The daily sentinel., 1914-01-28
MACENHE|MERS ASK
REPRESENTATION
(ContInued fram PAGE 1.l

IT, Win HAOHtN advanced DN
our principals. and thereby enabled
the district to continue operations
We have done this, although We, at
the same time, were and are repre-
senting the owners of large amounts
OF warrants issued by the district for
repairs. material. supplies and labor
antedating the labor warrants for
which we have so provided money.
and although those prior warrants
have been registered. and we could
nave Insisted upon their prior pay
ment and upon taxes large enough
to pay those warrants.
Expense Was Increased.
Many items of expense. not orig
inally contemplated. developed in
building the irrigation system. The
United States government imposed
unforeseen requirements for build
ing the power canal II also cut
down the number of feet of water
available, thereby forcing greater
pumping requirements. The rail-
road took advantage of the districts
need of right of way along the
river to impose burdensome terms
upon the district and eXacted from il
about $4,000. The Vinelands dis
trict started Injunction proceedings
against building the system and had
to be placated with about $4,000.
\ concrete tunnel became necessary.
A dam larger than the one contracted
for was required by the railroad
and district engineers. Delay of the
district in furnishing the right OF
way upon which to work cost the
contractors much money. Lee and
Shores forced the district to pay
them $4,000. These and other mat
ters brought the district practically
to a standstill. The parties we rep
resent were appealed to by the dis
trict and, much against their inter-
est and wishes. furnished money to
meet and overcome the above diff
culties and accepted therefor dis
trict warrants.
About S150,000 was so advanced,
for which our principals now hold
warrants. In addition, they have ad-
vanced money to cash about s3s, zoo
of maintenance warrants. None of
these wrrants have been paid, and
the parties we represent are carry
ing the district for that amount, not
because they wish to do so, but be-
cause the district was practically
helpless without such aid. They
have made no attempt to collect
these registered warrants, although
they might have done so, nor have
they insisted upon assessments large
enough to pay them off rapidly.
Have Heaviest Interest.
The parties We represent have the
largest moneyed interest In the dis
trict and its securities. They there
fore have a great interest in seeing
the affairs of the district honestly
and ably administered. and If called
upon to furnish any further moneys
or cash further warrants are certain
ly entitled to some voice in the man
agement of the enterprise.
We.' therefore, have to reply to
you that we cannot agree with you
on this matter and must decline to
cash any warrants whatsoever issued
by the district under present cir
cumstances. or to recommend that
our principals make any greater in
yestmeut than they now have.
Make Four Requests.
We will add, however, that if we
are assured in the manner stated be-
low of good. economical and safe
management of the enterprise, we
will continue to cash our labor war
rants as we have heretofore done,
and as the board has requested that
we continue to do. AS tending to
bring about such economical and
proper management, we make the
following suggestions:
i l. That the present manager, Mr..
C. w. Tharp, be employed at his
present monthly salary for the full
calendar year of 1914, as we under
stand he is uneasy and talks OF
leaving.
2. That the present salary of $500
given one of the members of the
board as secretary of the board be
discontinued; that the salary of sec
retary be reduced to about $40O,
| and that competent outside per-
son, satisfactory to the board and
to us, be employed as such secreta-
ry, who shall attend the office of the
board at least three hours every
forenoon to answer all proper in
| quiries, attend to correspondence
give to every person interested all
proper information and keep the
books and accounts of the district in
good shape. We want the fullest
publicity in these matters.
8. That the interests we repre-
sent have representation upon the
board by resignation of one of the
present members of the board, and
the appointment by the remaining
two members of you as director.
4. That no funds of the district
be appropriated to and no warrants
of the district be used for carrying
on or prosecuting the charges made
by the Orchard Mesa Protective AS
sociation in its letter of December
u, 1913.
The four conditions above sug-
gested we think reasonable and also
conducive to careful and economical
management of the affairs of the
district, and unless an agreement to
carry them out can be arrived at, we
will not cash any more warrants of
the district. Without such manage
ment, and If the present agitation is
kept up owners will hesitate to pay
taxes and development on the Mesa
will cease. Under careful manage
ment the rich soil, the adequate and
substantial irrigation system and the
unusual advantages of the Mesa can
not fail to give great success and