Imperial Valley press., 1915-06-16
Work Laid on Shelf
For the Time Being

Ieqee work is finished for this year
and not only Is the force on the leVee
laid of. baf Chief Engineer Roek
WOOL has been granted. on his request.
vacation without salary, for sixty
DAY beginning July L
Until the district shall have az.
qured actual possession Of the ca
nal system nothing more IN eonstr0e-
ton work will be undertaken.
A. the meeting Of the directors of
the district yesterday the chief engi-
aeer presented the following letter:
ITO the Board of Directors, lmper-
iaI Irrigation District, FL Centre. Cal
-Gentlemea: The fund in the Unit
ed States treasury set aside for the
construction Of the Volcano Lake leYee
aud its extension is practically ex-
hausted and unless you wish to con-
tinue the work using money in your
treasury for the purpose, all con-
struetion work will be stopped on the
/ 18th inst. The $4,000 set aside for
patrol service ON the leYee is, un-
derstand from General Marshall, still
intact. He may use it. however, on
the river leYees. Il not SO used, he
says that he will recommend that
whatever is left be turned over to the
irrigation district to be used on the
Volcano Lake leyee extension.
II we receive the money we can
make it do more work in the fall than
at present, and | suggest that it be
held until fall.
with the exception Of Mr.. Camp
6ell, who is finishing up the office
work connected with our surveys, the
engineering force is now laid off.
"From all data obtainable, | believe
the apex of the summer flood has
passed and a patrol of the levee will
be unnecessary Apparently this i
one Of the freak and low water years
in which the greatest discharge Of the
river came in May The reports from
the watershed are that all snow be.
low timber line has melted, but in
previous years these reports have
sometimes been unreliable and mi
leading and, inasmueh as the highest
water more frequently comes after
June l. than before, would not fee,
justified in giving immediate orders
To break up eur leyee camps. Unless
thera is IA decided rise in the river a
the Needles before the 22nd | think
it will be safe to bring all equipmea
fnto Mexicai for storage.
u expect by July l to make to you
my final report on this seasons work.
Thereafter. in the study of the many
problems connected with the building
.and maintenance of our canal system,
there is. of course, sufficient import
Iant work to keep me busy; but It Is
not absolutely necessary to devote all
my time to the work until we get
possession of the system and, if i
meets with your approval, | should
like you to grant me two months
leave of absence without pay, subject
to your call on the same terms as
govern my employment previous to
February.
Il think a study of the methods and
work of some of the older irrigation
districts will be Of great value to
cur taxpayers and will gladly de
vote part of my time this summer
to such an investigation, without pay,
providing that you consider the work
of sufficient Importance to audit M
expense bills.
"As my plans for the summer vii
depend upon your approval of my
request for leave of absence, an early
decision will be appreciated.
"Yours respectfully,
&C. r. LOCKWOOD,
"Chief Engineer"
President Hamilton and Secretary
Berry were instructed to begin sign
ing The 1900 bonds for $3,5O0000.
A motion was passed that the of
fees shall be closed Saturday after
l.