The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1920-09-23

government rcRcrNOir " seemed only
Just that they should protect the gov
crnnicnt lands damaged by this pro-
ject, but no they wouldn't do Il. We
proposed that Doak n Brown dyke
these government lands with their
! own on contract with tho govern
mcnt after which the lands be thrown
open TO entry by cx-scrvice mon. No.
Doak n Brown Hdn't want to do that
and Secretary Lane found all kinds
OF reasons why the government could
not advance mot giyc) the funds nee
essary. This In our misds links up
Doak a Brown and the power com
pany pretty we'll.
Now a storage dam ut the head OF
Link river viii provide plenty OF
water for additional irrigation IN th.
valley. provided the canal In big
enough TO carry additional water to
the valley. which II isn't. Moreover
when n private power enterprise
builde n dam 10 impound waters un-
der government contract. who, un-
der the laws OF our state. In entitled
TO tho use OF the surplus wntcr-the
corporation or the government
Beneficial use carries the right to
water undcr our law. Tho power
company has two bi. hydro electric
plants down the rlyer--thc govern
mont has no funds to enlarge tho
main canal. what's the answer
Senator Chamberlain and Congress-
man Sinnott saw with us on this for
they had the dam contract suspended.
4 There isn't as much water In the
country as there was when the gov
crnment made the treaty with the
klamath Indians and fixed the
boundary OF the reservation arth OF
Big Klamath Lakc--what a ~ called
Biz klamath lake thcn is now Klam-
ath marsh. There hre easily 10000
acres In this county which will hard
ly support one Jack rabbit TO the
claim without water. but which will
add &5.000.000 to our tax rolls with
water. and do quite bit 20 build up
this community and keep u built up
after the timber Ia gone. but II 10
going to take u congressional appro-
pristion 10 complete the project. and
tho quicker we get II the less chance
there Will be for outsiders to get
away with the water which belongs
to this territory.
When Sinnott was here he told
several OF US that there was little
hope for an appropriation for this
project except :: 3o!a.os SaSss;; iss-
islation. The legion has asked for
this appropriation and will follow Il
up with persistent vigor. but mt pres
ont our hands are pretty full trying
to save the water which Nnakes the
project possible.
Certain elements In the chamber
OF commerce are asking for an In
ycStigation. The project has been In
yestigated for the last 10 or IL years.
by every kind OF a committee from
congressman to chipmunks. Nothing
has been done. Let's do something.
This investigation bunk In another
smoke screen of the power company's
to delay the game and get public at
tentiOn focused on something else.
We said. the big battle In yet to
come. Knocking out the Doak x
Brown leases was no good TO US or
the community. II the power com
pany was permitte~ to flood the
lands. Preventing the company from
building the dam In Link river In no
good. unless We can get the govern
ment to build the dam. The real big |
battle then, In to get congress to
make an appropriation. and here In
where We want all the help We can
get. Already some valuable oppor-
tunities have been lost; o. g.. when
Mr.. Sinnott and the ways and means
committee were here. the chamber OF |
commerce entertained them. Had |
the president of the chamber placed !
an ex-service man ut the elbow OF
each congressman to explain the
merits OF the project, and plead the |