The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1913-12-30
A TWIN FALLS
ATTORNEYS VIEWS
fdyOrsPreSent TwinFaIIS Salmon
River Settlers
ASKS STATE LEGISLATION TO AID
SETTLERS.
Would Cut the Tract Down to Its
Present Water Supply and Reim-
burse Entrymen Left Outside.

AlVocHU VdtI supply anu Nelm.
burse Entrymen Left Outside.
Dear Mr.. Editor: / have been ask
ed by some of the settlers of the Sal
man tract, to express, through your
valuable paper, some views / enter
tain with regard to the water situation
on that tract.
To begin with, | imagine that to
have the eighty thousand acres, en-
braced within the segregation, fully
settled and productive would be of
vast benefit to the City of Twin Falls,
and that, therefore, the people, of the
city are interested in the success of
the tract
Eighty thousand acres are embraced
within the segregation; $4,000, 1 un-
derstand, have been legally entered,
and about $4,000 in actual cultivation
at this time.
Three years experience with the
water supply now available, has made
many competent judges conclude that
there is water for but 100000 acres; no
one will claim that there is water, un-
der the present system for the whole
segregation or even that amount
which has been lawfully entered.
The settler finds himself confronted
with this situation: He has contracted
to buy water from concern which
has not enough water to supply all of
its purchases and he knows that the
Twin Falls-Salmon River Land & Wa
ter Co. is not now in position, fin
ancially, to procure sufficient water to
supply all of the purchasers. He
therefore hesitates, and in most cases
refuses, to pay anything further on his
water contract until the water situa-
tion is adjusted so that he may know
that he is to get what he is paying for
He does not improve his land as he
would, did he know that his water
supply would be sufficient The mere
entryman, owing to the insuffiency
OF the supply of water, refuses to
either pay or improve his land at ALL
Neither the settler nor the entryman
can realize anything on his invest
ment SO long as things are in their
present state. The state and the city
of Twin Falls suffer because of the
backward condition of this, naturally
beautiful and productive tract.
But there are other, and outside
parties to suffer. So long as the per-
sonal guarantee of the Kuhns was be-
hind the bonds of the tract, the bond
holders rested secure in their hold
ings; but now, since the financial
disaster which recently befell these
gentlemen, ] am told that the bond
holders feel that they must look alone
to the contract holders-the settlers
and entrymen-for the payment of the
principal and interest Of the bonds.
We hear lot of talk in the circles
higher up about the awfulness of re-
pudiation of Idaho irrigation bonds.
What a black eve it would give the
state! The depravity Of it; etc. ! be-
lieve that no good citizen of Idaho
wishes to see the reputation of these
bonds. | can immagine nothing that
would be worse for the state. But
do say this: IT it comes to question
of loss to the homemaker of Idaho, be-
cause of the mistakes of state officials,
or of q loss to outsiders, then / say let
the latter suffer the loss.
! | do not believe that it is just or
right that these bondholders should
suffer this loss; it isn't right that the
man who is striving to accumulate a
home should bear it,
| The Twin Falls-Salmon River Land
and Water company was permitted to
promote a short water proposition be-
cause of the incompetency of state Of
ficials. Because of their mistakes the
settler and entrymen and the bond
holders are injured. The whole state
should pay the penalty of the mis-
takes of its officials; not little strug-
Cling community of settlers, nor yet
outsiders who. relying upon the integ-
rity and ability OF our state officials
have been induced to part with their
money
In order to make every one whole
and secure the success of the tract, 1t
Is necessary to do one of two things:
| First. Cut the tract down to its
present water supply, re-emburse the
bondholders for their loss which will
be occasioned thereby and pay each
settler and entryman for his loss sus-
tanned by being left outside of the
final segregation.
| Second. Get water from other
sources with which to reclaim the
whole segregation of 10000 acres as
the same is now comprised
AS to the practicability of the latter
let me suggest that Hubbs Butte one
Of the highest points on the Salmon
| tract, Is but three miles south of the
high line canal. Water can be pumped
to the top of this butte from the high
line and nearly every part of the tract
can be watered therefrom., With the
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