The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1915-08-05
WATER SHORTAGE
WAS EXAGGERATED

hall, number Of farmers and all the
presidents and other Officers of the
ten or eleven canal companies met with
Mr.. Wilkie, the assistant state engipeer
for the purpose of devising wayst and
means to provide against the present
threatened water shortage doing any
injury to farmers with recent water
decree. All present seemed eager and
willing to have an equal and impartial
distribution of water, and motion
unanimously prevailed that canal CON
panies with prior rights ascertain the
amount of water they could spareS for
companies with later decree.
Saturday afternoon by agreement all
the presidents and officers of the canal
companies met at the same place with a
number of farmers, when it was re-
ported that all the canal companies.sbut
one were ready and willing to use a
minimum amount of water, and give all
they could possibly spare to farmers
who have more recent water decree.
Tuesday afternoon about O'Clock,
James Young, watermaster Of district
No. 36, received the following telegram:
<,, Boise, 1da., Aug. 2, 1915
"Mr. Jas. Young,
Watermaster Dist. No. SO,
estate of Idaho.
Dear Sir:-On account of the
shortage of water in your district and
under the stress of public necessity,
you are hereby authorized and instruct
ed to make cut in all decress for water
rights in your said district No. SO,
amounting to IS per cent, and until
further notice from this office to de-
liver to all decreed rights an amount
OF water no in excess of rs Der cent. Of
their respective DEGREES.
And in case it becomes necessary
IN your judgment to make further re-
ductions in the amounts delivered.
make further reductions Of five per
cent. each at intervals of five days
eacn, until total reduction Of so per
cent. has been made.
You will distribute the water inns
gained among the several later rights
until al are drawing an equal percent
age Of their decreed amounts. and
thenceforth keep all rights on said
equality as long as this order remains
every truly yours,
-. II. SMITH, State Engineer.
By w. A. Wilkie. Deputy -
"P. S.-Get this order to your den.
aties as quickly as possible.
"wILKIE.n
Immediately upon the issuance of
Inc order the river riders set to work
lowering the headgates all along the
river. Up to Tuesday night most of
the canals had quietly submitted to
the cut. However, the Progressive
irrigation district took another view
of the matter. The board Of this dis
.rict, consisting Of Chris. Anderson, Ed.
Barnes and George Steele, as soon as
he notice was received, held a meeting.
md unanimously decided to protect the
lights Of the district. The board held
ts meeting in the office of Otto Nc
Jutcheon, the attorney of the district,
md ordered Hyrum Frew, the water
master, to the headgates, to prevent the |
unlawful interference with the flow Of !
iecreed water into the district heads, |
md to take such action in regard to |
loldlng the water as should seem to |
lim necessary.
AS soon as the board issued the or
Ter Mr.. Frew took an automobile and
vent to the heads and replaced the !
lmount of water in the canals which I
lad been cut out by the river rider.
1ate in the evening the river rider, Mr..
Surdlck, came along and arrested Frew,
no frew in turn arrested the river
lder. However, the invulnerable
kept the full decree of
'ater running and he remained there