The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1911-11-02
W oeful W ailings
Sympathetic Stafford, Saviour of Set
tiers, Breaks Loose in Another
Newspaper Interview

system was not established according
to contract, is defective and that the
company has no right to collect any
amount until the system is put into
proper shape.
He expresses regret that this course
should become necessary, but states
that the settlers cannot help it. He
declares that they have done every
thing possible to prevent such action,
but that since the company wishes TO
force it, the settlers will haye to meet
it. lie states that the settlers offered
the company to enter friendly suit to
try out the question solely on the al
legged failure to supply water for 1910,
thus avoiding the necessity for raising
the general question of the inefficiency
of the system, but the company re
fused, even though the settlers offered
to pay their share of the cost of such
friendly suit, and resolved to stand on
their claimed rights to forfeit the con-
tracts entirely.
The state land board some time ago
recommended to the Idaho Irrigation
company that it make an effort to set
tie these differences with the settlers
over the failure of water for last year,
but nothing was done along that line,
Mr. Stafford states, and the settlers
have been unable to get any relief from
the company, which is demanding pay
on last years proportion of the contract
in spite of the fact that no crops were
produced.
Mr.. Stafford was in consultation with
Attorney General McDougall today and
was given the assurance of that official
that the state would intervene on the
part of the settlers and that the attor-
ney generals office would be repre-
sented in court for the purpose of hav-
ing the contracts of the companies con-
strued in the courts of the state to
settle the question; as to whether pay
ments can be demanded when there is
failure to supply water. The state
land board has also promised to make
of the situation and to
take such action as it may find neces-
sary and that it may find itself author
zed to take to protect the settlers in
his respect.
There is general complaint among +
he settlers that the company is pur
suing a course of petty annoyance /
against the settlers which is creating a
feeling of general unrest and dissatis
action between the settlers and the
An illustration of the small
hings that occur to insence the set
lers is narrated where settler who
lad suffered an entire failure of crops
asst year and who was accordingly in
Ilmost desperate circumstances to pro-
-ide food for his family, who, this year,
lad small amount of hay to sell. He
old it to agents of the company for
se in their camp near his place. The
ill was only SIT and he was told to
end it in to the. company, which he
id. In due course of mail he received,
lstead of the money which he needed
o badly, receipt to apply on last
ears payment, which he, together
nth, others, is protesting, and which
e claims he will not have to pay at all {
Ieanwhile, his family is still suffering I
Or necessities which that money would
ave bought them, and which he could
ave secured had he sold the hay else
here instead of accommodating the
len in charge of the company's camp
lrft.
1t is understood that there is con-
derable ill-feeling manifested by the
ettlers, and that the legal battle to
etermine their rights will be hard
ought one. Boise Capital News-Oct.
}, 1911.
The above interview is gross mis-
of facts as they exist,
I'd is evidently gotten up for the
'od of Stafford. The Recorder will
swer the above article next week. ,