The daily sentinel., 1914-01-29
MESA BOARD REPLIES
TO MAGENHE|MER
CONTINUED from Page ~

his services are to continue as long
as they are satisfactory to the board.
This arrangement seems to be satis-
factory to Mr.. Tharp. and we know
OF no reason why it should be
changed
The second matter that you in
sist upon is that the present salary
of $500 given one of the members of
the board as secretary be discon-
tiued; that the salary be reduced to
S4U0, and that a competent outside
person satisfactory to the board and
to you be employed as secretary. The
district has nowbeen active for some
six years and the board has as we
understand il in times past been emf
nently satisfactory to you and your
interests. No suggestion was ever
made during the incumbency of pri-
or secretaries that you now make,
and the opinion of the board is that
the position of secretary is OF so
much Importance that il is preferable
that member of the board serve
as such. Further from our expert
ence sIch u member of the board
serving conscientiously as secretary
Is entitled to the present salary Just
as much as any workman under the
district is entitled to his reasonable
hire.
You next insist that the interest
you represent have representation
upon the board by resignation of one
of the present members of the board
and the appointment by the remain
ing two directors of your Mr.. An
drews as n director. lnreply to this
we need only say that an election
has Just been held about a month
f,.s 1n FThnra
were four candidates before the peo-
pie of the district, two of whom were
to be elected as directors. Mr.. Nail
and Mr. Scriven were elected over
Mr.. George Smith and B. C. Fox by
vote of about four to one. Both
Mr. Nail and Mr.. Scriven would be
faithless to the trust that the people
of the district have almost unani-
mously imposed upon them If they
should undertake now at the begin
ming of their terms of office to quit.
We believe you ought to agree with
us that the majority of the qualified
electors should rule on Orchard Me-
sa as well as in any other organi-
zation or body in our government.
II a majority of the qualified voters
of Orchard Mesa desire the resigna-
tion of any member of the board 1t
is then, we believe, in apt time to
consider such a proposal.
Lastly you say that no funds OF
the district and no warrants OF the
district be used for carrying on or
prosecuting the charges made by the
Orchard Mesa Protective Association.
In reply to that statement, our BOOKS
are open for inspection as provided
by law, and If you care to examine
uritI find that the dis
trict has appropriated no funds and
has drawn no warrants for carrying
on or prosecuting any such charges.
The Orchard Mesa Protective Asso-
citation has not laid before this board
its evidence or any report as to its
investigation and so far as the board
is concerned It has not acted with
reference to such charges.
As to those portions of your letter
which refer to the Orchard Mesa Pro-
tective Association we leave to the
committee who represent that asso-
citation to speak. The cost of the in
vestlgation undertaken by this as
sociation is borne by them exclusive
ly, and the district has not incurred
any Indebtedness in that respect.
The policy which has dominated
and controlled the administration of
the affairs of the district from the
time the contract was let TO the Or
chard Mesa Construction Company to
the first of the present year has re-
suited finally in leaving only fifteen
hundred acres which pay taxes for
the expenses, interest on bonds OF
the district exclusive Of what the
Magenheimer interests pay. The is
sue of the last election was whether
this policy should continue to domi-
nate the board in its management of
affairs and the vote seems to have
been decidedly against such contin-
uation.
This board is endeavoring to serve
the best interests of the landowners
of Orchard Mesa and will continue
to do so being gui6ed by its actions
in the future by facts and circum-
stances as they arise. The board
stands for the strictest economy and
the most efficient management of
the district, and we invite the CO.
operation of all landowners and of
all interests of the district looking to
those ends.
Very sincerely yours.
THE ORCHARD MESA IRRIGA-
TION DISTRICT.
BY C. ]. Mccormick. Secretary.