The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1917-03-21
PROTEST AGAINST TRANSFER
OF PROJECT MANAGER HOUCH
+. Il. Weymouth, Head of Denver
Office, Arrives in Failon To Discuss
Order With Water Users

U. S. Reclamation service arrived in
Fallon last Monday to meet with the
water users of the Truckee-Carson
project to consider the matter of the
transfer of Project Manager Hough,
which was announced with such
startling suddenness a couple OF
weeks ago.
Following the orders of-the reela-
nation service to Mr.. Hough to pre-
pare for transfer to Phoenix, some
time this month the wires were i'm
mediately deluged with a flood of
kilograms to our representatives at
Washington protesting against the
change. The Washington Office ae-
cordingly instructed Mr.. Weymouth
to proceed to Fallon and investigate
conditions, meanwhile holding up
the transfer order
At a meeting between the water
users and other interested parties
held at the courthouse last Wednes-
day, Mr. Weymouth explained that
the recent order had been brought
about by the resignation Of the Chief
Clerk OF the Salt River project ne
cessitating the selection o. a man
well yersed in reolamatio1 routine
and Mr.. Hough was selected as the
man best fitted by his knowledge and
experience to cope with a delicate
situation existing there. Coupled
with this state of affairs the Denver
office believed that the time had
about arrived when It was absolute
ly necessary that an engineer should
be placed in charge OF the Truekee-
Carson project TO work out certain
details of drainage and irrigation
extension work now in prospect. He
made it plain that there was no ul-
terror motive in transferring Mr..
Tough, but TO the contrary the de-
partment considered him the only
man available for the Salt River
position. Mr.. Weymouth expressed
himself as highly gratified to learn
Of the esteem in which Mr. Hough
was held by the people of this pro-
lect and stated that never before IN
his experience had a similar situa
ton arisen over a change in project
managers, which Is a regular rou-
line procedure in reclamation work
and heretofore has been accepted
without question by the settlers on
a project
Several of the water users voiced
their protests against a change at
this time. Among them being |. II.
Kent, J. W. Ferguson, c. J. Taylor,
Bud Williams, Fulton II. Sears, E.
p. Osgood, Judge T. c. Hart. Robert
lIodeen and others. The burden of
their remarks was to the effect that
in view of the critical conditions ex-
listing on the project at this time
when the water users are about to
organize under the new law just
passed by the legislature and the
prominence of Mr.. Hough in the ne
gotiations between the various di-
vergent interests under the compro-
mise agreement his removal at this
time would be peculiarly inoppor-
tune and however acute the situa
tion on the Salt River project it
should not be permitted to outweigh
the interests of the Truckee-Carson
project Replying to the suggestion
that this project is in urgent need of
| the services of an engineer eXeep-
| tions were taken. It being held that
| the needs and desires of those al
ready on the project should be the
| Grst consideration, and even grant
ing that the Upper Carson or Pyra-
mid Lake projects would require an
engineer to work out details, there
would still exits the necessity of a
resident project manager to deal
with local subjects during his alb
senee.
d. W Cole, former project mana
ger, stated that he had suggested to
Mr.. Weymouth the retention of Mr..
Hough in addition to an engineer in
the event that it is found that the
employment of an engineer is de-
cided as necessary.
Mr.. Weymouth at the close of the
discussion promised to take the
whole matter up with his associate
officials at headquarters and would
be guided in his decision by the best
interests of the Service. He gave
no absolute assurance that the order
to transfer Mr.. Hough would be re-
sclnded, but stated that the objec-
tions as voiced at the meeting had
convinced him that there was real
need of his retention here and that
he had received considerable en-
lightenment on local conditions of
which he had hitherto been in ignor
ance The impression gained by his
hearers was that 1t is extremely un-
likely that any change will be made
in the project management in the
immediate future.
II think that any thoughtless,
d