The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1910-01-26
PROSSER WATER
QUESTION AGAIN
Secretary Ballinger Outlines Pol.
icy Regarding Irrigation of
Large Tract.
MUNICIPALITY MUST
SIGN FOR IRRIGATION
Halsey r. Watson Has Confer
ence With Engineer Swigert
and Is Doubtful as to Success
of Plan.

Whether the United States recla-
nation service will take over the con-
troll of the canal of the Prosser Falls
Land Il Power company and irrigate
the large tract of land surrounding
Prosser and south of the Yakima riv-
err is question that will soon be set
tied by the residents of that section.
After waiting for four years and in
sistently urging the government to
action, the land owners have received
a proposition from the department of
the interior.
Halsey Il. Watson, who as presi-
dent of the Prosser Commercial club,
has had a special interest in the effort
was in North Yakima Monday for a
conference with Engineer Swigart.
He said that he had serious doubts as
to the carrying through of the plan,
principally from the ract that the mu-
nicipality of Prosser would have to
pay for the water right for the full
acreage of land within the city limits,
and that this would be too expensive
for the city. Other parts of the plan
are entirely satisfactory, although
the water users must pay $31 an acre
for the additional water right, to use
water from the Sunnyside canal sys-
tenn,
Water Rights Bone of Contention.
Prossers battle for government
water right has been going on since
the adjustment of Yakima river water
rights with the government. At that
time, it was understood that the gov
eminent would take over the Pros
Loo al
and freely discussed before the COM
mittee of United States senators that
visited the Yakima valley last fall and
spent day in Prosser. Secretary
Ballinger and Director Newell of the
reclamation service were present and
promised immediate action. The re-
suit is the formal approval of the plan
by Secretary Ballinger.
Conditions OF Agreement.
The approval is for irrigation of
approximately 2200 acres of land, to
be irrigated in 1911 and thereafter
by the government, provided that the
following conditions are agreed upon:
That the charge for lands which
have a water right from the Prosser
Falls Land & Power company. as
shown by the abstract of title ana re-
ports of the company which have
been submitted to the office of the re-
clamation service at North Yakima,
be fixed at $31 per acre; that the
building charge to lands without
water rights be fixed at $50 per acre.
the same as for other lands In the
Sunnyside project, and that the oper-
alton and maintenance charges for all
nh In do he he
from time to time for other lands in
the Sunnysde project.
Preliminary Agreement.
That before construction Ia author
lied at least 90 per cent of the lands
having a Prosser Falls Land Il Pow
er company water right, and 30 per
cent Of the lands having no such
water right, or total amount Of land
which will give an equivalent return
in money, on the basis OF such build
ing charges, must ne subscribed for
in the Sunnyside Water Users asso.
citation and the town of Prosser must
enter into a proper contract with the
United States for the supplying of the
town with water for Irrigation pur-
poses subjec to the stipulation that
should the town secure the release
to the United States of " cubic feet
of water per second, being part of the
five cubic feet of water per second
held by the Prosser Falls Land &
Power company for irrigation pur
poses, the town of Prosser will re-
ceive credit on account Of the
charges under such contract to the
extent of $4,000.
A REIMBURSEMENT to the United
States of rs cubic feet of water per
second by the Prosser Falls Land &
Power company free Of all liens, con-
ditions or charges of any kind.
The securing without cost to the
United States of all necessary right
of-way for pipe lines, canals and in
cidental structures for the works nee
esary for carrying out this agreement.
The secretary directs the recama-
ton service that when these condi-
tions are satisfactorily fulfilled con-
struction of the works necessary to
irrigate the Prosser lands may be I'M
dertaken, and that such construction
shall be taken up in advance OF the
commencement of work for any
pumping plants for the Sunnyside
project.