The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1920-08-05
STATE READY
TO UNDERTAKE
LOCAL PROJECT
Reclamation Service Proposes to
IN. Sell Lands AS Well AS to
Construct System.
DEFINITE PLAN Is OUTLINED
Owners of, Undeveloped Lands Will
Be Asked to Turn Over Hold
~ ings at $50 an Acre.

The Washington State Reclamation
service, which has been making a de-
tailed study of the Kennewick irriga-
tion project has completed its investi-
cation work and submitted a definite
proposal to the. directors of the dis
trict.
The service believes that it will be
possible to market to advantage bonds
in sum not to exceed $100 per acre
for unimproved land and $150 an acre
for improved land. The estimated
cost of the project is $3.50 per acre,
$25 Of which is to be paid to the gov
ernment for stored water, leaving
$I55 an acre to be raised by bond is
sue or otherwise.
As means Of financing the pro-
ject the service proposes bond issue
Of 500 an acre and a direct payment
Of $55 an acre. To carry out this
plan the state proposes not only to
sell the bonds, carry on the construc-
tion work, but handnle the sale of
all undeveloped lands jp the project
through the state land settlement
board. To do this it will be necessary
for the owners Of the developed lands
to turn over their holdings to the
state at an appraised value of $50 an
acre and the state will then proceed
with the sale Of the lands. The de-
tails of the states proposition are
set forth in the following commune
cation to the district board Of di-
rectors:
The estimated cost of the Kenne-
wick project is $3.50 per acre, .exclu-
sive Of cost of financing and interest
during construction, or total of &c.
100000. Of this amount, $685. 900
would be for payments to the govern
ment for storage water and we assume
would be repaid in 20 years without
interest. This would leave $5,325, 900
to be raised for the canal system. As
bonding proposition not more than
500 per acre for the raw, land nor
s$15O per acre for the improved land
could be considered. This would
amount to
32,7OO acres a $1O0 Sc, ,270, 900
$500 acres q $3.50 ...... 345,000
Total SO gle, 900
The difference would be s1,71o,o 900,
and it is how to raise this that we
suggest the following plan:
The district will as soon as possible
vote bonds to the amount OF $4,000
900, make arrangements with the gov
ernment for storage water, make ad-
justment of prior water rights, right
of way, and diversion rights at Pros
ser Falls, and obtain from the federal
government cooperation in the mat
ter of government owned lands now
withheld from entry that would be
consistent with this plan.
The service win sectionize, .subdi-
dide, classify accurately, make topog,,
raphic survey, lay out the roads, and
prepare plat of the entire area show
ing definite farm units. This work
would join onto similar work initiated
by the United States reclamation
service, and the board would advance
the expense thereof, to be subsequent
ly reimbursed by the district.
The present owners of unlmproved
lands would then agree to turn over
their lands to the state reclamation
board as agent to select purchasers,
the owner to receive $50 per acre for
his irrigable land and $40 per acre
for any non-irrigable land that it
may be necessary or desirable to ac-
quire. The present owners would
have preference right to apply to
purchase back any of their. Original
holdings subject to the same condl-
tions as new purchasers.
After the lands are all signed up
applications for the purchase OF these
farm units may be made of the board
subject to the following conditions:
The applicant must be prepared tc
pay for the land selected in cash, i. e.
$50 per acre of irrigable land and Sll
per acre of any necessary non-lrrl'
gable land.
He must be prepared to pay at the
time of making application $50 pei
acre in cash to be applied to the con-
struction charge.
He must be prepared to make 6
contract with the board to make al
additional payment of $25 per acre
OF irrigable land one year after the
first construction contract is award
ed, securing this payment by a lier
upon the land. ...- ... 4
The district may take whateve1
steps are desired to procure the nee
essary applicants.
The remainder of the construction
charge, $3,500,000 approximately