Imperial Valley press., 1913-03-12
DIRECTORS OUTLINE PLANS :
FOR THE COMING YEAR
1CoNrINUED FROM PAGE oNEl

California Development Company, and
will further contract to place the I'm
perial irrigation district in full and
peaceable possession of the same, and
if the Southern Pacific Company, sad
transaction being with the formal APP
prOVal of the Mexican government. Will
further contract TO transfer to the I'M
perial irrigation district all their claims
and property in the United States ac-
quired of or through their dealing;
with the sociedad or the California De-
velopment Company, then, and in event
such contracts are entered into by the
Southern Pacific Company. we will
recommend to the people of Imperial
valley the payment to the Southern Pa
citic Company the
"'1. sum to be determined by the
board; or
the Southern Pacific Company as
shown by proper auditing of their
accounts, or
"'3. sum of s2.561. 900, together
with interest from February 20, 1912.
at the rate Of ) per cent.
Payments to be made in bonds
of the district at par.
"'Ii is understood that perfect title
to the property herein described must
be secured by the Southern Pacific
Company before an election is called.
at was then moved and seconded
that the secretary be instructed to send
to all the claimants the following reso-
luton passed on the Sth inst:
Resolved that in the opinion of
this board it is not advisable to con-
slider the purchase If a portion of the
canal system and believe ii desirable to
demand as an essential prerequisite of
possible purchase that all the prop
erty north and south of the line he
cleared of all incumbrances and per
feet title thereto secured. When these
requirements have been met the irriga-
terms upon which such transaction
could be made.
During the afternoon discussion
Judge HaineS reviewed the legal status
of the efforts to get possession of the
canals, going back to the early history
of the valley, questioning the ability
Of the railroad to give the titles to
Mexican lands.
Mr.. Melton stated that the state de-
par1ment at Washington had advised
him that the Southern Pacific would
be able to do as it had agreed. they
Judging by what they knew of the rail
roads influence in Mexico.
Mr. HaineS stated that he had been
informed by City Attorney Matthews OF
Los Angeles that William Mulholland
Of the Los Angeles aqueduct would be
over thc plans of the valley for build
Ing an all-Am2rican canal and pass on
The practicability of the project with
out cost. simply because of his interest
in the welfare Of the valley. This
statement elected much applause.
ID. II. Crawford entered a protest
against time going by with nothing ac-
complished. and Mr.. Haines spoke OH
behalf of the board. explaining that the
Hank which cashed its warrants either
for engineering work or to send a
representative to Washington. and
what had been done up to the time of
TAX paying last November had been by
he directors advancing the money
themselves.
Mr.. Melton stated that his present
position was that the directors should
now thoroughly try ont the possibility
If an all-American canal and should
take up with the new administration
tiIp questions involved before proceed
mg 10 negotiate with the railroad com
pany. ii being his opinion that the
change in the power at Washington
might have brought a change III con
iliNllS dllttllIl- lIlt NdiItN.
II was also hlnted by speaker tIai
the latest uprising in Mexico might
possibly result in bringing the canal
wholly within the United States.
Judge IIaineS said thai the actual
treaty made with Mexico whereby Ihis
region was acquired by the United
States provided that the line should
run little north Of Ensenada, but
when the survey was made 1t did not
follow the treaty line, but was put far
enough north to connect the main land
Of Mexico with the peninsula.
Chairman Hamilton stated that it was
the purpose of the board to get the
best possible engineering advice re
garding the all-American route after
the data had been formulated from the
survey Just made.
Mr.. Strang of HoltviIIe thought the
directors should proceed To close neSO-
tiations with The railroad along the line
offered by the company. without fur
ther delay.
Mr.. Becker of Calexico was equally
determined to have settlement at
once, hut wanted it by way Of con-
demnation proceedings, and insisted on
the members of the board telling him
how they stood on this question.
Mr. Hamilton said he was in favor
of proceeding at once to condemn the
American property.
Mr.. Peck said he thought it would be
foolish TO begin condemnation proceed
ings until it was ascertained whether
the all-American route is practicable.
Mr.. Ferguson told of the directors
being denied money for work until last
November and being forced to advance
money out of their own pockets, and
declared that he would not favor con
dpmnatiOn proceedings until he had