Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-06-07
CONTINUED from Preceding page.)

waters of Little Lost river, which
usually amount to few hundred
inches more than the old settlers de-
crees. through the month of June only
But this small amount of water, not
from the reservoir but direct from the
river, together with a few showers, was
sufficient to grow a partial crop upon
possibly one-third of the 5000 acres.
for which the settlers were charged so
cents an acre maintenance on the en-
tire 5000 acres.
Maintenance Fees.
When the first water stock was sold
some of us asked the agents what the
maintenance fees would be; well, that
would depend, they told us, upon con-
ditions; they might amount to as much
as 10 cents per acre, but most likely
would not exceed six or seven cents
per acre. Let us investigate a little.
If man met you on the street. de-
handing SIS of you and got it, it would
be robbery, would it not? But sup
pose he went to the state land board
first and got permit to demand 50
of YOU and took the money, what would
that be?
1t is generally conceded that to take
! money OF OIl6T NdludDltb Aioiii q PC
son by force or threat Is robbery; so
when the Blaine County Irrigation
company demanded and took from the
settlers so cents per acre maintenance
fees they robbed them, not once. but
twice They robbed them in the first
place In collecting a maintenance fee
of fifty cents per acre on 5000 acres OF
land, as anyone living In this valley
knows that 1t does not cost $4,000 an
nually to maintain this system. They
robbed them in the second place be-
cause they did not deliver the amount
of water they had sold and contracted
to supply, even at the exorbitant sum
of so cents per acre.
Suppose we admit that 80 cents per
acre is Just and reasonable amount
and that the company has perfect
right to collect It, If man owning
$50 shares of water stock, but can only
get sufficient water for 20 acres of land,
yet he is charged maintenance fee OF
$50. what shall we call the $40 the
company collected, for which they gave
nothing in return? call il robbery;
the other fellow calls it easy money.
Nothing Doing in 1911.
Nothing was done during the year
1911 towards completing the project
outside a little ditch work and the few
temporary headgates that were put In
Mr. Parks built a warehouse and
bought a motor truck, and that ended
the program for the season.
Pipe Line Built on Dry Creek.
The year 1912 opened under the
usual conditions. The reservoir went
dry in a few days, but pipe line to
cost some $4,000 was being built on
Dry creek which would insure plenty
Ct water by July 1. Depending some
what on this, the settlers planted quite
heavily, possibly e-fourth the entire
project being under cultivation. But
the water did not materialize July 1, or
at any other time. The result was an
other partial failure, for which the
company collected the usual mainte-
nance fee of so cents per acre.
SIS Raise Asked For.
The reservoir a failure, the pipe line
a failure, the crops failure, Woods
and Parks a failure-something must
be done to change the situation. So
early in the fall, Mr.. Woods turned uI
with new proposition. This was g
plan to secure a raise of SIS per acre
for the purpose of building a new res
ervoir at the head of Little Lost river
The scheme did not meet with very
ready acceptance on the part of ths
settlers so meeting was called at the
school house so they could discuss the
matter with them.
A large crowd turned out. Messrs
Woods and Parks were both present
= They began by outlining the project
ufa yt chn iy,o~ hxy nyytp nj Inn
array of figures the total receipts and
expenditures since the formation of the
company. Two items that totale6
something like $4,000 were engineers
and attorneys fees.
All the accounts balanced nicely, but
everything received had been paid out
so there was not a dollar to do any
thing with and the project was fai
from being completed
Mr.. Woods said 1t was impossible tc
sell any more bonds. He told OF one
sale of $4,000 worth. If we remember
correctly. which netted him $4,000, OF
about so per cent. He told how he was
Just on the verge of closing deal fol
some $4,000 or 100000 worth of bonds
to Chicago parties when some knockel
rushed in with a copy of the Capita
News. wherein was letter from q
settler in the Little Lost, in which ht
described conditions here in anything
but favorable light; that of course
ended the sale for the time being. Bui
Mr.. Woods was not to be thus easils
defeated BY resorting to the tele.
graph he got in communication with
the state officials at Boise and in 6
short time he had replies from then
discrediting. the letter in the Capita
News and virtually making liar o.
the writer.
Armed with these kilograms. Mr.
Woods again sought the money barons
Once more he convinced them of tht
soundness and profit of Idaho irriga-
tion securities. Once more the ar
rangements were all completed for the
sale of an $4,000 block of bonds, ant
in a few hours time the money would
be turned over and Mr.. Woods would
be on his way to the Little Lost river