The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-09-13
SECRETARY REEVES HOPE
OF FURTHER RECLAMATION

party was transferred to autos and
again delivered to the special at Out
look
On the trip down the valley the gas
car of the Oregon Washington Rail
road e. Navigation company which
was employed. was rather deliberately
decorated with a display fthe pro-
ducts of the Grandview country. On
this trip the secretary was the guest
of the commercial clubs of outlook,
Sunnyside, Grandview and Prosser.
committee composed of representa-
tives from these commercial clubs
presented to him the arguments in
favor of the construction, by the
United States, of the pumping plants
in connection with the Sunnyside Re-
ciamation project. He was inform ed
that these pumping plants had been
considered from the first an integral
part of the project; that the cost of
the project as a whole had ALREADY
been computed upon the basis of the
pumping plants being constructed /;
that the plan of the Reclamation SER
vice had always contemplated water
ing them until adverse recomm nda So
ton had been made by the board of
army engineers.
Injustice II Alleged
-'orcetul arguments We're presented
to him to the effect that this report
OF the army board was d marked in
Justice to the people of the Sunnyside
district not only because the owners
of land within the plants had been
inIlnpnno6 in fra
government for water by the Recla
nation service, but that for nearly
six years they had relied upon these
representations and upon their con-
tracts and until the report of the
board of army engineers had no rea-
son to expect that their lands would
not be watered as originally planned
Money Is Asked for
The secretary was informed that
the people were ready and willing to
comply with all of the conditions
of the Reclamation act and had been
so ready for the past five years; that
the recommendation of the army
board was a distinct injustice to the
people of the Yakima valley, as well
as to the state of Washington, in
that it appropriated. of the entire
$4S, 600, 600 covered by it's report less
than $1,000 900 to the Yakima pro-
ject, an insufficient amount to carry
out the work already commenced.
That this amount was entirely inter-
est bearing and that no portion of the
non-interest bearing funds had been
allotted to this state by their recon-
mendation. That the cost of these
pumping plants is comparatively
small and that the secretary could.
IN some way, relieve the hardship
worked by the army Board bv tenn
porarily diverting 100000 of the
$4S, 900, 600 allotted, to this project.
Money In Three Years
He was,assured that if such amount
was diverted for this purpose the peo.
pie would agree to repay it within
three years, or before the date when
it could possibly be used under the
present allotment. He was shown
that unless such plants were con-
structed 1870 acres of land which is
now under contract to pay to the
government the construction cost of
$61.5O per acre, or 100000 in round
figures, would be lost to the Sunny
side project He was shown that the
people would have to pay for the colt
struction work already done on the
main canal, costing in excess of half
million dollars. which work had been
expressly accomplished with the view
of including these lands. and that I'M
less such lands were irrigated this ex-
cess cost would be lost to the people
under the project, or to the Recla-
nation fund.
Difficulties Shown
Fle was shown the difficulties OF
financing these pumping plants under
existing laws and conditions, and
lastly he was shown the land itself
at the same moment having before
him the delicious fruit and products
of the valley. grown upon the land
on one side of the canal-an object
lesson in the possibilities of imme-
date development and quick returns
to the fund, should the requests OF
these committees be granted.
Mr.. Fisher was interested and ex-
tremely quick to catch the points
made and realize the force of the ar
Euments presented. All who had OPP
portunity to observe We're impressed
with his sense of fairness in consid-
ering this proposition. and the people
feel greatly encouraged by the inter.
est shown by the secretary in their
problems. AT his request the matte,
will he further presented in writing
and those interested feel assured OF
success.
Reservation Affairs
Despite desperate efforts to adhere
strictly to the schedule the return Ia
roppenish. instead of beeing at 4:3O
O'Clock was a half hour late. There
the party was met by committee
consisting of Messrs. Young and Mar
tin of the Indian service. the former
in charge of the reservation and the
latter in charge of the drainage work
thereon, and Of Messrs. McCready.
Williams. johnson, Talbot and
others. Editor Johnson. of the Top.
penish Review. had been one of the
party on the car and II. NJ Gilbert,
who represents Toppenish interests
had been with the secretary through
out the greater part of the day De-