garvity ditch from Savage Rapids
to the lower end of the valley means
a large expenditure of money and
the irrigation company naturally hes
itates to go forward with the enter
prise unless the owners of consid-
cradle amount OF land contract for
water. They have determined not
to build ditch until they have the
assurance that the land owners are
willing to assist In the enterprise to
the extent Of agreeing to take water
when the ditch is completed,
T. A. Williams and Attorney-Gen-
eral Crawford, OF the irrigation COM
pany, reached Grants Pass on Tues
day morning and they at once con-
fered with number OF our leading
citizens regarding the prospect for
local agents OF the company had dur
ing their absence made thorough
canvass OF the land owners under the
proposed line of ditches and report
ed the conditions as they found them,
and this not being satisfactory irrl-
cation at once came to standstlll.
Mr.. Williams was seen by Courier
representative and was asked II 1t
was true as reported that II the peo-
pie down the valley did not sign up
he would abandon the project. He
promptly replied by saying:
"No, | will not put In the system
nor do think anyone else will un-
less all the property owners sign up.
4, am talking to you straight, and VIII
say that II had known when came
, here the difficulty was going to
d have | would not have undertaken
. the project. The people all said they
| wanted irrigation, and can not un-
n derstand how ! missed 80 many that
' did not want IT, However, | have
p gone through the deal so far and
, have succeeded In financing the pro-
- ject, and II the people down the river
q will sign up | am ready TO go ahead
and do my part. have let the con-
q tract for the work TO one OF the best
irrigation contractors In the United
4 States and he will be here by the
y 10th OF August TO make arrange
/. ments TO start In and do the work
q his machinery and everything being
O ready to load on the cars, and II the
e people want irrigation ! am here to
d give It to them"
q The directors Of the Commercial
J. club have held a number OF meetingI
"a and appointed committees to assls
v In securing water contracts and 1t Il
Il to be hoped that the land owners
"a will be prevailed upon TO have theii
# ranches irrigated The prosperity o
!. Grants Pass and large share OF 10
10 scphnc county depend on going Tor
q ward with this ditch, but Il Is un
If reasonable TO suppose that men o
n capital win come to our aid whel
n our own people refuse TO do thel
r. share toward the Development o
I'd Inar own farms Every bushes
In .mr knows tnaI wo need nu. "pe'
.e.Mu 90 $500 refuse to help ourselves