Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-11-26
Opinions On
Irrigation System

system lnNOlNeS JuS expenditure VI q
large amount of money, a system
must be installed either by concern
able to make the invest
ment, or upon some cooperative plan
of the land owners.
In all instances under like circum-
stances, where the system has been
installed by capital and without CO.
operation of the land owners, it has
usually been accomplished by tn con-
tract system. Under this plan water
rights are either sold upon contract
to the land owners or rented to them
for a long term of years. In either
instance capital is unwilling to make
the investment unless the contract is
guaranteed, by lien upon the land.
This lien is in the nature of mort
gage; it charges the land with GER
tain payments until the water right is
paid for, or in case of rentals it
charges the land with the amount OF
the rentals for the entire period. lt
also charges the land with the cost
of maintenance, and in cases where
water rights are purchased, interest
upon the purchase price.
Contracts Often Desirable.
This plan is not particularly objec-
tionable as it is often the only way
to get water over a large district.
Thacn nOntroctg lilo cn many Ynnrf-
cages, are then sold and disposed OF,
and provide the money for the build
ing of the plant and the profit to
those engaged in construction, and to
the owners of the water rights. I'm
der this system if payments are not
made when due the collection is en-
forced against the land. If it be-
comes necessary to sell the land for
this purpose the purchaser takes it
subject to the lien created by the con-
tract, and steps into the shoes OF the
former owner, and the land continues
to be charged with the payment OF
the balance to become due under the
contract.
Creation of Districts.
The other plan is for the creation
of an irrigation district, whereby all
of the lands to be irrigated are ere
ated into a corporation under the di-
rection of the county court. When
it finds a water system suitable for
the irrigation of the lands within the
district it acquires that system and
1t issues its bonds against the lands
in the district to pay for the water
rights and for the installation of the
plant. The results accomplished are
practically the same under the dis
trict system as under the contract
system where water rights are pur-
chased outright, with the exception
that under the law providing for such
bond issues the terms of payment are
easier than they usually are under
the contract system, and extend for
longer period of time. Likewise
the debt is plastered against all OF
the land within the district which is
subject to irrigation from the same
general source of supply.
Comparison With Water System.
It compares very much to the put
where the cost OF installation will
become a general debt on the whole
community, rather than to attempt
to charge only those who use the
water. 1t goes without saying that
If the system Is a success all of the
people within the district whose
lands can be irrigated from the sys-
TEN will eventually take the water.
, They will at least have an opportun-
ity. II will put new values into the
; lands within the district because the
, people to whom they may sell may
have the opportunity of putting the
, water upon the land, so that as to-
the two plans il is undoubtedly fairer
and more to the good eventually or
the individual land owner to have
district created whereby the cost is
spread over the entire district. and
represented by bonds which are de-
= fined and provided for by law. and
/ which make the payments easier than
q they would be under the contract
4 system. .
. Security for Bonds.
1 The great trouble with irrigation
district bonds of late years has been
the market. However, this valley is
particularly suited to the creation Of
such a district, because the land is
in high state of cultivation. is OF
I immense value and makes the secur-
ity attractive. Whereas, in the past
the trouble has been that the dis
Z, tricts have been created largely I'm
=, the arid sections where the land has
a little or no value until after the wa
: ter Is put upon II. and where in some
cases there has been so much aIkali
that the system OF irrigation has
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