The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1917-11-15
FOR
NEW DISTRICT
ARE NOMINATED
L. e. Johnson, A. S. Goss, HI. S.
Hughes Chosen at the Mass
Meeting of Waterusers
BUMPERS WILL WANT OUT
This District Should Not be Confused
with One Created for the
Sunnyside Extension

When the election for The creation
of an irrigation district for the pur-
pose Of taking over the N. p. /. conn
pany's gravity canal is held the names
of L. E. johnson, A. S. Goss and ii.
S. Hughes will appear on the ballot
as nominees for director.
The meeting at the Valley club
house Thursday evening, while MT as
largely attended as the first meeting,
was characterized by the same enShu-
siasm. With field of nine candidates
it was necessary to take second ball
lot before any three received ma
jority of the votes cast. Mr.. johnson
and Mr.. Hughes were nominated by
big leads over the rest, but Mr.. Goss
only nosod out ahead Of Geo. Finley
by margin Of one vote.
While the names of only these three
will be printed on the ballot the vot-
ers have the privilege of writing in
the name Of any person qualified to
act as director.
There is, Of course, some opposition
to the proposition Of taking over the
irrigation system, but on the whole
sentiment seems favorable to the idea.
Most Of the farmers are inclined to
the view that while they are not at all
eager to go into the irrigation busi-
ness, the success Of their farms de-
mands that the system be put into
shape to carry more water. Many Of
them figure that the increased produc-
tion of their farms will more than
compensate them for their pro rata
share Of the bonded Indebtedness Of
the district.
1t is probable that at the hearing
Nov. 26, the county commissioners will
receive many requests from farmers
who wish to be left out of the district.
These requests will come largely from
those who have pumping plants and
the owners Of unimproved lands which
are held for speculation. As yet the
commissioners have not intimated
what attitude they will take toward
the bumpers. 1t is likely that they
will adopt a definite ruling to govern
all cases and unless an applicant for
release can meet the requirements of
this ruling he will be included in the
district.
The fact that there is already in ex-
listence the Kennewick Irrigation dis
trict, seems to have caused some con-
fusion as to the purposes and boun-
daries of the two districts. The Ken
newick Irrigation district, Of which j.
j. Rudkin, Gordon II. Taylor and II.
N. Hughes, of Kiona, are directors,
was organized for the purpose Of
bringing into some official organiza-
tion all of the land owners under the
proposed extension Of the Sunnyside
canal. 1t includes all the present
acreage on the Highlands, almost all
Of the lands of similar elevation
from Kiona to Hover above the N. p.
/. conpany's main canal.
This is not a new project, but part
Of the original Yakima reclamation
project, whereas the lands below the
main N. p. /. canal were not included
in the Yakima project. If the ex-
tention were built the present High
lands pumping plant would be aban-
doned and the Highlands would be ir-
rigated by gravity flow from the ex-
tension.
The district already created and the
proposed one are in no way related
nor do their boundaries overlap.
Neither does the Kennewick Irriga-
tion district (the one already created)
have anything to do with the present
Highland irrigation system which is
owned and managed by the Highlands
Waterusers association. The district
was created solely for the purpose Of
dealing with the reclamation service
and for issuing bonds for construction
of the project as soon as the govern
ment is ready to go ahead with the
work. If the project is built it would
in no way furnish any relief to the
waterusers under the main canal ex-
cept. that the water which is now
II