Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-12-14

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assured by them both as an ofricial body
and as individuals that the settlers
need have no fear Of their water rights
being disturbed or injured In any man
ner. He had been assured by the gov
the governor. positively knew the COM
pany had not oversold the available
water supply and that, not until two
weeks ago when the secretary OF state
introduced a. resolution at a board meet
ing limiting the Idaho segregation to
117.000 acres did Mr. Bailey have any
intimation that the board contemplat-
ed reducing the duty of water to less
than the amount called for in the wa
ter contracts issued to the settlers by
| the company. w. G.. Bissel was then
of the situation. He stated that the
attorneys for the irrigation companies
of Idaho had argued before the courts
that Carey act settler in purchasing
a water right. although his contract
called for a defnate amount of water
| five eighths of an inch, he, in fact,
merely purchased a proportionate share
in whatever water might be in the
bitches of the company, just as he had
purchased proportionate share in the
dams and bitches. He stated that the
supreme court of Idaho and also the L.
s. Court of Appeals at San Francisco
tad not sustained that contention, but
had sustained his contention that a set
tier actually purchased a defnate
arnount of water and the company was
under obligation to deliver the amount
sold. That in the face of these court
decisions the land board was now seek
ing through its own initiative to cancel
the water rights sold by the company
by compelling the settler to accept
less than half the amount called for in
his contract. The board is doing this
by permitting the company to dispose
of 117,0OO acres of water when in fact
it has but 10000 to sell, on the basis of
its contracts.
1t was evident to the six hundred |
farmers present after hearing these re-
ports of the engineer and the attorney |
why the land board did not have the !
courage to come to the meeting which |
it had called here today.
The necessity of prompt and thor |
ough organization of every water user |
under the system, as well as the citi-
ems of the interested towns who depend |
upon the success and prosperity of the
farms for their existence was discussed |
and practically every Individual pre-
sent joined and went home with the
determination to get his neighbors to
join. An assessment of 45c per acre
was levied and the bylaws were amen
ded so as to admit as honorary member
all interested citizens who are not wat
er users, with a membership fee for
such of s1.0O. Committees of three in
each Of the towns, Shoshone, Richfield.
Dietrich and Gooding were appointed
to solicit membership and present the
necessities to everyone.
A committee on resolutions was ap-
pointed, consisting of the directors of
the Farmers League and including the
engineer Bailey. and Attorney Bissel
The committee presented the following !
RESOLUTIONS
WHEREAS, the settlers upon the !
daho Irrigation Company's project IN 4
iooding and Lincoln counties have. for c
months. petitioned the land board to /
investigate the conditions existing on |
aid project together with the avail
lble water supply and the acreage that r
hould be served. and .
WHEREAS, the State Engineer of \
he state of Idaho has examined said (
roJect and has reported that the said t,
daho Irrigation Company could supply a
rater for seventy thousand acres and b
o more. and A
WHEREAS. the State Land Board of Z,
10 Sbcic VI 1udAo mas ner6tOLOFe, Dy n
rder duly made. limited the amount o. [
md sold to be ninety thousand acres :.
nd have promised that befors any v
lore land could be sold. the said Land "
oard would make careful investi- n,
alton of said project and give the 81
,ttlers full and complete hearing.
I'D :,
WHEREAS. without notice or hear .,
& the said Land Board did on the tr
tn day Of November. A. D.. 1917. a.
axe an order authorizing the said a;
aho Irrigation Company to sell one :,
lndred seventeen thousand acres of -
nd. and :.
wHEREAst the said Hand board ii.
omised and agreed to meet the set j.
RS on said project an the 10th day