Arizona republican., 1912-04-27
CHANDLER WAS
 MAIN WITNESS
Doctor Tells ill Detail of the Acquisition of Chand- Ter Property by Himself and His Business Associ- ateS

One of the features of the congress sional Investigating committees ses- sion yesterday was the testimony of
 Dr A j. Chandler and others regard Ing the acquisition Of the property near Mesa known as the Chandler ranch.
 Dr. Chandler's story was quite a long one. Speaking of his personal connection with the tract that bears his name, he said he came to Arizona from Detroit almost a quarter of century ago; that some time after his arrival he arranged to take over the Tempe and Mesa canals; that he in 1 terested two Detroit people, D. NJ | Ferry and F. F. Bowen, in an irriga- i ton proposition, and that the ar
 rangement made at that time led l eventually to the irrigation of the 1 tract which is now under develop ment.
 The plan adopted at the time and pursued ever since, the doctor said, was the cncoura cement of immigra- | ton into the valley. In order to sup ply water to settlers the canals were 1 extended and large sums Of money 1 Were spent in this development. In order to meet the expenses Of con struCtiOn mortgages were taken upon 600 acres of land in each section. In some cases, Dr Chandler said. the l settlers obtained title to their lands direct from the government; in other cases the patents were obtained by 1 the Chandler people and the title af- l rewards transferred
 When the company was organized l the doctor said, this plan was fol- 1 lowed The company consisted of 1 Dr. Chandler, D. NJ. Ferry and J. J. i Bowen. It was capitalized at q mill
 lion dollars and each of the partners i held q third interest. There was
 something more than 30,000 acres in
 the tract The company was organ 1 iZed in 1892 or about that time 1 The witness told of the litigation
 which occurred several years ago fol- 1 lowing which some of the farms were | abandoned. Because of this liiga-
 tion it was impossible for the com l pany to deliver water. The doctor 1 said that in handling the business af-
 fairs of the company he had always relied upon the advice of MT Wal ] lace, the attorney, whose business it l was to look after all the legal affairs connected with the enterprise.
 Dr. Chandler said further that in his relations with the other members
 of the company he had repeated to
 them the statements made to him by his attorney. He said he had not
 read the land laws and had always ] proceeded in entire good faith. When ] the list of the original entrymen was read to him he was able to recall nearly all of them. He could not tell
 where all of them had gone, but re- membered that some had gone to | California. None of the women, the
 doctor said. had ever actually en-
 gagged in agricultural pursuits. Since
 the time these entries were made all
 the land has been legally conveyed to | pr Chandler and his business asso 1 ciates
 | There was also considerable teSti
 mony regarding the work of extend l ing the canal which, since its ac ] quisition by the Chandler and Ferry
 people, has been known as the Con
 solidated canal The doctor told in detail of the work of the engineers
 he has had employed Dr. Chandler
 
 with the idea of subtracting from the | Indians water supply and that that | had never been the intention either of himself or of any other members l Of the company.
 The witness said that what water | is obtained from the river is obtained | under prior rights granted under the 1 Kent decision Also, he declared, he 1 had not counted on a supply of water 1 from the Roosevelt dam, knowing he l could get q supply for not more than l 160 acres from that source. Other matters relating to the sale of the l canal to the government the electri- | cal problem, and related matters were l gone into in detail.
 | There were also some question re- lating to the inception of the Roose- 1 welt dam project. The witness had | understood that Arthur r. Davis had | made a report on the feasibility of | the Tonto damsite, but had no per sonal knowledge of the matter. l It was through Engineer Hill. the witness said, that the arrangement
 was made to sell the Consolidated canal to the government.
 IT NJ. Lewis was another witness. l He said he knew pr. Chandler and l had worked for him. The witness
 said he had taken up q tract of land. i but had had no arrangement with Dr. l (zI.