The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1910-12-01
MILK RIVER VALLEY
RESIDENTS MUST ACT
MEETING OF LOWER MILK RIVER WATER USERS ASSOCIATION
AND UNITED MILK RIVER IRRIGATION ASSOCIATION WILL
BE HELD IN MALTA, TUESDAY, DEC. 6, 1910

Mr.. b. w. Brockway, Secretary
Lower Milk River Water Users AS
sociation, dated October 10, 1910:-
Requests have been made that con-
struction work be authorized along
the entire lower river, and especially
| that early construction of the DOd-
son North Canal be authorized. 1t
is, therefore, important to call atten-
lion to the necessity for definite steps
to be taken looking toward the COM
plete adjudication and settlement by
court decree of all such rights
Acting Secretary of the Interior
Frank Pierce to Mr.. George w.
Vennum, Secretary United Milk Riv
er Irrigation Association, July IA,
19l0:-
your atten-
tion has been called to the necessity
of securing a complete adjudication
of all water rights involved before
the Government will be able to pro-
ceed with the construction work OH
that portion Of the Milk River pro-
ject over which the operation Of your
association extends. 1t is under
stood that no definite steps have
been taken looking toward an adju-
dicatlon.
Your attention is now called to
the fact that it will be impracticable
to make any progress toward secur
ing a water supply by storage in ST.
Mary's Lakes until the United States
is assured by judicial determination
tha@ water Will be available in sutfic-
lent quantities for the need of the
project
Acting Secretary of the Interior
Frank Pierce to Mr.. B. W.
Brockway, Secretary Lower Milk
River Water Users Association. Ju-
ly IA, 1910:
Your attention is now called to the
fact that it will be iWpracticable to
make any progress toward securing
a water supply by storage in st.
Mary's Lakes until the United States
is assured by judicial determination
that water will be available i'll suflic-
lent quantities for the needs of the
project,
| Acting Secretary of the Interior to
George W. Vennum, Secretary Unit
ed Milk River Irrigation Association
| in reply to Mr.. Vennum' letter July
1s, 1910.
"You state that this year there is
nothing to adjudicate as you have
had a very dry season and there is
no water in Milk River.
This condition in the Judgment of
the Department merely emphasizes
the necessity for such All adjustment.
1t the government were at this time
turning stored water into Milk river
difficulty would undoubtedly be Ell
; cOuntered in securing the de.
livery of such stored water
to the water users to be served by
the government.
!, In the opinion of the Departm ent
the Government would not be justi
fled in beginning any expenditure fol
storing water in st. Mary's lakes OF
elsewhere with view Of turning the
same into Milk River until there
were ample assurance supported by
a decree of the court that the Gov
ernment could use unmOlested the
stored water which it turned into the
river.
The fact that the matter has been
pending so many years makes it all
the more necessary to proceed with
caution in undertaking further work
for the storage of waters to be turned
into Milk River"
1t has been the hope of the settlers
and land owners that the allotment
for the Milk River project would bt
made and construction prosecuted
without the necessity of adjudication
in the State Courts, first, by reason
of the water users in the upper dis
trict Offering to conditionally forfeit
their water rights to the governm ent
second, because the lower district
has already done so. But it seems
evident from the attitude of the Sec
retary of the Interior that these pro.
ceedings will have to be instituted
before any allotment is made.
Iexpect to go down the Milk River
, Valley in day or two, to cons u II
with the leaders of the irrigation
!, movement and determine on a date
and place fora meeting of the Uuite(
Milk River Irrigation Association
Havre is proposed for this meeting
and December third will probably bt
the date: but definite announcement
will be made within three or foul
days. Judging from the present con
ditions this will in all probability b'
the most important meeting of tn,
association.
l.. NEWMAN.
Apples, $3.50 Box at the Malt;