The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-04-14

At the meeting of the board Of di-
rectors of the Boise Water Users as
ISOLATION held in Caldwell Tuesday,
the proposition to convert the associa-
ton into an irrigation district was re-
jected. This action of the board re-
versed the action that was taken at
the January meeting when the direct
ors passed resolutions favoring the or
ganiZation of an irrigation district I'M
der the laws of the state. The action
was taken after thorough discussion
of the district idea presented by Mr..
B. E. Stoutemyer, counsel for the Rec
lamation Service
The directors stated frankly that
they would take no steps which might
jeapordize the interests of the land
owners under the project; and that
and await developments. AS one di-
rector stated, 81 can't see that any
thing it liable to drop if we don't take
action at this time" Acting upon that
theory nothing was done
District Proposed.
The Reclamation Service, through
Mr.. Stoutemyer, urged the organiza-
ton of an irrigation district Mr..
Stoutemyer gave the arguments which
were presented in the letter of Man
ager D. w. Cole and which appeared
in the last issue of The Tribune. He
offered nothing new
Mr.. Stoutemyer in response to doz-
ems of questions and in explanation of
the position of the Reclamation Ser
vice insisted that the change to dis
trict would in no wise change the
Of rs ra1ot,0nc av;sfi,,rr hatu AZ,
the landowners and the government
Only when the district arrived at the
point of entering into a contract with
the government would any new rela-
ton come UP for consideration.
In the meantime, stated Mr.. Stoute-
myer, the settlers would be operating
their organization under state instead
of government regulations, and would
, tighten the pro rata of expense
{ through the inclusion of at least 30,00(
. acres of land which now bear none o.
, the associations current expenses
Hard Fight Impending.
!, Directors of the association bluntly
made known their intentions. Ions
limited at, of making big fight at thu
{ proper time, in the hope of obtaining
their water rights at figure arount
3 SIS an acre. From $2268 to $28 al
1 acre is the cost they claim was assur
) ed them when most of the settler
t came upon the project lands. The,
e will maintain, in the legal battle which
t seems imminent for the future, tina
n the cost which is now soaring aroun'
e SOS an acre, has reached that hgur
t largely through errors of the govern
o ment servants themselves. That tn
!. government should pay for it's owr
d mistakes and not saddle the burde
e on the innocent and deluded settler
l. will be their contention.
n Vote Against Change.
N Despite the fact that Counsel Stout
e emyer assured the directors and tn
stockholders present that their fgl
o can be made even more effectively a
5 district, the board members refuse
l. to see the matter in this light an
D turned down the motion to procee
y to circulate petitions and otherwis
IN prepare to adopt the change recon
Is mended by reclamation service head
a' The statement that settlers on til
=. upper part of the project are agitatin
y the proposal to form separate di
IN trict of their own had no effect in il
e huencing the association directors.
~ Petitions asking that the probe
take over the hdtnCIlnC anu w ami
as reservoirs from the Idaho-Iowa La
IS eral and Reservoir company we
&c turned down.
NV Power Lease Possible.
ok The proposition coming from Il
"a Gem Irrigation district by which tn
ok organization wishes to obtain lea
on on the water power rights at Arro'
re rock dam received consideration.
,ly was voted that the Gem people be i
ny structed to make definite propos
to the Water Users association, Il
ter to be forwarded to Washington t
ah government action if agreeable to t
ct association Thus far efforts of t
We Gem district in this connection ha
he been principally designed to get t
ro- government to set terms under viii
t.. it would make such lease. 1t seel
ng that the reclamation service preft
of to have the Gem officials make
the for consideration. Further negot
an tons over this important matter m
ing be expected soon-probably in til
for consideration at the May meeti
ire of the water users board.
lad d. w. Cole, the new project maj
his ger. was present at the Tuesday me
me ing, the first he has attended.
is spoke briefly of conditions on the p
md ject and interjected few remarks d
ear ing the discussion of the soaring c
not of water rights.
Rice net frames 25c The Vogue