El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-04-25
MAY 10 DATE
FOR ELECTION
Land Owners in County That
Day Will Decide on Irri-
cation District.

; The county commissioners Tuesday
/ afternoon designated May 70 as the
I date OF an election TO be held in EI
Paso county. outside the city of EI
] Paso. for the purpose of deciding
! whether to create an irrigation district.
! This question requires a two thirds
vote of all votes cast to decide it af-
Tentatively.
The state legislature recently passed
a law authorizing the organization of
such districts upon the same plan that
i bonds are voted. If the election car
rles, the property owners Will elect a
| board Of directors and the government
reclamation service will treat with
them instead of a private concern. such
as the FL Paso Water Users association
IS The government has announced
that II would much prefer doing bust
ness with public rather than a pri-
Vate concern.
Takes Over Land Owners Debt.
II the irrigation district is created
II becomes public corporation and the
county takes over the Indebtedness Of
the land owners to the government and
pays IL off by levying an annual tax
on the land in the district The govern
ment then enters into a contract win
the county for the construction and
maintenance Of irrigation canals and
lateralS and drainage bitches
The assumption by the county Of the
land owners Indebtedness to the gov
eminent hits the governments mort
gage on the land This gives the farm
er the privilege OF borrowing money,
II he needs it for developing his prop
erty, under the rural loan system At
live percent interest
To Plan Bridge to Island.
Upon motion of commissioner Henry
Herring the board voted TO instruct
county engineer ". A White to draw
plans and specifications for the con-
e-TT-r mott of f-=zrT
10 the mainland near Fabens. This
bridge win be built at the upper end
OF the island and the residents of the
island nave agreed to construct the
roads on the island TO the bridge and
donate the land for them Commits
sioner r. E Lyons was the only mem
Der OF the board to vote against the
construction of the bridge.
Firs< National County Depository
The First National bank was award
ed the contract as depository Of the
county funds on its old bid Of two and
a half percent on average daily bal
ances.
The county engineer was authorized
10 make an investigation of the damage
done TO the county roads by army
truck trains and submit his estimate
at the next meeting
4 typewriter will be purchased BY
the commissioners for the district
clerks office
J. J. o'NeiI. special collector in the
Guilty LdA COLLECTORS Office. was re-
tsined by the commissioners at a salary
of 1925 a month
McC8mant Gets Salary Raise.
Dr. 7. J. McCamant, county health Of
ficer. appeared before the commission
ers and urged them to take up the
question Of building isolation wards at
the county hospital at once with the
city II is the plan of the commission
ers TO try and induce the city to bear
a certain part of the expense for caring
for persons suffering with conta gious
diseases Dr.. McCamant asked for a
list of paupers in the county. saying
many more could be cared for at the |
county infirmary.
On motion of commissioner PendeII {
the salary of the county health officer /
was increased S25 a month
The commissioners gave Dr. E r
Carpenter authority TO select what fur
liture he needed for the clinic at the /
county jail from the old furniture that !
was used in the old courthouse