The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1911-02-01
THE TAX PAYERS MEETING THE LAKE TAHOE CONTRACT
Is Now Before The President
For Approval. Directly Af-
fects This Project.

During the past two years, off and on
there have been reports in the State
press as to proposed contract between
the federal government, as represented
by the reclamation service, and the
Truckee General Electric Co., at the
head of which is w. P. Harmon and
which is credited with being closely
connected with the national water pow
er trust against which Roosevelt, Gar
field and Pinchot have warned the peo-
pie.
Lake Tahoe, lying partly in Califor-
MIA and partly in Nevada, is the source
of the Truckee river, which stream
flows from California into Nevada, and
Is, therefore, an interstate waterway.
Hammon's company holds title to fifty
four acres surrounding the lakes outlet
into the river and claims also the dam
thereon and other works necessary to
regulate the flow of the water.
Along the Truckee, between the lake
and the city of Reno, are five power
plants which claim the right. in all, to
100 cubic feet of water per second.
Four of these plants are now owned by
Hammon's Truckee General Electric
Company, which represents the absorp-
ton of number of small concerns, and
the fifth plant is that of the Floriston
Pulp and Paper Co.
That Harmon in creating the True
kee General Electric Co. had something
much bigger in view than the eonsoli-
dation of number of small concerns is
admitted, and the valuable privileges
be seeks to secure from the govern
ment are in line with his plans.
The main points of the modified Bal
linger contract follow: The company
claims, and the contract approves it,
the fifty-four acres of land at the lakes
outlet and the dam and other works and
rights appertaining thereto, although
there may be question as to some of
them. the government claims all un-
appropriated and surplus waters of the
lake. The United States has no more
rights in this case than an individual or
a corporation. Both agree that vested
rights must be protected
The company is to reconstruct the
dam and works at the lakes outlet, the
government paying half of the cost, and
by Nov. /, 1911, must turn over the re-
constructed works to the government,
which thereafter will operate them at
its own expense, caring for the five
plants along the Truckee, and stand liza
BILE for all damages, if any, to vested
rights, until relieved of the RESPONSE
bility by the company. The cost OF re-
pairs and renewals are to be shared
equally.
When the company shall relieve the
United States of the duty of operating
the lakes outlet and take upon itself
the responsibility for damages there
under, then the government will permit
it to locate a point on the lakes margin,
no higher than 6, 223 feet, for the diver
sion into Nevada of water aggregating
AIS acrefeet each civil day for power
purposes, making no charge therefor,
but the company agreeing to conduct
this water at its own expense to reser-
voir in Washoe valley, that shall have
a storage capacity of not less than 16S,-
900 acre feet, and then conducting it to
the Truckee river at a point near
Clark's Station, beyond Reno, where it
will be utilized in the irrigation of the
Trdckee- Carson project.
The company is to have the ''inciden-
tai use" of this Nevada-diverted water
for power purposes, and in order that
it "shall enjoy the full benefit" of this
diversion the United States agrees that
it will so control the outlet of Lake Ia
hoe into the Truckee River that there
will be no greater discharge than is ne
cessary ito prevent damage from high
water in Lake Tahoe or to satisfy rights
on the river not otherwise provided
for" That is the second point of di-
version, the Nevada diversion is to be
favored.
The government is to operate at its
own expense not only the works at the
lakes outlet, but also at the proposed
new, or second, point of diversion and
at the Washoe valley reservoir. Only
an extraordinary drouth or other act of
God or the public enemy, or unlawful
interference, will release the United
States from the various obligations it
assumes under the contract The gov
ernment also leases to the company
"without further rental charge than
the stipulations" of the contract, six
teen acres of land near the lakes out
let, which the Reclamation Service pur-
chased in 1904.
The company affirms that the chiet
consideration impelling it to enter into
this contract is the obligations the
United States agrees to assume and its
faith that the government will keep its
promises. The company agrees to not
sell out without the consent of the Sec
rotary of the Interior, who is the head
of the Reclamation Service, and the
uovarpnant pprapc TINT 10 C.poracs