Arizona republican., 1913-05-06
OLD BOARD OF
v. j. A. MEETS
Last Meeting Of Year With
Receipt of Reports and
Election of Officers Was
Held Yesterday - New
Board Assemblies

WaXed lively at times, to say the least
The business of the afternoon meet
ing of the new board of governors,
more than ordinary dispatch The new
board was all present except f. J. Ben
nit, who was i'll and H J. Hanson.
who was on the venire of the federal
jury in the Stewart murder trial.
With the vice president. DR.. Wilbur
in the chair the meeting unanimously
directed the secretary TO cast the bal
lot for the reelection of Treasurer
George Lutgerding. Then on the same
sort of motion, passed in the same
hearty fashion, the chairman was di-
rected to cast a reelection ballot for
Secretary charles A. Van der Veer. All
of which was done. When the sub
ject of the choosing of a legal ad-
viser-the only other elective office in
the gift of the bOard-Came up a mo-
ton was made by Barley and second
ed by UobsOn to defer the selection Of
counsel until a month from date. This
was the motion that provoked the real
warm discussion of the day. The pro-
ponents claimed precedent and the
others asked why the legal adviser
should not be selected now. seeing as
the secretary and treasurer had all
ready been chosen. on roll call the
vote stood seven to Barley and Dob
son and the motion was lost. Another
motion declaring Legal Adviser George
d. Christy reelected by acclamation
was passed on roll call which differs
no jot from that on the previous move,
except that noes voted aye and ayes,
no.
The old board met in the morning
and cleaned up the bills and other
routine matters The annual report of
the secretary was read and accepted
and the monthly statement OF the
treasurer treated in the same manner.
Wilbur presided. and consistently re-
1used to claim the vote that is due him
under the articles of incorporation. He
once before objected 10 President Orme
voting when the vote was not q tie.
Follows the annual report of Secre-
tarr c. A. Van der Neer:
Phoenix. Arizona, May ,. 1915.
To the Board of Governors,
Salt River Valley Water Users AS
sociation.
Gentlemen:
Following the custom of recent years
the Following brief outline is presented
of what has been done by the associa-
ton during the year just ended.
The administration Of the affairs Of
the association has covered a wide
scope and included a variety of subjects
during the year. The closing act has
been to send the president and legal
adviser to Washington for confer
ence with the secretary of the interior
over the policy to be pursued by the
new nationaI administration in carry ng
on the business Of the reclamation ser
vice in its relation to this and other
projects From this exchange Of ideas
much good is expected.
Earlier in the year a protest was
carried to Washington against a pro-
posed form: Of water service contract.
This together with d visit of the then
secretary Of the interior who gaVe
hearing On the subject. resulted i'm
decided modification of the contract
and a reduction of the rates TO be
charged.
Delegates from this association took
part in the organization of the nation
al federation Of Water Users associa-
lions. which was affected at Salt Lake
CITY for the purpose of taking up ques-
tons Of a general nature affecting wa
ton projects.
A delegation was sent to take part
in the celebration attending the open
ing of an important feature of a sister
project at Yuma
At home an important conference
was held between representatives of
the association and Arizonas congress
sional delegation to decide upon meas
ures for the benefit of the water users
by means Of national legislation one
result has been the introduction Of a
bill by Senator Smith to give twenty
years instead of ten within which to
repay the cost of the project.
At the instance of the association
efforts have been made to secure state
| legislation to prevent the propagation
and spread of noXious grasses in irri
gated districts.
In all there have been twenty four
meetings of the board of governors
| during the year. one of them being for
| a conference with the director of the
| reclamation service, and there have
been two meetings of the council.
| Good progress has been made dur
| ing the year in power plant construc-
| ton considering the magnitude of the
| work and unavoidable delays due to
not receiving plans or to the ineNper-
fence of contractors. The South Con-
solidated plant has been completed and
put into satisfactory operation, q one
! time during the winter carrying all the
! load of Electric generation while the
| Roosevelt plant was shut down. The
plant at Arizona Falls is now COM
pleted and about ready for trial run
| to adjust the machinery.
| Contracts have been let for the ma
I iOr parts of the machinery for the
| Cross-cut plant for delivery this fall.
| Meanwhile concrete structures on the
! Crosscut canal leading to this plant
| are rapidly being completed. Work
| has been commenced on the two seven
| foot concrete pressure pipes leading
| water from the canal down the hill to
| the power plant