El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-05-16
To The z Paso
Valley Water Users

There seems TO be a uisunderstand-
in- on the part of many people as
To the purpose of the election which
is TO be held on saturday. the 18th
Ihis election is not held TO authorize
the issuance of bonds. and n does not
follow that any election VIII ever be
held TO authorize the issuance Of
bonds The sole purpose OF the cleo
ton on next Saturday is 10 determine
whether lands embraced in the irri-
cation project in III Paso County shalt
be ORGANIZED into district that is
public Improvement district OF cor
poration. with full power To manage
IT'S own affairs as a body corporate.
under the laws Of the State. instead
Of as private corporation I'm the
hands Of the Water Users Associa-
tion.
IF the proposal TO establish an irri-
cation district shall carry. then the
resident farmers in the district Will
elect "a board Of five directors. who
VIII manage their affairs. just as
the city business is managed by the
CITY council II the board Of direc-
tors think il advisable TO enter into
contract with the United States
Government for the building Of drain
age bitches, or distributing canals,
they will negotiate a contract with
the government which viii then be
submitted TO "A vote of the resident
land owners in the district. TO be APP
proved or disapproved by them. as
they see fit. II the directors do not
think it advisable TO contract with
the government. or deem il more ad-
vantageous 20 have the work done
IN some other way they VIII lay that
plan before the land owners in the
district
II il - necessary TO borrow money
from the government 10 nave the
work done. or 20 borrow money from
d D. H.
done, the question of issuing bonds
must De submitted TO the resident
land owners. before any action can
De taken on it by the board
In the opinion of the Board. there
is every advantage IN organizing I'M
der the state district irrigation law
rather than OF continuing under
the present Water Users AssOcia-
zion. and. OF course. we must do one
OF the other. In the first place, the
government viii not go ahead with
the construction Of drainage bitches
or distributing canals unless the dis
trict is formed. and If drainage
bitches are not speedily constructed,
an Of the best parts of the valley viii
soon be waterlOsged and unfit for
use
The Board OF Governors OF the
Water Users Association has no de-
sire TO force the irrigation district
on the valley. on the contrary. by
so doing. they are getting ready 10
legislate themselves out of office and
out Of power. but as property owners
in the valley. and most of them act
ually cultivatOrs Of land in the valley,
they have reached the conclusion that
the irrigation district can handle the
whole drainage and irrigation prob
lem IN the valley more effectively and
more efficiently than the Water
Users association can handle it, They
also feel that il is necessary 10 have
the government prosecute the drain
age work with the least possible de
lay. and the government will only do
this on the condition that an irriga-
ton district is organized.
The one idea that should be kept
steadily i'm minG In voting saturday
is that the sole question for consid-
GRAFTON at this time is whether or not
the irrigation district shall be or
gained The question as to what
policy shall hereafter be pursued.
either with regard TO the c0nstruc-
tion OF drainage bitches or distrib-
uting canals. and whether contracts
shall be entered into with the govern
mcnt or any other parties to con-
struct drainage bitches or irrigation
canals, viii come after the irriga-
tion district is organized. and no
bonds can be issued and no debts
incurred by the district so organ
ICED until that question is submitted
to the resident land owners through
out the district in another election
TO DE held for that purpose.
J. 4 Smith. HresIdeuN.
III PasO Valley Water Users Assn.
Richard F. Burgess
Attorney. ADV.