The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930, 1922-03-24
STATEMENT TO STOCKHOLD-
ERS OF CANAL COMPANIES

American Falls project SO it can be
we believe the follow
ing will be informative and answer
questions that are being asked.
This district is purely financing
district, and it will be so set up in
the petition. 1t will have nothing
whatever to do with existing canal
companies, no voice in their opera
ton or maintenance, and it will abb
sorb no existing water rights nor
interfere in any way with them.
The sole water rights of the dis
trict will be storage rights in the
American Falls reservoir.
1t is contended by some that the
big district could legally take over
property and existing water rights.
Even if it should have that power
there is not chance for it to do so.
Such a district could do nothing
without the approval of two-thirds
majority. If it should be proposed
by anyone to take over any canal
system it could only be done by out
right purchase, which would involve
the Issuance of bonds. It would be
utterly impossible for such a pro-
posal to carry. There would be no
advantage to the district insowner-
ship of any canal unit within it's
boundaries, and such suggestion
would receive no support whatever.
The same thing is true of water
rights. Any existing water rights
could he taken over only through
purchase by the big district. The
big district, being amply supplied
with water from the American Falls
project, would have no need for any
additional natural flow rights.
1t is plain to- be seen, therefore,
that the misinformation given out
along these lines is akin to a bug-a-
boo.
For reasons stated, the big dis
gage in any additional reservoir en-
terprises. In the first place the
American Falls will absorb all the
rights on the river that have not
previously been appropriated. There
will Ibe no need for additional res
ervoir capacity to serve the district,
which would be already supplied
from American Falls, and, therefore,
there could be mo benefit to anyone.
Consequently there could be no legal
means of assessing benefits to any
property within the district.
AS to distribution of water among
individuals now having natural flow
hat
les and who at present have differ
ent amounts of water available to
them under their ownership of stock
in said companies, there are no COM
plications possible.
The distribution Of storage water
would be i'm proportion to the needs
of the individual as stated to the
directors of the big district at the
proper time. If man should be so
short-sighted as to say he desired no
storage water he would not have to
pay for it. There would be mo ben
Gifts to him and there could be no
assessment to him for his share OF
the principal and interest on the big
district bonds. Insofar as this in
formation is available, such persons
would not be included in the dis
trict to start with. Those needing
storage water and indicating the
amount would simply pay for the
amount of storage water their dec
laration indicates they need, and
they would be furnished this. In
other words, each user of storage
water would pay for just what hi
arranges for. The assessments would
be levied in proportion to the bene
Ats.
There seems to fbe no question thai
every canal system in the upper
Snake River Valley needs this stor
age. Many of them have alread!
contracted for same.
We are not trying to force an!
company into the district, but we
giving the contracting parties thu
first opportunity. If any indicate
it does not desire to be in, it will
of course, not be included. If nom
eff the upper Snake River Vale.
companies should come in, Their
would still be applications for NOR
storage water from what is left o
the proposed big district than wa
originally contracted for.
However, we feet that every com
pany on the river above America
Falls will want this storage waite
and will desire to come into the dis
trict so soon as it knows the fact.
We have not yet had opportunity t
| present them and all we ask is tina
opportunity, after which the stock
J holders in each company cam act, W
believe, more intelligently. 1t
| only for their own protection tina
: we desire to present the facts an
, remove all cause for misunderstood
ing.
We realize that while storage
! wanted by these companies. no on
would WANT it if it involved an
menace to their water rights or I