The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1917-06-14


knows any more about the feasibility
of the project today than he did last
summer? Not one. He couldn't, for
4 there have been no means since that
time for anyone to have learned. To
be sure, the directors have spent
thousands of dollars to have a report
made along these lines since then,
which is on file in the office of the dis
trict in Prosser. But what is it worth
to anyone as a means of information
on which to justify vote for bond
ing the district for the huge sum of
$18,OOO,000? 1t is worthless for any
such purpose. But it has its uses,
however, for it emphasizes one out
standing fact, as it appears to me
that the Klickitat Irrigation q Power
company is engineering deal to sell
out their supposed water right to the
Horse Heaven Irrigation district for
100000 to $25O,OO0. To illustrate:
1st: Mr.. Kelso won't resign as di-
rector of the district, altho urged to
do so by the land owners, and he is
one of the stockholders in the Klicki-
tat company, and one of the organic
ers of the company, it is stated, and
he is very earnest advocate of the
purchase by the district of the sup
posed water rights of the Klickitat
Irrigation & Power company.
End: The board of directors of the
district got three engineers, Mr..
Thompson. of Seattle, Mr.. Wiley, of
Boise, and Mr.. Laurgaard, of Port
land. 1t is immaterial how eminent
they may be in their profession or how
conscientious they may be, the fact
remains that their report is worthless
for the reason that at the very begin
ming of their report they state that |
the report is based not upon any
knowledge they have of the project |
from actual survey, but is based en-
tirely upon the survey, maps, plats |
and data furnished by whom mo
other than Mr.. Rice, the engineer, who
is one of the organizers of the Klicki- |
tat Irrigation & Power company, one
of its largest stockholders and, it is
commonly understood, dominates the
company, and who is trying to sell the
irrigation district his company's sup.
posed water rights on the Klickitat
river for 100000 to $25O,000. 1t is
said that Mr.. Rice recommended these
engineers to the board of directors.
Mr.. Rice made his very hasty sur
vey some years ago about the time his
company, in the year 1909, entered in
to contracts with the land owners to
sell them a water right for $50 per
acre, said contracts expiring Septem.
Der LIST, 1916. During that time Mr..
Rice and his company tried again and
again to sell bonds on his survey and
a 70 ND foil 4
putting $18,000,00 in an enterprise
and especially an irrigation project
On such survey and data as he had
and he well knew that in financial cir
lies any report made by other engin-
,ers, based upon his survey and data
would not give it any additional
weight to impress bond buyers. 1t was
necessary to have an entire new sur
.ey and report thereon by engineers
With such a reputation and recog-
lized ability as to carry weight with
men able to finance an enterprise cost
ng as much money as the Horse Hea-
en- project. This he never did and it
5 to be supposed, could not, or he
yould have done so. Bond buyers
aust be shown that the project is
easible from an independent and re-
bic source. This Mr.. Rice was un.
bic to show, hence he failed. Yet
! view of these obvious facts, our
oard of directors call bond election
nd recommend the voting OF bonds
the sum of $18,OOO,000. Could folly
o farther?
The said engineers, in their report,
ased on data furnished by Mr.. Rice,
commend that the directors buy the
alter rights claimed by the Klickitat
'mpany at the sum of 5000, 900, and
le water rights claimed by the North
estern Electric company and viii
T S. Yearsley at the sum of 1925
20. Thus, if the bonds are voted, one
'ard OF directors will quite likely
once purchase for the sum of $685.
", the water rights on Klickitat riv-
claimed by these people-and of
'ubtful legality. Said parties to take
'nds therefor. so if the bonds carry
the 10th of June, we will witness
e spectacle of the district becoming
e successors In interest to these con-
sted water rights at the price of
I5,OOO, without knowing whether or
t we have feasible project and any
e Tor the water, and thus the board
directors starts in to peddle bonds
fatal procedure - even in feasible
oiect.
The bonds should be voted down-
for no other reason than that the
ashington Irrigation district law
es not throw sufficient protection
ound the sale and disposition of the
nds when they are voted. I quote
I'm the district laws socf;on eIo1.
The board of directors shall have
over to sell said bonds, or any por-
on thereof, at private sale, and
'cept in payment therefor labor
I'd material necessary for the con-
ructlon OF its proposed canals or
r1eation works whenever the board
GEMS it for the best Interest of
e district so to do"
70 vote these bonds means to nut in
hands of three men $4,000. 900