The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1921-02-11
WATER USERS
SEEK LOWER RATE
In Session at Malta, Lower Milk
River Valley Water Users
Consider Water Levy.
PETITION INTERIOR DEPT.
Ask that Rate BE Lowered to $500 or
Less Per Acre Foot. State that
Unless Request Is Granted De-
velOpment Will Be Retarded.

On Saturday afternoon last, Febru-
ary 5th, at Malta, we'll attended
meeting of the Lower Milk River Val
ley Water Users Association resulted
in much discussion of the rates charged
by the Department of the Interior for
use of project water for irrigation
purposes.
Heretofore the members of the Wa
ter Users Association have been
charged flat rate of $500 per acre
foot, and $500 per acre foot for nom
members. 1t is asked by the members
of the association that this be reduced
to $500 or less. The following peti-
tion was drafted at the meeting and a
copy of same mailed to the Secretary
of the Department Of the Interior at
Washington. This petition has also
been endorsed by the Glasgow Cham
Der of Commerce, the Malta CONNER
cial club and several other civic or
ganizations affected thereby, and a
copy mailed from each Of these clubs
to the department at Washington. The
petition follows:
We, the undersigned committee of
the Lower Milk River Water Users
Association, appointed at meeting OF
the members of said association held
at Malta, Montana, on Febrrary 5th
1921, hereby make the following re
quests regarding the water charges fo,
the years 1920 and 1921:
First: We respectfully ask that the
date for taking the per cent discount
on water used during the season OF
1920, be extended from March 1st
1921, and for those not able to pay
on October 1st, 1921 and take the )
per cent discount we request an eX-
tension to January 1st, 1922, without
discount. In other words, we ask that
no penalty for failure to pay water
charges for 1920 be added until Janu-
ary 1st, 1922 and that water users be
furnished water the coming season of
1921, even though they have not paid
for the 1920 water used.
Second: Owing to the fact that the
principal crop raised under irrigation
in the Milk River Valley is hay. and
the further fact that great deal of
the livestock has been shipped out of
the country during the past few years
on account of drouths, leaving practi-
cally all the hay raised during the
season of 1920 still in the hands Of
the growers unsold, we feel that we
should be granted reduction in the
water charges for the year 1920 to 81
per acre foot or less. We feel that
these concessions should be extended to
the water users who used the water
and have tried to improve their land
for the further reason that they have
been compelled to pay excessive
charges on account Of the vast amount
of land held for speculation and that
has not been improved, thereby raising
the cost of the water to those who
have been using it.
Third: We feel that unless the wa
ter charges for the coming season of
1921 are reduced to $500 per acre foot
it will tend to retard the development
of our valley for the coming year for
the reason that the past year has dem
onstrated that water charges are too
high if prices of farm products are to
remain at or anywhere near the pres
ent level of prices.
We believe it will be to the best in
terests of the Government and to the
water users if the above concessions
are granted and we ask that you give
them your earnest consideration.
Respectfully. C.. l.. Edwards, II. G..
Robinson, H. S. Whitcomb, Committee