The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1912-03-15
Idle RepoftssDo Injury to Big
Project Settlers.
SETTLERS, IRRIGATION COMPANY
AND LAND BOARD TOGETHER,
All Sides Give Assurance Of Cooper
alton to Make Success Of the
Enterprise.

i. T luuSy I'll Will dlloy ScClC>
tary of the Water Users association,
and Fred w. Berger, vice-president
of the same. organization, were before
the state land board yesterday after
noon to get definite information con-
cerning the Twin Falls-Salmon~ River
project.
1t was pointed out to the board by
both OF these men that reports had
been in circulation for some time past
that the Salmon River project would
have water to trrigate but 10000
acres; that there was to be litigation
for portion of the water, and that
the company would insist on the set
tiers making their full payments in
the coming season whether they got
their rightful allowance OF water or
not.
1t was asserted that the reports az
to the shortage of water were based
on official reports in the hands OF the
state officials and that for this reas-'
son the settlers were entitled to defi-
mite information from the company
and from the state land board. The
assertions were even more specific.
They were to the effect that the in
I. nation was carried from Boise to
the settlers by Mr.. J. Sweeley, and
that he had secured his information
from the inspection OF official res
ports and documents In the office OF
Carey Act Commissioner B. P. Shaw
han.
The whole matter was discussed in
all its various details before the land
board at it's meeting yesterday after
noon. S. H. Hays was present as the
representative of the water company.
He gave assurance that the Salmon
River reservoir had made the best
record for holding water the past
year of any large reservoir In the
United States for the first year. He
was satisfied, he said, that there
would be water on the tract for
about $4,000 acres, although he as
serted that 1t would take time to
work out the plans OF the company.
There might not be enough water In
q low year for that many acres, but
the company was planning to con-
serve the water in the flood years.
While the measurement for the low
est year In the past four was but 1922
600 acre feet and the highest 151 900
by government measurement, he re-
minded those present that in 1907, a
flood year, there was volume of
458,000 acre feet.
Mr. Hays said that all the company
asked was chance to work out its
plans. 1t was more anxious to make
success Of the project than the set
tiers because 1t could not hope to
make money out of the project un-
less it made commercial success OF
1t, and 1t could not do that unless the
settlers made money. He deprecated
the circulation of idle reports based
on scraps of information. He said
further that 1t was impossible for the
company to make public all the in.
formation 1t possessed about the pro.
ject because II it did that 1t would de-
eat its own project
Assurances were given that the set
tiers would not be pushed for theil
payments in the coming season. They
were advised to have conference
with D. c. McWatters on his return
from the east and were given assur
ance that all would be satisfactory
on that score.
Governor Hawley and other mem
l3Ars Of the board assured Mr.. Fnne,
ssahd Mr.. Berger that they proposed t.
do everything possible to protect th'
interests OF the settlers on the Sal
mon River az on every other projec
In which the ctate is interested 4
cross fire of questions and answer
between Mr.. Finney, Attorney Gener
al McDougall and Mr.. Hays clearet
up many points that seemed to b.
clouded before, and at the close of thi
meeting all agreed that they had
much better understanding of the sit
uation than they had at the begin
ning.-Statesman.