Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-02-02
60 Irrigation
Districts Now
EnbraceState
Grand Total 1900 900
Acres Included In
Projects Says Cup
per In Report

per In Report
more than sixty irrigation dis
'rlcts comprising a total area of
l'zOo'OOO acres have been organ
ized in this state or are now in the
process of organiza ton, accordin,
10 the biennial report of State EN-
slneer Percy A. Cupper, Just made
public. --'''' =
Ihe report shows that bonds re-
ceIVeu Tor certification by the ir-
rigatlon securities commission dur
ing the biennium aggregate So
fVz, 900 exclusive of $1,25O.OOO of
Meatord irrigation district bonds
"hIch are now up for certification
Ihe remarkable progress made
IN irrigation development in the
stare is shown in a comparison with
oeNelopment work of the past wear
as compared with the wear 1917
When only sixteen districts includ-
ing 3O4'750 acres had been organ
lzed and less than S4OO. 600 of H.
rlgation district bonds had been is
sued. 40
Durlng the past biennial period
the OchocO project with % 5oO
acres has been completed. as hoe
also the Warm Springs project with
$4,000 acres" Cupper points ont IN
statement accompanying his re-
port.
one unit of the Talent district
with 1900 acres, Grants Pass irri-
ga ION district with 1000 acres.
while Gold Hill, Enterprise and
iiorsetiy have under irrigation
about 5000 acres, most of which
mas been irrigated during the last
biennial period.
The Medford irrigation DISTRICT
mas entered into contract for the
construction of it's works and the
disposition of it's bonds, and is pra
pared to proceed with construction
work. While a number of other
projects in the state have been So
tive during this period in the sale
OF retunding bonds, the preparation
OF plans and other work prcl;mi-
nary to construction.
Under the recent constitutions
amendment providing for the nav.
ment OF interest the state is obi.
gated to pay the interest on irrisa.
ton district bonds in the amount OF
$3.S42,500 for a period of two and
one-half years, requiring the issu-
ance of state bonds in the amount
of approximately $690,00O. The
amount of the sta e's obligation
will be doubled in case the state ex-
tends its present contracts for the
full period of five years provided
for in the constitutional amend
ment.
The irrigation securi les commits
sion composed of the attorney gem
eral, superintendent of banks and
state engineer, is authorized to OBJ
ligate the state for the payment of
interest on irrigation and drainage
district bonds to the amount of 2
per cent of the assessed valuation
100000. The irrigation securities
commission has felt that consider
able responsibility was placed upon
it and has adhered strictly to the
provisions of the constitutional
which provides that
interest shall only be guaranteed
when it appears to the best inter-
est of the district and of the state
that the same shall be done. This
has called forth some adverse criti-
cism from those who believe that a
more liberal policy with respect to
the handling of these state funds
should be adopted.
For every s1,UO0.0O0 of districI
bonds upon which the state agrees
to pay interest for the full period
of five years, the state must issue
state bonds in the amount of $780,
900. The commission, therefore,
feels that for the good of both IL
rigation development and the stale
as a whole, irriga ton must be re-
duced to and be carried forward on
a 'OhAlh buEAiiEoS DdElS. IIIlBdtlOH
development in Oregon has been
successful during the
past few years, when both finan-
sial and construcrIv:, conditions
have been unprecedentlv adverse to
his line of development. The re-
port holds forth the hope that irri-
CATION development. if it can be
on its present sound
basis, will go forward more rapid
Y in the future. as the soundness
)f Oregon's irrigation securities be-
,Ome recognized. The state engi- |
leer's report also deals with drain
ige development, showing that four
'rainage districts have availcd 1
themselves of the certificat ton \
tatu.e. and have secured the GER /
ification of s529.7OO in bonds. /
'orty-six drainage districts in all
lave been organized including in
N approximately 10000 acres"