Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1912-08-02
FOOD FOR THOUGHT

'Sh III tue suit DTOuRnt
by the Lovelock Ranchers against
the Pacific Reclamation Company.
There seems to be an impression
that, because that company is COM
posed principally of Eastern capital
and they are exploiting the agri-
cultural resources of the county
away from the principal settled
parts, and on different lines than
has ever been tried in this state
although the ordinary way in other
states that action taken against
them cannot have anything to do
with the rest of the ranchers in
Humboldt valley around them.
This idea is erroneous and the
people of Elku county should wake
up TO the tact that The Pacific Re-
clamatiOn Company has. by action
taken under the laws of the state.
placed itself as an integral part of
the community as far as the use of
the waters of Humboldt valley are
concerned, and that, no matter
what the older water users may
think is right or wrong the action
of the l.ovalOck people is of vital
70
At the preliminary hearing OF
the case at Winnumucca. the owe
lock Ranchers testified they had
only received sufficient water for
full irrigation of their lands one
year in the past ten. They admit
that the stopping of the use of
water by the Pacific Reclamation
Company will not give them a drop
more water than they have been
receiving 10 the past ten years.
They have been fighting among
themselves for years, each rancher
trying to get full supply regard
less of his nCighhor hut that con-
ditiOn has been changed, and now
they are united and determined
to secure water that they claim
they are being defrauded out of.
The present suit is just the COM
mencement Of the trouble that will
follow. if someth ing is not done to
stop il. and the time to stoD it is
before it mas been carried along too
far; and the ones to stop il are
those who are, or may be injured
by the litigation.
There is no doubt but what con-
certed action, along proper lines
can change present conditions, and
no only supply the Lovelo OK people
with all the water III y now need.
but provide for fur tner irrigation
throughout the whole valley while,
if no such action is taken, there will
ensue a period of litigation that
will injure every one.
Ten years ago the U. s. Gcologi-
cal Survey made an estimate Of
amount of land that could be irrIg-
ated in the valley and put II al
$50, 900 acres. Today c. A. Nor
cross. commissioner of Industry,
agriculture and irrigation-very
likely securing the information
through the state engineer - says
only l75.000 acres of land are
under irriga tiOn-Or less than one
fourth what might be irrigated II
the waters of the valley were pro
pcrly handled.
Now. would il not be far better
for the people Of the valley to get
together, find out why conditions
are as they are, what can be done
to change them. and do il. rather
than expend time and money trying
TO keep the present conditions un-
changed. There must be some
way out of the present threatened
trouble without endless litigation,
and il is yer? likely .he way will
turn out far less expensive one
than through the courts.
We up at this end of the valley
know the volume of water that
flows past us is enormous every
year and cannot realize why those
al the lower end should suffer any
| lack. nor why they should demand
that more water he sent down: but
the fact remains that, under de-
cisions of our own courts. the man
nj the lower end of stream after
ne has acquired water right for
n certain amount of land can insist
that sufficient water TO supply that
amount shall be delivered to him,
no matter what the consequences