Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1919-09-20
PROMINENT men SPEAK
At BIG WATER
MEETING

AT the meeting neld Ill the Klnk
hall Thursday night the questions to
be decided by the election being
held today were discussed and ex-
planned so thoroughly that it is inn
possible for any one who attended the
meeting to be unfamiliar with the
qestions which are to be decided at
election.
The meeting was called by the
Board of Directors of the Project.
and the Rink hall was taxed to its
greatest capacity to accommodate
the crowd Of farmers and business
men present.
The meeting was called to order by
r. I. Wilson, who BRIEFLY outlined the
gathering, and explained the progress
J. |. Wilson, who briefly outlined the
purpose of the gathering, and explain
ed the progress of the project-what
has already been accomplished and
what remains to be accomplished.
The first speaker was Senator F. F..
Stickney who was introduced by the
chairman as a practical and successful
farmer. Mr.. Stickney showed the
value of water storage by making
comparisons between the Mason Val
lev land values, and those of neighbor-
ing sections, stating that our natural
advantages entitled us to be far i'll
advance OF Carson Valley, which at
present is lar from being the case.
He also spoke of the Fernley district
whicn in II yeare has been redeemed
from a desolate desert, practically
valueless, and now supports pros
porous community, the average value
of the land being over 5000 per acre.
Following Mr.. Stickney, Mr.. Frank
Simpson, of Smith Valley, explained
the position of the old water rights
under the new order. He went into
details, impressing on the audience
that the natural flow of the river
could not be interfered with, the in
tent of the project being the storage
of flood waters only.
Mr. J. A. Beemer, the project en-
gineer, was next on the list of speak
ers. Mr.. Beemcr has had wide ex-
perience in various irrigation pro-
jects in all parts of the West, and
II 4.
with greater possibilities where SO
much could be accomplished with so
small an outlay.
Senator Pitt, of Lovelock, who has
been instrumental in securing irriga-
ton on the Humboldt, made camparar
son of the possibilities in the Hum
boldt and Walker River districts,
showing the great advantages OF this
project and pointing out particularly
the advantages OF the present water
law. Mr.. Pitt said that he was sur
prised at the vast amount of arid
land that had been allowed to go un-
reclaimed for so long time, and COM
pared the waters of the Walker River
to stream Of golden grain flowing
past our doors.
Mr.. Mcfarland, representing the
State Engineers Office, explained the
absence of Col Scrgham, the State
Engineer, who had intended to be
present, but was unable to come. Mr..
Mcfarland who had arrived from Las
Vegas, while the meeting was in pro-
gress, stated that the State Engineers
Office fully appoves the project as it
stands He said that the existing
water rights would not be affected
by the storage, and that their validity
would be recognized under the law
and by the State Engineers Office.
The principal address of the even
ing was made by Judge Frank H.
Norcross, who is member of the
firm acting as the legal advisers of
the project Judge Norcross discuss
ed the project from all angles, review
ing and celebrating on the remarks of
the speakers who had preceded him.
He explained that the law makes the
project independent and self-govern-
ing, managed by board Of directors
who. are elected and subject to re
call in the same manner as anyofficial
OF the state or county. He also
CONTINUED on page four.)