Imperial Valley press., 1916-05-03

the mesa lands. These men, at great
cost of time, and an expenditure of
money which constituted real per
sonal sacrifice upon their part, made
surveys of canal routes, and collected
Cata which demonstrated the feast
bility of watering these lands from
the Laguna dam by an all-American
route.
During all the past winter while
this effort has been in progress, the
Imperial Irrigation District, although
Unknown to all but the board of dir
rectors and the officials of the dis
trict, and to very few persons res
,dent in the valley, have maintained a
lobby at Washington to oppose every
effort to open these lands. While this
lobby was maintained at the expense
Of the taxpayers of the Irrigation Dis
trict, and while the directors were oft
on called upon to explain its purpose,
and the reasons for the opposition to
the opening of the East Side lands,
no satisfactory explanation was ever
given.
For the past several weeks NJ W.
Conkling, attorney for the Irrigation
District, has been maintained in Wash
:ngton at a large expense to oppose
the efforts to open these lands. 1t Is
known that he regularly and persist
emily appeared before the Reclama-
tlon Service, the Secretary of the In
terror, and all persons authorized IN
any manner to deal with the subject,
and advanced what he represented to
be. the unqualified opposition Of the
Imperial Irrigation District to the
restoration to entry of those lands.
Mr.. Conkling, it is reported, represent
ed to the Reclamation Service and to
the various officials. that not only
was the restoration of the mesa lands
not desired by the people Of Imperial
Valley, but that It was entirely un-
feasible. Mr.. lockwood, the engineer
of the district, is responsible for the
statement that the irrigation of those
lands from the Lapuna dam is unfeas-
ible. A thorough survey prepared by
the Imperial Laguna Water Company
was laid before the Reclamation Serv-
ice, showing that a canal could be con-
structed from the Laguna dam entirely
apon American soil, and that the said
canal could be constructed at cost
OF S2,5OO.O0O through the sandhills and
into the Imperial Valley. This SUI
vey was examined by the engineers OF
the Reclamation Service and was pro-
lounced by them to be feasible.
During the time that Mr.. Conkling
was opposing the restoration of the
lands, he was urging the district Off
cials to organize a company which
would be under the control Of the board
Of the Irrigation District, to secure
from the Interior Department right
tc connect with Laguna dam and wa
ter the mesa lands. 1t is also said
that he is the author Of the bill which
was introduced by the Arizona sena-
tors, and which he opposed as soon as
introduced. This is the bill which was
printed in the valley papers on the 2nd
inst. As soon as the Reclamation Serv-
ice engineers declared that the plan
of constructing an all-American canal
was feasible, Mr. Conkling returned tc
Imperial Valley and the first evidence
of his activity here is a resolution
passed by the board of directors OF
the Imperial Irrigation District pro-
viding for a survey of canal route
for connection with the Laguna dan
for supplying the valley with water
The next is an article in the FL Cen
tro Progress of the 2nd inst, over his
signature, ostensi5ly being a criticism
of the bill of the Arizona senators, but
in reality being sly condemnation OF
an ali-American route.
Some time since the board Of direc-
tors of the Irrigation District were IN
duced to consider resolution with
drawing the opposition Of the district
10 the restoration and irrigation of the
East Side mesa lands. One point
which the district, through its commit
Tee, would not concede, was the right
Of the Imperial Laguna Water Com
pany, or any other company or per
son, to construct ar all-American ca
ral.
Though the object Of the attorney
and the controlling members Of the
board Of directors Of the Irrigation
District has been carefully and assidu-
cusly concealed, it has at last become
glaringly apparent to any person OF
ordinary intelligence that that object
is to prevent the construction of any
canal or canal systems which will not
flow through Mexico, and thereby sub
iect the waters necessary for the irri-
Il L