Imperial Valley press., 1919-09-23
cen given 10 the pubic.

one unit, ana IL YOU NI'Sl' y H"''.i~
unit ofcqual size it would be exactly
divided ard reduce the cost Of the
first, and if YOU extend the project
over greater area and create new
units on will still diminish p?o rata
TIE tax levied.
Ny. Hayden The only interest of
the United States is that there snail
be return to the reclamation fund
of the sum of money heretofore eN-
pended in building the Laguna dam.
1t is immateral to thc government
whether that money comes from the
people of the Yuma project or not, so
long as the full amount is repaid?
Mr.. Little Who fixes the basis :?
On what theory is it fixed?
Mr.. Hayden. My recollection is that
the total cost of the Laguna dam. the
head gates and sluicing works in con-
nection Herewith, and the canal which
would be used in part by the Imperial
in cation district, aggregated about
%2,000,000 and that the Imperial irri-
cation district was to be charged for
the larger part of this cost, based
upon the proportional irrigated area
between the two projects. | shall YER
fly my recollection of the facts and
bring them to the committee.
Mr.. TAYLOR. | want to ask Mr.. Hay
den question. When the YLma pro-
ject was completed it was known de
finitelv by the government then how
much they had to charge A, E, and c,
and the other buyers on that project
per acre for land to pay for the pro-
iect?
Mr.. Hayden. Yes, sir. And public
notice waes issued saying "Your
charge shall be so many dollars per
acre
MIR. Taylor. After the government
mas liquidated S1,60O,000 of their in
debtedness on the prodject by selling
it tothe Imperial irrigation district,
is it going to back to the purchasers
Of land under the Yuma project and
say to them, "Now, we have reduced
the price Of this project by 81 100000
and it will reduce the price of your
lands so much. s. or SO an acre."
Mr.. Hayden. The Secretary of the
interior has agreed that as the money
is paid in by the Imperial irrigation
district the annual construction charge
on the Yuma project shall be reduc-
ed by that amount. 1t is easily prorat-
ed per acre, and that is as it should
be.
Mr., Taylor Let me say that there
are some people who want to add to
one Of our Colorado projects on the
south side of the Grand River and
Mr.. Davis said to them the other day
that the Reclamation service will
charge them $4,000 for connecting
with the dam that is built in the Grand
river right below where | live
Mr.. Little. What did the dam cost?
Mr.. TAYLOR I do not know what it
cost, but think he charged them about
one-third.
Mr.. Smith. The gross construction
cost Of the Yuma project is $1,000
OOO.
Mr.. Swing. I do not mention that
TO make any point out of it, | simply
say that, in ouropinion, itappeared
say that in our Onion, it appeared to
US at the time that it was more than
a pro ratio charge for what we were
getting. But we made no objection at
a itnemy alGalnateetaoetiaoin
at any time. and we do not now. 1t is
a question of getting somewhere, and
the Secretary says, 81 assess you so
much" We said, "All right; we will
pay it," And | say that is all water
| that has passed under the bridge. We
have no choice. We have to go there
We recognized the Yuma prior wa
ter rights up to one-fourth Of the wa
| ter in the river, arranged the question
! Of the division Of the power, 50
that Yuma gets. cheap hydroelectrlC
power, practically at cost, and we arc
now ready to 90 ahead, except for the
question of finances. Mr.. DaVis sale
they nave Just completed the final re
port on the survey, and they are now
ready to commence work. | want t.
correct him in one respect. He said $50,
coo. 1t IS $4,000 which was eXpendeC
upon this survey, $4,000 by thu
Imperial irrigation district and $l7,
900 by the Secretary. That is foun'
on the first page Of the pamphlet on
file. That does not make much differ
cnce, but it is just that much NOR
detailed and much more CAREFUL!
made survey
As | said, it is now largely ques
ton of finance, and the Imperial II
rigation district rs Mr. Davis cor
,rectly says, can not swing that bi
financial proposition by themselves.