Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1913-05-09
SECRETARY HEARS
FROM hIA|DOKA
GIVES HEARING TO REPREsEN-
TATINES Or SETTLERS-LGS-
TENS TO COMPLAINTS.

WASHINGTON, L. c., May -
K. L. Rigg and j. L. Rush Of ku-
pert, representing the settlers Of
the North Side, and H. c. Schenck
for the settlers OF the South Side
MiniGOka irrigation project, were
given three hours Wednesday al
ternOCn to explain before Secfe-
tary Lane the conditions OF the
MinidOka irrigation project and to
file such complaints as they car
ed TO make against the construction
and management of the project by
members of the Idaho delegation
were present throughout the hear
ing and Senator Brady, especially,
took part In examining the wit
neSSeS.
All the witnesses impressed upon
the secretary the dire. necessity for
an extension Of the time in which
to make water payments to the
government, explaining the pc
ouliarly adverse conditions which
have operated on this project TO
render it difficult for settlers to
establish themselves and TO make
their lands prOfitably productive,
dwelling upon the drifting sands
and the delay in furnishing wa
ter. Extravaganza on the part of
the reclamation service was
charged, especially in the con-
structiOn Of drainage work.
The witnesses urged that the
settlers be more freely consulted
about the new work before it is
undertaken. A protest was made
against permitting reclamation Of
fcials to deprive settlers Of wa
ter where they are delinquent with /
their payments and it was pro-
posed as a remedy that the Min :
ldOka Water Users association be I
formed, with authority to make :
collections from all the settlers |
or land owners, the association to I
be alone responsible to the govern /
ment for the payments and the as
ISOLATION TO exercise It's own au-
thOrity IN dealing with dellnquentS.
There was disagreement on
this proposal. however. and Sec
retary Lane Interrupted to say that
while he would be glad to see a
water users association take the
responsibility for the collection Of
payments from settlers he doubted }
f such a scheme could be arrang-
ID at MiniGOka.
You people are SO suspicious Of
Zach other he said that | doubt
f this plan could be pUt through.
f the government should under
axe to organize such an assOCla-
ion there would be opposition to
t. yet, as you have not the init
ative yourselves to get it UP, ii IS
Nident you are divided in your !
ceiling. There Is no unity. The p,
irst thing Is fer you people to !
hink and decide what you want +
nd SHOW some common purpose +
n handling this enterprise.
Rigg and Rush laid particular y
mphasis upon the desire of Ihe =
ettlers to be relieved of the paw +
lent Of the full $50 per acre fox n
rater. claiming they should Be =
eld for only S25 per acre. ac- i
ording to early contracts They r
$50 want the government to bear /
be cost Of maintenance and opef- 4
iiOn until the project is turned q
ver TO the settlers. a
Project Engineer p w. Foge p
lade brief statement In reply :
, the complaints and vowed a
mpOSe to cooperate with the
sttlers as far as possible. H. de- q
led many charges Of extravaganza u
I'd said work is no longer lmdef- Z
ken where il IS possible to do Ii, y
on drainage canals. I'M I,
pr contracts with the farmers. ;.