The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1915-02-05
PLAIN DUTY OF IDAHO IS
TO SEE GEM DISTRICT
THROUGH TO END
IIomedale, Idaho, Feb. 3, 1915.
Editor Caldwell Tribune.


Editor Caldwell Tribune
Dear Sir: Believing as | do that tn
best way to accomplish a purpose o
get out at the right end is to deal il
facts and give them, all of them. Nov
what | see i'll the Tribune and hea
from many other sources does no
lay the affairs OF the Gem Irrigation
district out. That the district mus
have help seems to be understood
That Mr.. Alexander stands out against
helping the district as things stand
now is III my judgment correct. The
simple act OF the state paying over
few thousand dollars to the district
will not help it out To put money
in the district in the condition that
it is in now, viz: badly in debt, to
say nothing OF the bonded debt OF
about $500 the acre, and the fact
that it has but about one half of an
irrigation system. hardly that, no
means OF completing the system, must
depend upon renting power, and has
contract to pay $500 per horse
power the season, a price according
to the estimate OF what one horse
power will do, OF 1927 the acre, would
seem, doubtless, to an ordinary mind
as doubtless Mr.. Alexander has. like
investing money in rat hole.
Then the assessments must increase
rather than decrease as appears TO me-
Bonds were put up TO the contractors
to cover great portion of the in
terest upon the $500 the acre paid
them for the work already done, and
for $500 horse power for three years.
IT my memory is not at fault tyerc
was but $l7,0OO0O in interest to be
dug up covering the years 1913,
1914, and 1915. After this there will
be the whole power TO pay for, and
the interest upon the 5000 the acre.
Power 1927, interest $l9S, to this is
TO be added maintenance and opera
ton, and soon fund to put in new
machinery. The people are seeing
this and land in the district is being
offered at figure far less than $1,000
the acre and no buyers.
Now. Mr.. Editor, it is we'll known
that am an outsider, that | am not
in the district In fact mot in it at
all yet my family and some interested
have land right in the center OF what
is called by some the Crescent Val
ley, with district lands upon all sides,
Had to make a fight to keep out OF
the district with our 1000 acres. Be-
heve we made no mistake in this |
Were we in the district we should
have to move on. These are the
facts in 4 general way but much |
might be said in detail as to CON
structlon and management Little OF |
TINS is to be either charged up to or
credited to the present board, none |
OF 1t to Mr.. Smell the man elected last
tall. These men had nothing to do
with the plan of the system that was
TO have been constructed, nor the con-
struction OF it.
But there is way out and il is the
plain duty OF the state to see the
thing through. Not only because the
state has land here, but because the
state made II possible to organize
these public corporations within the
state, and II they are carried through
TO successful termination they are
a great benefit to the state by the
added homes thus made. An irripa-
lon district is a child of the state
and It should reach out its paternal
hand to help It along. Not only this
but II should be the guiding Spirit
wo years ago | rewrote the irriqa-
tlon district law. Mr.. Haines favored
i, he wrote me that if it came nm to
INN he would favor it. sent 4 conv
81 It to Mr.. McCoard, the president
ot the district board, he was then in Il
Boise. This would have settled The
natter Tor all time had it been enact
I'd INTO law, the state could LOSE
lothlng under the law proposed. but
| mad chance to get more land were
ne taxes not kept up, the interest
,ould have been paid promptly Tins
he bonds would have been worth mar
ma tins alone would have saved the !
Instruct SlS0.00000. This is doubtless
more than has been procured by the |
settlers IN the two wears. The statS
'hould be IN the organization OF a lis.
net should have an advisory mem ,
Der on the board OF directors ,bnnId I
zee TO 1t that the best and most eco
lomicai plan was adopted to irrigate
ne land, lthis was not done hcre) SEE {
nat the interest is paid, and at The
anne time see that the state is on, 7
10 money in the end.
have taken a carbon Of This for
ir. Alexander = ''''S 'o' ;
Very respectfully YOURS.