The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930, 1922-03-31
GOVERNOR DAVIS
FAv0RS NEW PLAN
SPEAKERS EXPLAIN THE NEW
BIG DISTRICT
IDEA.
MANY OPPOSE BIG DISTRICT
BUT CHANGE THEIR MINDS AZ
TER HEARING The EX-
PLANTATION.

The Reclamation meeting held at
the Court house Friday afternoon
was largely attended by water-users
from all parts Of the county. who
were very much interested in the
presentation of the Big District
Idea. Many were in attendance
who were bitterly opposed to the
idea when they entered the Court
House, but they entirely changed
their minds after hearing the able
presentation Of the District Idea as
presented by the different speakers.
The meeting was presided over by
County Chairman E. M. Kennedy,
who introduced each speaker. The
first speaker called to the platform
was Governor D. w. Davis, who gave
the history of the Reclamation AS
sociation from its organization, and
some OF the things It had done. He
heartily endorsed the new plan Of
financing the American Falls Dam.
Guy Flenner, Secretary Of the Ida
no Reclamation Association, was the
next speaker, who stated the plan
of financing the district was the
best and easiest thing that had been
suggested so far, the plan being to
Issue and sell bonds from the big
district. Bonds to run 20 years, and
the first FIVE years of payments
could be extended or payments could
be made beginning after the first
five years. The bonds would draw
6 per cent interest. He stated all
the canal companies of Idaho Falls
would be included in the big dis
trict, and stated the purpose of the
meeting was to find out which COM
panies in Bingham County wanted
in and which ones wanted out Mr.
Flenner said there was n oquestion
but what it would be built, and the
committee were giving the old ca
nal companies the first chance, af-
ter which the new canals would be
taken up. He stated the people
need the water and this is their
only opportunity to get it. The
failure of this reservoir would be a
tremendous loss to Idaho.
w. G. Swendsen, commissioner of
reclamation, was uhe next speaker,
who stated that every effort and
every pressure had been brought to
bear upon Secretary of the Interior
Fall to proceed but they had been
refused without financial support
from the water users. He stated
there is more land than water, and
now is the time to act.
B. c.. Stoutmeyer, chief counsel
for the Reclamation Division, was
the next speaker, who pointed out
the fact that every fifth year there
was drought or shortage of water,
and that during this period the peo-
pie paid for the American Falls
Dam anyway and they could just as
we'll have it. The loss in crops dur
ing these years of shortage would
more than pay for the reservoir. He
estimated that the reservoir would
Ibe built to hold about million and
a half acre feet of water, and could
afterwards be enlarged to hold the
entire winter flow of about three
million acre feet He stated that
local water users who had subscrib-
''-ed for water in this reservoir could
trade it for water from the Jackson
lake reservoir.
F. A. Banks, of the Rederal Rec
lamation was called on to give some
Information as to what had already
been done towards the building OF
the reservoir.
Col. Evans, of American Falls, r
e. Sheppard, of Jerome, were called
upon for a few remarks relative tC
the new big district and severa
phazes of the subject were brought
to light, after which several of the
local canal company officers who
were present were called upon fol
their opinion as to whether theil
company would likely want in. u
was explained that the petition
would have to be filed by the frs
or not later than the middle of tht
month and there was not sufficien
time to hold meetings with eacl
canal company, but local meetings
for the information of the stock
holders of the local companies woult
be held later on, should any cana
company wish to be informed on thu
workings of the big district.
There seemed to be a sort of mis-
information as to the powers of tn,
board of directors of the big district
and that the new district director
would usurp the powers of the small
er canal which is now in existence
This phaze of the subject was thor