American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1922-04-14
PETITIONS READY
BY APRIL 18TH
is PRESENT PLAN
THEY MUST CONTAIN TWENTY
FIVE PERCENT OF ACRES IN
VOLVED WHEN PRESENTED no
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
PROCEDURE TO TAKE TIME
Appropriation for TOwnsite Work at
American Falls-Means Nothing I'm
less Contracting Companies Vail
date Contracts with Government.


Pocatello, April 12.-During the
past week meetings have been held in
the upper Snake river valley in order
to furnish all availablt information to
stockholders of irrigation companies
respecting the formation of the pro-
posed super-district as a means of fl
nsncing the American Falls project,
according to a bulletin just issued by
tile Idaho Reclamation Association.
These meetings have been confined
to companies that had contracted for
storage water in the American Falls
project and on the strength of whose
contracts the government proceeded
with the work until the delinquency
as to payments covered such a long
period It was announced officially that
the project would be abandoned by the
government unless payments were
made. In order to make it possible
for these companies to meet their OBJ
legations the big district plan was de-
vised.
All Want the Project.
Everywhere meetings have been
held there has been unanimous desire
expressed that the great reservoir
project be constructed" says the bull
letin. THE only division was as to
means of financing, some advocating
independent districts. The opinion in
each company needing storage water,
as reflected at the meetings, was that
the big district plan was the most de-
sirable from the standpoint of financ-
ing and economy. It was explained,
however, that an independent district
could provide storage water by direct
contract with the government provid-
ing it was formed in time and could
finance itself The Big district plan
received 80 per cent or better support
at the meetings from those needing
storage water
Signing Petitions.
THE petition asking that an election
be called to give the people of Snake
River valley an opportunity to vote on
the question of organizing the big dis
trict is being circulated. April 25th
has been set as the date for filing it.
'The petition is merely legal pre-
liminary 1t Is being generally sign
ed that the important subject may be
disposed of by the vote of the land
owners. Twenty five per cent of the
territory embraced in the proposed
big district muct be represented on the
petition, on approximately 200,00t
acres.
Means Nothing UaIess-
During the week Congressman Ad
Olson T. Smith wired the Association
that the appropriation for townsit'
work at American Falls had been re
instated in the department bill. 1t haC
been eliminated on point of order.
"This appropriation viii not b'
used, however, until it is definitel.
known the canal companies will parti
cpfate in the construction of the reser
voir. The result of the big district cam
paign win determine that. If the ii
nancfng plan goes through, the gov
ernment viii have its money available
as to the townsite and for other pur
poses If the plan fails the govern
ment win withdraw and the American
Falls project win collapse. NothinI
has been dome there for some time AM
nothing is being done pending the out
come of the campaign.
THE action on the townsite appro
prfation is in lime with Secretar
FalFs promise to proceed with con
struction of the reservoir only on con
dition that the canal companies max
good. No doubt the secretary use
his influence to have the item re-es
tablished in the bill so he would be il
position to fulfill his promise in cas-
the companies found a means of Il
nancing their end OF the undertaking