Imperial Valley press., 1920-04-10
CANCEL ROSE
CONTRACT IS
REQ UEST
IN v | RE
Rose Has No Power to
Pledge District to Vote
Bonds for His Private
Contract is Word Sent to
Secretary of Interior.

The Imperial Irrigation District
has taken quick steps to thwart the
scheme of Mark Rose to secure the
approval of his contract. Accord
ing to wires sent to this city by
Walter b. Kibbey. Rose is making a
campaign of Misrepresentation in
order to secure the approval desired.
kibbey in no uncertain terms ex-
poses the plans of Mark Rose This
particular situation seems to have
arisen because of the appointment of
a new secretary of the interior, John
Barton Payne, and his unfamiliarity
with the local situation.
Mr.. Kibbey states that Roses pres
ent plan is to have his canal financed
by the Imperial Irrigation District
voting bonds on contract let to big
construction company on cost plus
basis.
Several messages have been sent to
Washington in an effort to put the
true light on the situation.
Mr.. Kibbey in his report of the
hearing before the secretary of the
interior, says:
''The hearing before the secretary
lasted three hours. Rose claims to
have entered into contract with
Stewart 4 Co. on cost plus basis
for the All-American canal. He pro-
poses to finance by having the pres
a new district and issue bonds. The
and Laguna Water company are equit-
scheme for finance is the same as
he declared infeasible when we put
it in the kettner bill. The secretary
took the whole matter under ad-
visement.
"If Rose is successful everyone
getting public land will have to pur-
chase water stock from the Laguna
and submit to contract al
ready entered on a cost plus basis.
Homesteads will be practically impos-
sible.
"He accused me of representing the
Mexican interests and being on the
payroll of the irrigation district. He
read telegram he said was signed by
1877 prominent men. the signatures be,
ing obtained in one hour and a half,
asking for approval of his contract.
He did not read names but said they
included the district directors
Hayden and Davis appeared in op-
position to Rose. Rose claimed that
storage was not necessary although he
testified it was at the last hearing and
| pulled his testimony on him.
On receipt of this information the
district sent the following wire to
Secretary Payne, which thoroughly
goes into the situation:
Ell Centre, Cal, April 8, 1920.
Secretary of the Interior,
Washington, d. c.
Son behalf of Imperial Irrigation
District and by instructions of the
board of directors Walter B. Kibbey
filed with you our petition for can
collation. of Mark Rose contract on the
ground of failure of performance, con-
trary to public policy in disposal of
government lands and conflict in terms
with Imperial contract under which
surveys and cost estimates have been
made in cooperation with the interior
department at cost of $45 900 and INF
tial payment for connection with. La
guna dam made by the district -
Rose has no right or power to
pledge Imperial Irrigation District
to vote bonds to carry out his con-
tract ON cost plus or other basis.
Exhaustive hearings before the
house arid lands committee show that
the government must participate in
the construction of the All-American
canal because storage waters must be
provided for new lands, and interna-
tional questions involved cannot be
handled by private individuals OF munl-
cipal corporations. 'Soh h23" SIG
"We respectfully urge that unde,
no circumstances should municipal cor
Continued on page 2.)