The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1914-02-04
The RECLAMATION AMENDMENT
Now Before Congress Provides New
Treatment for Government Pro-
jects.

eral reclamation law, which Is now
pending before Congress, is of gem
eral local interest. A conference
was held in Washington the last of
the week between representatives of
the landed interests in government
projects and the department offic-
ials, wherein further beneficial and
constructive suggestions were
sought. Meanwhile further sugges-
tions are invited and that the meas
ure may not smack of summary pro-
ceedure. it is given out that several
weeks Will be set aside during which
time the Wilson administration will
welcome advisory counsel that the
bill. when enacted into law, may be
the embodiment of everything need
ed by the settlers of the arid west
The proposed measure follows:
BE 1t enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the
gress assembled, That this Act may
be referred to as the reclamation ex-
tension Act and that the term" Rec
lamation law" as hereinafter used
shall refer to the reclamation Act of
June seventeenth. nineteen hundred
and two (Thirty-second Statutes,
page 1881, and acts amendators
thereof or supplementary thereto.
The period of payment for water
users under the reclamation law
who continuously comply with the
provisions thereof shall be total of
at least 90 years. including the years
in which water was available for the
land of each from irrigation works
owned. controlled, or operated by
the Reclamation Service under pub
lie notice, on rental basis or other
wise. The Secretary of the Interior
is hereby authorized, with the con-
sent of the parties affected, to abro-
gate or modify any contract regard
ing water rights or any water-right
application under the reclamation
law, or any public notice issued un-
der said reclamation Iaw,and to pro-
ceed in all respects as IL no such con-
tract or water-right application had
been made or no such notice issued.
Sec. 2. That in order to secure
the benefits OF this Act water-right
applicants shall be subje t to such
regulations as the Secretary of the
Interior may prescribe regarding the
following matters and others hereto
fore authorized by the reclamation
law:
(a) Regarding the area per hold
ing to be prejared for irrigation,
planted, cultivated. and irrigated
each year. Failure to comply with
any such regulation shall authorize
an increase of all charges for build
ing. operation. and maintenance,
and drainage by way of penalty not
exceed ten per centum for each year
of such failure.
(b) Regarding prompt payment
of all charges, the addition to each
annual charge of not exceeding five
per centum for collection, rebate
of such additional charge is paid on
or before the due da.e, and penal
ty not exceeding one per centum per
month thereafter during which the
charge remains unpaid;
(c) Regarding credit for the
amounts paid before becoming sub
ject to this Act, on occount of the
building and drainage charges. and
the adjustment of future payments,
their amount, and the time when the
first thereof shall become due;
(d) Regarding an increase of
each annual charge by not exceed
ing l 5 per centum If wate~-risht APP
plication is not made within one
year after public notice permitting
the fling thereof, in the case of any
private landowner or of any person
whose entry is not subject to the
reclamation law;
(e) Regarding suspension of
the requirement of residence pres
cribed by the reclamation law as to
ontrymen or private landowners for
not exceeding five years, upon COM
pliance with Such extra requirements
as the secretary of the interior may
specify; and both the entryman and
private landowners shall after such
suspension reside upon the land for
three years. Failure to comply
with such extra requirements and
with the general residence and rec
lamation regulations shall render
the water right application and cor
responding entry, If any, subject to
cancellation with the forfeiture of