Imperial Valley press., 1918-04-01
DRAINAGE IS To
Be SUBJECT OF
FARML0AN BOARD

Some time maye lapse before the
engineer-appraiser for the Federal
Farm Loan bank will be able to reach
the Imperial aVlley, to pass upon the
drainage questions, in accordance
: with the new regulations now in eff
feet. Before additional farm loans
are made in irrigated districts the en-
gineer must examine the drainage
conditions.
The following letter has been re-
ceived from President w. NJ. Joyce
: Of the loan bank:
"Berkeley, Cal, March 2G.-Frank
H. Stanley, Sec.-Treas., the Brawley
N. F. L. A, Brawley, Cal.-Dear Sir:
I On January 80 we received the fol-
lowing instructions from the Farm
Loan Bard at Washington:
"After having given careful con-
sideration to the subject of loans on
irrigated lands, it is the judgment of
this board, and you are so instructed,
that no further loans shall be made
on irrigated lands, or lands coming
within an irrigated district, or on
areas which are dependent upon irri-
cation for their productivity, until
appropriate investigations and report
have been made by an engineer-ap-
praiser, with approval of such report
by the engineer for irrigation and
drainage Investigations
"The engineer-appraised for the
Eleventh district herein alluded to has
only recently been appointed, his
commission taking effect March q,
1918.
an the Eleventh district large
hare of our loans are made in re-
gions where questions or irrigation
nd drainage are involved, and upon
II of these it will be necessary to
ave a report from our engineer-ap-
'raiser, together with the approval
f such report by the chief engineer
for' irrigation and drainage, before
more loans can be made.
"This engineer appraiser will begin
lis work Immediately, but we think
t only fair that his first attention be
given to those districts where, so far,
we have made no loans a all. We
shall, of course, assign him to these
various regions as fast as possible,
but it is plain to be seen that it is
going to take considerable time for
him to go over all the ground.
with regard to the Imperial VAL
ey: While it is true no loans have
yet been made to some of the asso-
Citations in this Valley, a great many
oans have been made to other as
sociations there.
"As the Imperial Valley embraces
an immense area, more or less uni
form as to physical conditions in
question, the report of the engineer
appraiser on water and drainage must
OF necessity be a general report on
he entire valley, and will doubtless
equire considerable period of time.
I'm order to serve the greatest num-
Der of people in the shortest length
Of time, we feel that it would be
only just to have this officer begin
his work in smaller districts where
reports can be made quickly, leaving
those of larger magnitude (and espe-
cially those regions in which loans
have already been made) for a little
later consideration. 1t may, there
lore, be some months (probably to.
ward the latter end of the summer)
before this officer reaches the Imne-
rial Valley. Besides, we think that his
report would be more complete and
more satisfactory to all concerned if
it were made during period when
water supply could be more clearly
demonstrated, and when the great
roductiveness of your land under ir-
rlgation is most apparent.
1T must be remembered that this
ystem is a great and comprehensive
Institution which proposes to serve
the farmers as fast as is compatible
with good business principles, and
with the constant view of maintaining
the integrity of it's bonds.
"Very truly yours,
"W. Fl. JOYCE, President.
"P. S.-Please advise all members
of your association with regard to
this ruling. W. TT 10