Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1921-06-13
COURT RULES
We R | s
v | 7 / \
STATE
Imperial Officers Armed
With Local Injunction Are
Guarding Protective Work
on Colorado River From
Destruction.

Late Saturday Judge NJ. w. Conk-
ling, Division 2, of the Superior court
of Imperial county, on application of
Directors Mark Rose and c. w. Brock
man of the irrigation district issued an
injunction restraining Yuma land
owners and the water board of the
Yuma project, from interfering with
the Imperial districts Weir and an
chorages in the Colorado river, at
Hanlon's Heading, threats having been
made by the Yuma men 10 blow up the
Weir. The order was given to Sheriff
AppleStill to execute and Deputy Sher-
if Franks is now on guard at the weir
to prevent interference with it.
That there is absolutely no danger
to Arizona lands from the maintenance
Of the weir is beyond question and it
has been mere eXpediency in past
years that the officials of the irriga-
ton district has kowtowed to the peo-
pie down there and generally obeyed
their bcheStS to tear out the weir, or
paid damages for alleged destructive
overflow of their property.
For many years and until the whole
Colorado river storage and irrigation
projects arc fully completed, the In
perial Irrigation District in order to
make sure of diversion of an ample
supply of water for this valley, must
from time to time place a temporary
weir of brush and rock across the river
Just below the diversion point known
as lockwood gate, sufficient to raise
the bottom of the river four to SIX
feet. Certain individuals on the Ari-
iona side Of the river pretending that
this endangers lands in the Yuma pro-
ject lying lower down, threaten to
remove this weir. The claim that st.cn
weir Injuries or threatens any land Cn
the east side of the river is absurd.
1t would be just as sensible for land
owners around Bard to insist that La
guna dam injuries them and for them
to threaten to destroy Laguna dam.
There may be some misguided people
in and around Yuma who believe this
rot about the Imperial weir being an
injury but with the leaders who are
stirring the matter uD and threaten
ing to blow out the Weir it is apparent
that the effort is little if any short
of blackmail.
TO restrain such an act the iniunc-
ton was issued by Judge Conkling
claiming jurisdiction on the ground
that both sides of the river al TIE
point in controversy and from the
mouth of the ella river to Hanlons
Heading are in California. The des-
cription by which California was sd
mitted into the Union, the monument
on the ground and the U. S. public
survey all show this to be true. There
is no desire on the part of Imperial
county to dismember Yuma or take
from the Yuma people any land which
is of any value to them. Bus it Is
necessary for the protection OF this
valley from irresponsible and black
mailing residents of the east side OF
the river that the State of California
should have and hold few hundred
acres of land on the east side Of The
river opposite our point of diversion
The legislature has authorized the at
torney general to bring appropr att
action in the Supreme court of tho
United States against the state Of
Arizona and in the mean while it is
the unquestioned duty of our officials
to insist on our jurisdiction and en-
force the order of our own courts ovel
the land in controversy. When thu
principal action is heard in the Su
preme court it is hoped common sense
will dictate compromise whereby al
of Yuma will be in Arizona and The
land essential to Imperial Valleys pro
lection will be in California.