Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1915-07-28
QUINN RIVER
WATER e.

No ONE need envy Judge Taber his
task Of trying to solve the Quinn
river water case. Including the tes-
timony and the lawyers briefs he has
to read more than two million words.
In addition he must remember the
points in five days of oral arguments.
II has taken the courts eight years
10 pie up this mass of documents
yet the judge is expected TO arrive at
a decision within a few weeks.
The contestants on both sides were
pleased when Judge Quicker announc-
ed that he would call upon Judge Tab
er to sit In this case. This was a
testimonial to Judge Taber's impartial
ality and knowledge of the law.
Even with this Endorsement what
will his decision avail? The losing
: side in any event will no doubt ap-
peal the suit. It may even get into
the federal ourts.
Some of the parties to the suit re.
side in other states. Thus the litiga-
ton may even go to the supreme
court OF the United States. The eight
years already spent may be just a
start and the having may drag along
for many years.
Ten or twelve lawyers have been
working up evidence and studying the
law for years. They have had expert
engineers who no doubt command
large fees.
Think of the great economic waste
this involves. The expense will run
into the hundreds of thousands of dol
lars. And then in the end there will
not be a drop more water in the Quinn
River basin thar when the litigation
began, and perhaps not a drop more
moisture will have been conserved.
Is 1t any wonder that Judge Taber
appealed to the contestants to try to
effect a comprosise? Some one in the
n must suffer. Some land must go
unwatered while the present supply
prevails.
1t all started because some forty
three years 6 Miller & Lux took up
the fine meadow lands at Quinn River
crossing. They wanted winter hay for
their immense herds thai range
through the hill in the summer. Lat
er from their holdings was organized
the Pacific Livestock company.
Then came smaller settlers and
tool up homesteads along the upper
branches OF Quinn River. The short
age OF water was felt more and more
each year. The Pacific Livestock
company built a reservoir to store
water. But still they were short of a
supply OF water for their meadows.
Then the Pacific Livestock company
went into court and hailed thirty de-
PENDANTS to answer for using water
that was claimed by the plaintiff.
Is there not some amicable way out
of all this? This litigation gives the
state a black eye. Whichever side
wins 1t does not add a dollar more to
the tax roll. While the present sup
ply of water prevails a decision of
the suit may not give Nevada an
other pound of hay. The state Is con.
cerned in the adjudication of this wat
er suit as well as the l~itigants.
1t would seem that the question
was n for the state or the national
government to solve. 1t may be that
artesian water can be found by Dor
ing. 1t is probable that other storage
reservoirs a be built.
It is a well known fact that nearly
all farmers use too much water in ir.
rigating their land. BY the scientific
distribution of water and application
by approved methods OF economy one
inch Of water can be made to do the
duty two inches once performed.
1t may be that crops can be grown