Imperial Valley press., 1921-04-13
| N P { R | A |
R A Nc He R
PAYS FOR
MEXICO
Director Mark Rose Charges
Irrigation District Direct
Ors Were Hoodwinked by
Land Interests Below the
Border.

Calling attention to the fact that
the board Of directors of the Imperial
Irrigation district attempted to build
the Pescadero Cut last fall and at
time when it could have been built at
comparatively low cost, and further
that at the same time Harry Chandler
and his associates refused their per-
mission and cooperation for this pro-
posed work, even going so fas as to
threaten to enjoin the district from
proceeding with the work, Director
Mark Rose this morning declared to a
Press representative that the recent
consent of Chandler, ct al, for pro-
ceeding with the Pescadero Cut was
simply a clever ruse for deceiving the
public, he (Chandler) knowing ali the
time that the season is too far ad-
vanced to complete the work before
flood tide.
'The plan now proposed for strength
ening the Ockerson Levee at an ap-
proximate cost of 100000, can be con-
st1ued as nothing more or less than
Mexican development work, said Mr..
Rose. "The facts are," he continued,
that after it was publicly known that
the Pescadero Cut could not be sue
cessfully undertaken at this time, that
the Mexican interests still insist upon
loaning the district 100000 with the
understanding that the Ockerson levee
should be strengthened. This is a pro-
position which protects Mexican lands
only,}a and is absolutely unnecessary for
the American farmer, inasmuch as the
records of General Manager Cronholm
show that the Colorado river at it's
highest tide could could flow 100000
secoAd feet along the Volcano Levee
without in the least endangerng that
levee or any of the lands north of it.
ut naturally follows that if 100000
is spent upon strengthening the Ocker-
son levee, that the money will have
to be repaid by the District and that
means that the Imperial Valley farm
er will have to dig it up. In other
words the rancher on the American
side of the line is forced to pay for
the protection of Mexican lands, from
which he derives no benefit. =.
At the close of yesterdays session,
the board passed the following reso-
lutions:
Resolved, that the general manager
be and he is hereby authorized and
directed to prepare his G. M. O. in the
sum of 100000 to be expended in plac
ing revetment for the purpose of
strengthening the Ockerson levee at
such, point as he deems to be most sub
jcct to direct attack by river waters
during the 1921 flood season, and for
the purpose Of bringing the levee to
a uniform height.
The vote was: Ayes, Brockman, Nc
Pherrin and NicHerson; nay, Rose. Di
rector Rose requested that the secre-
tary. include in the minutes of the meet
ing his reason for voting no. "Direc-
tor Rose voted no for the reason that
in his Judgment it is for the reclama-
ton of Mexican lands and not for the
protection of Imperial Valley lands
and that the full river ran through
the breaks in the Ockerson< levee last
4-eaf without endangering the Volcano
Lake levee."
1t appearing to this board that no
contract at reasonable cost can be let
for the construction Of the Pescadero
Cut. in Mexico, owing to the near ap-
prohch of flood season, ~
Be it resolved, that the authority
heretofore given by resolution of the
board, under date of April 8, 1921, for
the execution of such a contract be
md the same is hereby revoked and
rescinded. Ha ur.4. eo
The vote was: Ayes, Brockman, Nc
Pherrin and Nickerson; nay, Rose. Di-
rector Roses vote was explained on
the minutes as follows: Rose voted
no for the reason that no real effort
had been made to secure bids for the
work except from one contracting
ilrln.'