The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-17
Adjustment Of Troubles of the
Rocky Ford Company.
Settlement Reported Affecting
Suits Aggregating 100000.
LITIGATION MAY END.
B. II. Tallmadge and c. L. Tall
madge Reach Agreement.
VIII Withdraw Actions Against
the Company.
LITIGATION MAY END.

The following announcement comes
via the Pueblo Star-Journal of January
10 stating that:
An adjustment has been effected in
suits aggregating about 100000 which
are pending in the district court
. against the Pueblo Rocky Ford Irriga-
ton company and it is expected that
in other suits pending, which total
nearly 100000, a satisfactory settle
ment will be made within the next
few days and all litigation against the
company be withdrawn from the
courts.
The suits which have been settled
are those filed by b. H. Tallmadge,
former land selling agent of the com
pany, who brought two or three separ-
ate actions in which he asked for total
damages Slightly over $3.50, OOV. MT.
Tallmadge is no longer stockholder
of the company and the suits filed py
him, it is understood, VIII be WIN
drawn within the next week or two.
Robert Atkinson. who filed suits
against the company for about $5V,uOU
has reached an agreement by which all
litigation instituted by him viii De
Withdrawn from the courts Mr.. At
kinson will retain possession OF the
5000 acres of land he purchased from
the company and Will al once peglh
breaking ground for planting the en-
tire tract with alfalfa, small grain ana
garden truck next season.
Several other litigants whose suits
were for smaller amounts have been
able to effect compromises or adjust
ments and the contractors suits, II IS
understood, will also be adjusted with
in the next few days and will shorty
be withdrawn from the courts.
The affairs of the company have
been badly tangled by litigation and
all activity has been checked for sew
eral months. Recently, T. H Devine,
set of
called upon by the heavy stockholders
of the company to make adjustments
with claimants where such ADJUST
ments could be made on terms mu-
begun the huge task of picking the
tangled threads of litigation apart.
New Capital Interested.
Tt is understood that new capital is
preparing to take a large amount OIL
stock in the PuebIO-ROcly Ford com
panv and that as soon as the litiga-
ton is settled there may be changes IN
the board of directors and officials
The work of getting the company IN
position to complete the project has
been under way for nearly two months
although no public ann Ouncement was
made until few days ago in court
when some of the cases came up on
hearing of motions and all hearings
We're postponed with the understand
ing that adjustments were under way
which would probably result in the
Withdrawal of all litigation.
The Pueblo Rocky Ford project is
pra ctically completed and more than
S1.0O0.000 has been expended by the
prom oters in constructing reservoirs
and canals. purchasing state lands
and colOnizing their lands in small
tracts. A tOwnsite, Wilson, has been
laid out and some business and resi-
dence buildings erected. Crops were
grown last year on portions of the
land under the project and the com
pany has disposed of about 10000
acres of land under long term con-
tracts.
Failure to secure water last year
by June 1. as was stipulated in con
tracts with land buyers, caused the af-
fairs of the company to become in
volved in litigation The unusual
drouth of last year made water scarce
and the company. like many of the
older irrigation companies. was unable
to furnish water in accordance with
it's contracts. largely through no fault
of its own, the promoters claim
Prospects Good.
The splendid prospects for a plenti-
full water supply this season, 1t Is be
lieved, will enable the com pany to fur
nish its customers with plenty of wa
ter for crops and every effort is to be
made to get the affairs of the COM
pany out of the court and prevent
receiver being appointed, as has been
petitioned for.
r. H Devine returned Saturday
night from Chicago, where he went in
company with B. H. Tallmadge and c.
L. Tallmadge. A meeting of the stock
holders and officials of the company
with the creditors and bondholders
was held in Chicago and it is believed
that as q result of the meeting the 1iti-
CATION. for the most part. will be COM
promised and the affairs of the COM
pany be gotten in shape so that the
business of serving water to customers
can be taken up at once The reser-
voirs, bitches and laterals of the COM
panv are practically completed and
while the company will make extern
sion of the mains, there is little to do.
it is claimed, in order to furnish water
to customers.