The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1921-01-20
To The Land OiUneYS
IN the John DayHyi-
cation District and
TO The Public.


were elected three directors, The vote
Of the organization election was unanl-
nous for the creation of the district ana
the election Of directors. Upon the
qualification of the directors elected it
became their duty to prepare a budget
and levy tax to pay the cost Of or
ganization and any expense that the
directors deemed necessary to the best
interest of the new district. Before en-
tering upon their work as directors, the
law required that each director file a
bond to guarantee the faithful per-
formance Of his duty.
Among the duties OF the directors
was the establishment of the number
Of irrigable acres of land within the
district The estimated cost Of a high
line canal, cost Of diversion dams ana
reservoir sites, together with the esti-
mated cost Of any other construction
or work which a preliminary survey
would show to be necessary. After sew
eral months Of investigation and con-
situations with various engineers and
a conference with Hon N. j. Sinnott,
chairman Of the committee on irrigation
OF the House Of Representatives, and
80, i.op, ,o'e''a'''es N congress ana
go" ''oe' Vi the H'a'e OF ore
- N 1'' ."''a' "'i e''oi Vi e'e T. D
,'o'' ~ w. the poaru Oh N
rectors deemed IL advisable TO employ
an engineer. The employment Of a par
- e '',e'' was question 10
80" Sout oo"ru gave considerable
STUDY Altef considering the aualifi-
.aUohs Oh the various engineers. the
oo"iu seieo'eu Johh II. Lewis former
e'a'e engineer OF the State OF Oregon,
" MAKE the preliminary survey. One
'easoh TOT seiecting John II. Lewis as
engineer was because he had particular
N'C" 'e"se Vi the character OF the land
embraced IN the John Day Irrigation
p'sulcI ana because of his close con-
t"ct IN past years with the Irrigation
"oYe'oplheht OF the state OF Oregon.
lhe District Irrigation law of the
state OF oregon places the directors OF
an Irrigation district in a peculiar posi-
uoh' Ihe law specifies that an election
lor the election OF director be held on
the second Tuesday OF January each
year after the organization election. ex
cept the first January following the or-
ganization election This election is
directed by statute which statute pro-
Nldes the procedure to be followed. such
as the giving OF notice OF an election
ana the manner of nomination of can
In
candidates the statute provides that
nominations for the office of director
shall be made, either by, petition signed
by at least ten land owners within the
district or Mt an assembly OF not less
than twenty-five land OWNERS Of the
district the procedure being set forth
in sections : and in the general laws
Of Oregon for the year 1911. This stat
ute provides that all nominations at an
annual election either by petition, or as
sembly, be filed by the Secretary of the
Board Of Directors at least ten days
prior to the date Of election The stat
ute further provides that the returns of
said election shall be returned TO the
board OF directors, and that the board
VI WI tAAplH small canvass 1np returns
Of said election and issue certificate
Of election to the person receiving the
highest number of votes. This section
Of the law places the responsibility on
he.retiring board of directors to say
who are legally elected directors and to
instruct the secretary of the board of
directors to issue certificates Of election
haN o., e.. ~.
tion laws Of the State of oregon where
man may sit and determine who Is le
gally elected in an election wherein he
himself Is candidate, and we wish to
assure the public that We feel embar-
assed In this position.
In the decision that has been made in
this election by the board OF directors
we have tried to follow the law as set
forth in the statute. one Of the pro-
visions being that the general election
laws Of the State OF Oregon in regard to
the nomination of candidates shall not
apply to an irrigation district election
and 1t Is to be hoped that judgment will
not be passed on this action on the part
Of the board of directors until the stat
NltS ItltlItu W nave betn COHSuIAtu.
Every action of the board Of directors
has been made in good faith and for
the best interests OF the district
The statement has been made that the
directors of this board were spending
money In reckless way and had az,
ready made an assessment Of fifty cents
per acre on all land within the district
and that the directors would make an.
other assessment soon. The board
wishes to contradict the statement In
regard to further assessments. The
contract with the engineer employed
calls for complete preliminary sur
vey at forty cents per acre for the ir-
rigable land surveyed. and when the
survey is completed, the next step will
be left to the vote of the land owners
of the district The board having no
authority to bond the district, or to or
der any construction WORK COmmenCeu
without pelhg au'horlNeu 10 uo So w
~. r,a aaoaa,,,on. 90 an, oorts nor
'flc'' 'he "S9'S9i'''''. ' Va IVY NO',N' ~
Il - n