Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1919-10-03

EFFORTS OF LEAGUE WILL DE-
TERMiNE WHETHER LAND OWN
ERS GET 5s OR 3s INCHES
OF WATER

At a meeting OF the stockholders 0
the Farmers Protective League hel,
in The Baugh theater Saturday after
noon, the farmers on the tracts unde
the Idaho Irrigation Company, express
ed a determination to push their sui
against the company to prevent fur
ther sale of land and to take ever,
step possible to prevent the company
from turning the project over to tbs
settlers until it is fully completed.
Fred w. Gooding president of the
League presided at the meeting. The
Board of Directors. consisting Of Ber
Darrah, n. w Sine. J. H. Culbertsoh
w. l. Biggs, F. r. Gooding and c. S
Osborn had seats on the stage with the
speakers. Frank r. Gooding. State
Reclamation commissioner Swendsen
State Attorney General Black. Assist
ant Irrigation Commissioner Bailey.
and Guy Bissell, legal advisor for the
league.
Review Activity of League.
Attorney Bissell was the first speak
er To familiarize the audience with
all points of the past history Of the or
ganization. he gave a brief resume Of
their activities and explained the
things accomplished to date
In 1915 the Idaho Irrigation Compa-
ny presented afidavits to the State
Land Board to the effect that the prof.
ect was entirely completed, and made
formal application to turn it over to
the settlers. An operating company
had been formed according to the law.
known as The Big Wood River Reser-
uOff- and Canal Inn
600 shares of stock supposed 10 be
held by the settlers according to their
acreage.
The project at that time was far
from complete. The outlook TO those
who had invested and settled uron the
land held very little promise of ever
securing water. The Farmers Pro-
tective League was then organized by
the water-users of the tracts aid
this organization the settlers
secured representation at the meeting !
of the State Land Board and blocked 4
the move of the company to turn an,
system over to the water
users. Practically every year since I
the company has renewed its effort 10
turn the project over.
Following the summer of 1917 re-
ports from the State Engineer demon
strated that the source of water sup
ply was insufficient and the system of
was inadequat for the Iaad
then under cultivation. At that time \
the company had sold about 1isO0O
acres. December 7, 1917. suit was
lied by the Farmers Protective
League to prevent further sales of
and by the company
The State Land Board deere ed that
10 further sales of land should be ,
made until the courts should decide
he suit of the settlers. Since that
ime the State Land Board has an ,
ounced that no more water is avail c
bic for the project and every effort .
as been made to thoroughly acquaint Z
settlers with the situation. Z
he efforts of the State have in no way 4
ctually stopped the company from n
elling or reselling lands. So far as s
nown there are contracts dated prior ?
, December Z. 1917 covering about y
5000 acres of land. Water available F
nder the best weather conditions. d
to less than s of an inch per n
ere for these contracts. The company a
holding approximately $4,000 acres of M
land which il declares can n
? watered from the same source q,
1ould the entire 10000 acres re- ri
i've water it will cut down .he avail 81
'leable quantity, even in the best d,
ars to IS of an inch. or half as much
the lowest requirement of the crops
Present Activity of the League ue
Replying to a question from the au- Al
ence concerning the present activity hi
the League, Attorney Bissell ex- tr;
iined TO the members the impor- wi
ice of its present position. The suit ;h
ainst the company TO prevent the ee
-ther saSe of land vii come up in the pl,
deral court in January. The posi- tn,
n of the Idaho Irrigation company is tn,
II when a settler bought a water yel
hit of IS of an inch he did not really pal
: that much water bet only pro- en-,
-tionate amount of the water avail dul
e il the system. The S OF an inch wi,
led for in the contract being merely
basis for calculating the proper !
late share. on this system the Few
portion each man might actually re- riCl
e could be reduced practically to Sc,
} if enough land were sold by the emi
lpany. The court viii be called up on
10 decide whether the settler has pro
for something or nothing II is trae
ital question on which hinges the goo
he OF every acre of land under the life
EN-. Should the company win in Bio
,onts ntion. then the value Of prac-
~ every acre OF farm land in Lin II
and GooGilg counties win have Can
wiped out OF existence Unless stoc
League hits hard in this suit the- bv
ers viii be forced 70 take only what "A re
r the company gives them. the
short time ago the company made the
her application 10 turn the prof pres
over 10 the settlers This time com,
does not claim the prof fect
5 completed. K applies for per- oper.
ion to turn Il over merely for op- to Il
ag purposes ana thar il will so WIN
7 OF It's own motion and complete Idah,
'200.000.0o worth OF construction tiers
knowledgts 20 he vet necessary
npIete the project Should this be sta
q VIII place the burden ot aii sven