Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1911-02-09
MAY OCCUPY
SIX MONTHS
FORMER OFFICIALS WILL SUM
MON WITNESSES. - PER-
MISSION is GRANTED
Investigation Of Former Members of
State Land Board May Take Until
Next JuIy.-NIass of Documentary
Evidence TO BE Introduced.

One point was brought out prom
inently at the initial hearing of the
former members of the state land
board before the joint legislative
committee in the matter of the Mac
kay dam charges, which was held
last night at the council chamber
of the city hall, and that was that,
II the inquiry follows the lines al
ready laid down and the witnesses
asked for by the defendants are sum-
moned as was promised. the taking
of evidence pro an dcon win probab-
ly come to an end on or about the
fourth of next July.
Following the reading of the
charges made by the citizens COM
mittee Attorney General McDougall
asked for the names of the witnesses
TO be heard in substantiation of the
allegations contained in the infor-
nation fled Upon being informed
that J. b. Lippincott, the Los An
geles engineer who made the report
on the dam for the Mackay citizens
last summer, was to be present he
asked permission to present the nam
es of the engineers and others who
would testify for the former officials
against the report of the Los Angel
es engineer. This was granted by the
committee, whereupon Mr. McDoug-
all submitted a list of names of men
he desired called, at the same time
stating that he would place in pos
session of the committee all plans,
specifications, blue prints, plats and
various engineering reports on the
project for their perusal. Il think,
gentlemen, he stated, that by the
time the information is thoroughly
digested and the evidence of the var
ious engineers reviewed you will all
have very clear idea of the Mac
kay project as well as the work Of
the former land board
The hall was well filled when the
inquiry opened with lall members
Of the committee in their places. The
following former members of the
board were on hand: Former Gov
ernor James H. Brady, former Sec
retary of State Robert Lansdon, for
mer superintendent of Public In
struction S. Belle Chamberlain and
Attorney General d. c. McDougall.
The charges which have already been
published, are embraced under the
general heads of inadequate origin
al specifications, unsuitable selection
for dam site, placing in jeopardy liv-
es of citizens through the danger
Gus condition of the dam and per-
mitting construction to proceed in
violation of the plans approved by
the land board as a body.
Governor Brady in a brief, force
ful speech declared his complete in
nocence of the charges brought
against him and voiced his belief
in the innocence of his former asso-
ciates on the board Lansdon and
McDougall made simalar statements
of their innocence Of the charges fill
ed against them.
Early in the proceedings Senator
Macbeth. who acted as sort of mas
ter of cermonies for the representa-
fives of the citizens committee from
Mackay, protested against his being
regarded as a complainant
He stated that it was only a ques-
tion of time when he would be call
ed to pass upon the finding of the
committee as a member of the leg
islature and that, such being the case
he did not care to be placed in the
light of himself bringing these charg-
es. He filed the charges, he said as
a member of the senate upon the re-
quest of the committee. The chair
conceded this point of view and the
evidence will be considered hereaf-
ter as emanating from the citizens
eommitte.
The desire for quick action was
apparent on the part of all the for
mer officials Governor Brady stated
10 the committee that he had come
specially from POcatello at consid-
cradle expense to be present at the
hearing. He also asked for informa.
tion as to the procedure to be fol-
lowed and added that in his opinion
he was entitled to judgment in the
case at the earliest possible moment
Robert Lansdon took a similar stand
In order to expedite matters. Leslie
E. Dillingham;. editor OF the Mac