The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-03-12
Chief Engineer Davis Of the Reclamation Ser
vice Denies the Truth Of Many Statements
Made by Secretary Ballinger and Pre-
sident Taft=He Is Cross Examined

Washington. March 12.-Chief En-
grcer Arthur P Davis, OF the rccla-
nation service. WHO yesterday naty
denied the truth OF many statements
made by Secretary Ballinger and Pres
ident Taft and others, continued today
as the witness before the BalBnSer-
Pinchot investigating committee Mr..
Davis was questioned further as to
interviews with Secretary Ballinger
He declared that the head OF the
Interior department; had continued
constantly to criucise the reclamation
Gcryice. and that within the last week
had told The witness he thought sala-
rtes paid in the service were TOO hlgn,
aud that he proposed new salary
scale Mr.. Davis said tho rumor had
persisted that Director Newell was
slated to go.
The witness referred further TO the
unity against thc service In some
COZ munites in ,ho west
Senator Sutherland sought 10 snow
thai much &C Tho dissatisfaction was
due TO the fact that on some projects
the original estimate OF the cost Of
water had been increased from 500 TO
. final charge OF $40 an acre. Mr.
Davis admitted thar lhio might be the
cause Of some oi the discomfort.
Mr. Davis said the engineers of the
reclamation service, in order to sue
coed in their work and I'm their rcla.
tions with land owners. ought TO have
the earnest support OF the secretary OF
hfs Iaf L. 4 70 . kr
retary Ballinger he'd given his support
10 this
Attorney Pepper read Into the rec
ord letter, recently addressed to The
house committee on ways and means,
10y Secretary Bailnger In support ot
the $4,000. 900 bond issue for recla-
nation work. In this letter Secretary
Balliuger spoke of ,hc hardships which
had resulted to settlers on some OF the
projects where cooperating agree
ments had been entered into by for
mer Secretary Garfield He also
claimed that inducements had been
held out 10 settlers 10 come on the
lend, and that at TomcG Mont, there
had been erected 4 large Sign.boa-d
inviting settlers to come there. This
sign included the statement:
Settlers can work out their pay
ment."
Mr.. Ballinger said he ordered this
Nart of the sign pointed out
, fMr Davis contradicted practically
3 Very statement in the Ballinger lel-
tet He said he was with Mr. Ballin-
ger when he saw the sign: that no
orders had been given to paint out
the words. and that up to Il few
days ago they had not been painted
out
Mr. Davis said there had been no
cooperative agreement at Toluca. |
and that no such signs had been
erected anywhere else. and that no
undue inducement Ind ever been
paid TO settlers 10 so to the co-opera-
live work
At :oluco the reclamation work |
had been completed and there was |
more water available thau land un- |
der cultivation The lands were pub !
lie. and Il was decided that they !
should be taken up ~
The witness related the SC called |
black tent affair He said that. |
under orders OF Secretary Ballinger.
r r Perkins of the Chicago Office !
oi the reclamation service. went |
through the west. travelling in a black |
tent 10 advertise reclamation work. |
II came 10 the attention of service |
officials that Perkins. in addition 10 |
getting q salary OF $4,000 a year was |
receiving ah allowance OF $500 a |
month from the Hartman railway |
lines The Hin lines protested that |
Perkins was coming into their terri. |
tory and lecturing about projects on |
tho Hartman lines.
Mr. Davis said he recommended |
Perkins be di3nlsBcd. Director New
eli did not agree 10 this at first. but |
later wrote TO Perkins. and in a |
polite" way requested his reslgna- |
ton Secretary Balllngcr rcprlmand. |
ed Newell for interfering IN a mat |
ter which wns being personally con
Quoted by himself.
When his direct examination had
been concluded and he was being
questioned by members of The COM
lCiltce, Mr.. Davis suddenly remarked
~ want II understood that ! dou't
wish 10 inslnuatc in anything | have
said that Secretary Ballngcr haa
Intentionally or consciously done q
wrong act ] don't believe he has
At the beginning OF the afternoon
session. Mr.. Davis told Of the llssatis.
faction among The engineers OF the
reclamation service of The "uusym-
pathetic attitude OF the present sec
rotary OF the interior in failing to pro
mote them although recommended
for promotion by the supervising eng
necrs"
He scaid II would be impossible 10
retain these mon uuless they wore
trented more fairly. and that ono one
occasion h. had hard time In pre-
vomiting all tho cugincor. in the ser.
vice from rcslgnine IN body a. n
protest against tho metSod pursued
BY Secretary BnllInger