Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-08-06
State Land Commissioners Have
No Funds to Examine Carey
Project Dams.
SUIT BROUGHT BY SETTLERS
Investigation Asked for and Board
Looks Into Alleged Infractions-
Raising Money for Bonds.


. land board. the imputation OF the in
togrity and carefuluess OF the state
board OF land commissioners In relation
20 Carey act projects In the state ia
without foundation I'm fact and es-
pcciaily In regard to the Oasis project
jim Willard county have the facts been
warped and conclusions drawn on In
sufficient and imperfect evidence.
complaint containing 500 typewrittcn
pages has been filed In Fillmore, NIL
lard county. by residents against sew
cral Carey act projects alleged u be
imperfcctly constructed and carelessly
managed on account OF the alleged hes-
ligence of the state land board,
Mr.. Lynch says It Is "a we'll known fact
that not one cent is the state land board
y author zcd To eXpend for the Inspection
of Carey act projects; II may be a serl-
nus omission hut nevertheless MI
Lynch says, sucn rs the fact Ihe
oasis Land Irrigation coulpahyi
which controls the project IN Milaiu
rounty, has been cited before the board
10 show cause why its rights should
not be annuIlod in accordance with the
complaints OF the settlers OF the pro-
iect. and Il has shown that unforeseen
events have destroyed It's dam repeated
ly and subjected Il to great loss TO u.
self as well as 20 the purchasers vi
land under the project
Members of the company are now IN
the east. says Mr. Lynch, ana nave
practically closed contract Win
company which viii underWrlte
hond issue of SIPS. 600 to take up the
floating Indebtedness OF the company
and complete the oasis Carey act pro--
fect provided certain concessions VIII
be given by the Deseret irrigation
company and the Melville Irrigatlon
company both Of which are Interested
This has proved satisfactory to the
farmers and the matter has been put
in Allowance until the promises are
fulfilled Tho farmers realize, MT.
Lunch SAYS that even n the oasis
company had been bonded for 81, 600
600 II could not have withstood the
violent floods OF this spring which
tore out railroads as well as dams.
CHARGES MADE
J Sometime last June Mitchell l.. Nc
'Ininch and several other purchasers or
land under the oasis project nled a
complaint against the oasis Land and
Irrigation company with the state land
board asking for an Investigation. The
,omplaint stated that the Oasis COM
pany represented to the prospective
purchasers OF the land that II would
have water TO the farms OF the pur-
chaseTs by December 1909 and that
secure and that there was no possible
Hanger OF the dams or the spillways
breaking away. Mr.. Mclninch sald
further that the company represented
10 the pure hasers that the hume across
nhc Sewer river in the project was OF
ample capacity TO carry sufficient
amount Of water for all land on the
west side of the river In the project
land that the company had contract
Tor the replacing of the wooden hume
with a steel one before the month
If December 1909. lie said that pco-
bile purchased lands, relying on these
promises. They put In crops and the
company promised that the canals
would be Allied in the fail Of 1903 IN
order 10 soak them up and TO show
weak places lie further states that
the company had not deposited with
he state land board any part of the
'irst payment on the water contract
1ut had converted the money to its
own use: and furthermore that the
oasis company had neglected To give
he required bond Of $4,000.
MIR, Mclninch alleged further that II
- the belief OF himself and associated
compliments that at the time these
representations Were made the cement
tunnel running through the dam or
spillway Was cracked and broken In
he middle so that water ran out and
hat the Oasis company know IL. He
says that on May n, 1910, the relief
i.unuel broke away settled down and
~as washed out being wholly lost and
destroyed. The canals, he says In his
omplaint. were not made large enough |
or their purpose and that the wooden
iumc was not strong enough Tie de-
handed an investigation and the state
and board cited the Oasis company |
before them and the investigation was |
leld with tho result that the company |
s now in the east seeking 10 get funds |
Nth which 10 complete the project
TWO SIDES TO TROUBLE
That there are two sides to the story |
IS apparent from the fact that the
state land board received on July 10 a. /
etter from settlers in Burtner. Willard |
.ountv which vndicatcs To some cN- /
ent the company and lmpugned the in 1
egrity OF the compliments. The let |
,cr dated BURNER. July -, and signed /
w Charles o. Coancly, Albert Watts, /
Loren TAYLOR and J. CLARK reads in /
1art as follows;
Having cause To believe that the l
curse being pursued by certain other 1
owners OF water rights purchased from /
he oasis Land & Irrigation company /
Ray be Injurious 70 our interests. we |
wish 10 advise you that the parties /
lbove referred u. having other means /
~ maintenance or homes elsewhere,
ana whose holdings here are largely
HIHiMlAAlAts NIf seemingly luA'hN UPON
he destruction. Of the oasis Land g. 4
Irrigation company which Ia our
opinion would be- disastrous 90 many /
II the settlers and delay further de-
jelopment The parties referred to,
Sc believe 60 be minority Of the
ictual settlers
The letter ends by asking that pay
nents be deferred without interest on
lnimprovcd lands until the company
hall have furnished ample water 60 Sc
lure crops that fair damage b. paid
or loss OF crops and credited on future
'avmcnts and finally that the company !
le permitted 10 complete the project
Mr. Lynch Of the land board says
hat the state engineer approved the /
plans and specifications OF tho oasis
lam and that the whole project would
probably have been accepted and the
natter turned over 10 the company Il
ne Hoods had not torn the dam away.
nc dam looked Co be an right TO the
tstc engineer; but the land board has
iot ono cent To- pay for official invcs-
igations ~ Carey act dams.
FUNERAL OF MRS N0RDvALL.