The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1916-08-23
UNSETTLED WATER RIGHTS
IN SALTWATER DISTRICT
Project Manager HOugh Replies to
Criticisms of Shortage of Supply
In Certain Seasons.

Fallon, Nevada, Aug. 21, 1916.
Mr.. r. ]. McDermott,
Manager, John w. Freeman Co.,
Saltwater, Nevada.
Dear Sir: l have observed with
interest and concern the efforts of
the Representatives of the sugar fac
tory and the local committe working
with them TO secure a sufficient acre
age of beets to insure the success
full operation of the plant during the
1917 season.
In this connection l have read the
resolutions of the Saltwater civic
league and your response thereto
which was published in the Church
i'll County Eagle of August 18th. In
your statement you say that one of
the ruling conditions tending to pre-
vent the planting of beets on the
water service to which we, and other
saltwater ranches are subjected to- >
| do not know what you refer to by
your expression "other Saltwater
ranches" for if there exists in the
Saltwater district any dissatisfaction
with the water service | have not
heard of it. My impression is that
the people in this neighborhood are
generally we'll satisfied with the wat
er service-in fact | have had pos
tive expressions from many of them
to this effect. Naturally we desire
to have, and feel that we are entitled
to have any deficiencies in this con-
nection specifically pointed out to us.
With reference to the conditions
of water delivery on the Freeman
ranch the difficulty is, as you know,
that this land has not been brought
in under the project system but de-
pends solely upon its vested right
to a portion of the natural flow In
Carson rive for its supply.
More than two-thirds of the vest
ed right lands that can be served by
the project system have exchanged
their Carson river right for water
rights under the project system un-
der which they are able to obtain
satisfactory water service during the
entire irrigation season by virtue oi
the storage facilities of the project
AS explained to you verbally, tn,
! Secretary of the Interior has ap
proved a very liberal basis for The
settlement of the remaining vested
rights and | am now authorized anC
prepared to negotiate with the repre-
sentatives of your company for th'
settlement of the water rights at
tached to the Freeman estate. The
basis Of settlement approved by the
Secretary provides for an exchange
of two acres of water right under
the project system for each three
acres of full water right established
by use of water from the Carson
river prior to the appropriation
made on behalf of the project il
1903. The only charge made II
connection with the project waite
rights offered in exchange would b.
their pro rata share of the annua
cost of operating and maintaining
the irrigation system.
/ | am writing this letter becaus
we are anxious to help in the matte
of securing the necessary acreag
for the beet sugar factory. We ar
prepared not only to proceed at one
with the settlement of all outstand
ing vested rights on the liberal basi
suggested, but we will also gladl
cooperate with beet growers, as W
do with the producers of othe
crops, by adapting the system O
water deliveries. as far as possible
to secure the most favorable result
in crop production.
In order that the situation wit
regard to the settlement of thes
water rights may be known to a.
interested parties and especially I
those who may desire to make
settlement at this time with a vieN
to participating in the sugar bee
industry, l am handing a copy of thi
letter to the Churchill Count
Standard for publication. | will a.
so forward a copy to the San Fran
cisco Office of your company.
Yours very truly,
(Signed) T.. G. HOTGH,