Imperial Valley press., 1915-06-14
NUMBER 80

company with Mr.. Allen Kelly, and
stated before witnesses that the new
gate would not be a success, and that
the canal Immediately below it would
be completely silted up within a few
months. Now that the new gate,
which is of an entirely novel design,
has admirably fulfilled the purpose
for which it was built, it appears that
the receiver and his chief engineer are
anxious to claim the credit for the
leading which they had always so Bit
terly opposed. But, as a matter of
fact, after our costly experience with
the Allison Heading, it is not likely
that we should have allowed Mr.. ALI
son, who was responsible for the head
ing which bears his name, to design
our Mexican gate "Once bit, twice
shy"
Let us pass on to Mr.. Kelly's next
misstatement The financing of the
job was arranged by Engineer Ali
son and Mr. MeHarg.' The fact is that
the project was financed by Water
Companies ) and 3, with Mr.. Laurence
acting as their agent in Mexico Mr..
Allison had nothing whatever to do
with it.
"The veracious Mr.. Kelly next says
that the Southern Pacific's Mexican
representative intervened and refused
to permit connection with the Alamo
unless payment should be made to
him The simple truth is that the
Mexican receiver, Mr. Andrade, no.
titled the water companies before they
made the survey for the new canal
that they would not be allowed to con.
meet with the Alamo unless they en-
tered into a contract witt him to nay,
hlm 30 cents per acre-foot .FE
ter which he delivered to them. We
are faced, then, with the problem of
having to pay 80 cents per acre-foot
to both American and Mexican receiv-
ers. We felt that this was q burden
that our stockholders could not bear.
We held a conference with Mr.. An.
drade. at which Messrs Joel Anderson
Sidney McHarg, Attorneys Ross and
Salisbury, Chief Engineer lockwood
OF the Imperial Irrigation District,
and | were present. Mr.. lockwood
suggested as a modus vivendi be-
tween the two receivers that each
should accept 25 cents per acre-foo
After some demur, Mr.. Andrade
agreed to this, but Mr. Holabrd, when
approached ON the subject, refused to
listen to any compromise That is all
the truth there is in Mr. Kellys' allie
cations that I went to Mr.. Andrade
and tried to get water for Water Com
pany No. > at 25 cents.
Let Us follow our imaginative
friend a little further. He says that
the receiver and Mr.. Strieby agreed
that the receiver should be paid 80
cents per acre-foot for all water taken
from the High Line, and that No. SIS
attorney, Mr.. Haines, prepared res
olution to that effect for No. SIS
board to pass. Mr.. Hanes did pre-
pare such a resolution, but the re-
ceiyer objected to the wording of it
and finally rushed from the room
with an exhibition of childish temper.
thereby breaking up the conference.
In spite Of this, the resolution was
presented to the board, but the direc-
tors unanimously refused to pass it.
| understand that what the receiver
most strenuously objected to in the
proposed resolution was a simple re-
cital Of the fact that the Allison Head
ing had proven unsatisfactory. | am
surprised, therefore, that his hired
scribe should be allowed to admit this
now
The board, however, realized that
they were dealing with a most inn
portant matter-one that affected the
prosperity, even the actual livelihood.
of the ranchers whom they represent.
We, therefore, sought and obtained an
interview with the board of directors
of the Imperial Irrigation District,
submitted the resolution to them, and
asked them, as men chosen by the
people of the whole valley, to repre-
sent them and to safeguard their in
interests, to advise us on this ques-
ton. The text of the proposed reso-
luton was as follows:
Whereas, in the judgment of the
board of directors of Imperial Water
Company No. ) it has been proved to
be impractieable and disastrous to de-
pend upon the delivery of water from
the system of the California Develop
ment Company at Allison Heading for
the company East High Line ca
nal; and, as it has become necessary
to depend for the delivery of water
fCONTTNTfED ON DAcEN TuynN