Imperial Valley press., 1920-08-07
DAVIS URGES
MARK ROSE
Be PAID
CLAIM
Old Resident Says Valley
Should Pay Rose for Sake
of It's Own Honor and
Harmony in Washington.

The following letter from J. f
Davis, well known and time honoree
citizen of the valley, in regard to The
matter of the Laguna Water Company
f. and the Mark Rose claim is published
in full
Long Beach, Calf, July 81, 1920.
Mr.. M. D. Davis,
Editor Imperial Valley Press,
Ell Centre, California.
My Dear Sir:-As you will no doubt
recall you and | had several talks
about the Mark Rose case last spring
and have no doubt you will remcm-
her that | was for settling with the
Laguna people. / was for the settle
ment because, it was advised by the
following people: Hon. VIM. Kettner,
Secretary Lane, A. P. Davis, judge
Phinney, Mr.. Tahman, Judge Kincaid
and Mr.. Mondell, speaker of the house.
| feel sure that Mr.. Kibbey will
hear me out in the above as l tliink
he was present at each interview with
the above gentlemen when they made
their various statements.
However in these various state
ments the one glaring fact that stood
out like sore thumb was the exist
ence of the famous Mark Rose con-
tract which seemed to be the ore big
lifting bar on which all of Mark
Roses strength depended.
| remember very well that Secre-
tary Lane in commenting on the ques-
tion of Mark being paid some consid.
GRAFTON said that if the people of In
perial Valley felt that Rose had a con-
tract that was valuable and thai if
Rose had performed some service that
had been of benefit to the campaign
of the All American canal boosters
then as a matter of good business it
would be his opinion that settle
ment should be made.
Mr.. Mondell made the statement
that Mark Rose should be gotten rid
of and the best way to get rid of him
was to make a settlement with him.
And while Mr.. Mondell did not feel
that Rose was really entitled to any
thing in the way of pay for service
rendered he felt that inasmuch as
Rose held a contract with the interior
department that gave him a standing
in congress that he was in position 20
stir up opposition whenever it suited
his purpose, therefore he felt it would
be good policy to make . settlement
with him and take over his interests.
The other men of prominence in
connection with our Imperial Valley
problems with whom I talked all felt
about the same.
came home and recommended
settlement based on the fact that
Mark Rose or the Laguna Water Co.
if you please held contract with the
interior department of the United
States of America, that gave him a
position where he was a menace to
the early success of our pet scheme to
stabilize the water supply of the val
ley and bring stability and security to
the whole district.
I failed to get action by the Impe-
rial Irrigation District and as you
know the matter was presented to
Secretary Payne who cancelled Roses
contract. Now the important point in
the whole matter at THIS peliod feel
as to whether the Imperial Valley was
pledged to Secretary Payne to abide
by whatever decision was rendered by
the committee appointed for the pur-
pose of adjudging the award.
When / was in Washington l was
asked by Mr.. Kibbey to make certain
visits with him in connection with
the affairs of the Imperial Irrigation
District and deemed it a pleasure to
do so and an honor to be asked to dc
so. In the various conversations
had at the various meetings l had
rather larger share of the converse
ton with different heads than did
(Coptiuuad- On ma pa 9