The Fallon standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1920-1958, 1922-01-25
Williamson Asks
Farmers Opinion
Would Have Vote OF Confidence from
Water Users or Resign as Mem
ber of Board of Directors
OUTLINES POLICY AND CALLS
MASS MEETING FOR SATURDAY
Will Act in Accordance With Wishes
of Majority, il Policy Favorable
Says He VIII Stay

| n ItQut6t lOi lHG tApl CbSlOA vi
opinion by the water users of the
Newlands irrigation district, rela-
tive to the stand he has taken on
matters of interest to the entire
community, is asked by Thomas
Williamson, member OF the district
board of directors, in a letter ad-
dressed to the farmers.
Williamson states that he must
either have the support of the ma
jority of the water users or resign
as a member of the board. He out.
lines his policy and says that he will
act in accordance with the wishes
of the majority as expressed at the
mass meeting to be held Saturday
The letter follows:
To the Water Users of the Truck
ee-Carson Irrigation District: The
| time is at hand when ii is very nee
essary that you express your wishes
and assert your authority in the
handling of several important mat
ters now pending which are of vital
moment to the welfare of the dis
/
of directors, | desire to consult with
you and to govern my future course
/ by the majority sentiment of the
district if it can be aseertained with
reasonable certainty. Many of you
are already aware that in recent
agreement with the plans and per
formances of the project manager
and have often found myself op-
posed by a majority of the board
when | have advocated measures
which l regard as highly beneficial
and necessary. The fight | have
been making is not to crafty any
personal spite nor for the mere
pleasure of being contrary, nor foT
any personal gain, but on the con-
trary it has been solely in the inter
est of the district 1t has made
powerful enemies for me at time
when ] cannot afford them, and il
has taken more time and effort to
the neglect of my own affairs than
l could afford to spend.
What l would like to learn now
is whether you approve of my
course and wish me to continue to
to fight for the things that l am
advocating, and, If SO, whether you
will help me to get effective action
Ii my views and actions are not in
accord with your sentiments, the
sensible thing for me to do is to re-
sign and let some. one else represent
you, and this would be a welcome
relief to me. If, on the other hand
a majority of you approve of my
course, as l believe you do, l will
be glad to continue to fight for your
interests, but l want your assistance
and must have it if the fight is to
| be effective.
The main fight at present centers
on the right of the district to save
and use the waters developed by its
waste lands as community pastures
for the benefit of the district people.
| favor complete utilization of this
water by the acquisition of control
and the development of community
pastures not only at Carson Lake
but at Fernley, Hazen. Old River
| saltwater or wherever drainage wa
ter and waste land en- be brought
| together to the best advantage. The
elimination of the diagonal drain
naturally follows and the district
would thereby save 100000 con-
struction cost. The particular
measure that l have fought for in
this connection Is for the district to
employ a high grade consulting en-
gineer with expert knowledge OF
drainage and agricultural problems
to thoroughly investigate the feast
bility of substituting for the diago-
nal drain an alternative drainage
disposal plan consistent with pas
ture development. The board has
refused to do this. The whole prop
osition has been consistently and eff
fectively fought by the project man
ager and some of his friends on the
board, and l believe that the main
purpose of the delegation which the
board last Saturday authorized to
represent the district at Washing
ton, is to attempt to get conclusive
action on this matter in accordance
with their plans. That delegation
as you know, was appointed by the
board after a representative body OF
water users by vote of 81 to IL
requested the board not to appoint
them.
Another action | have advocated
and consider highly important is
the employing of a competent in
spector to guard the interests of the
district on the drainage contract
work.
/ favor making strong demand
that Mr.. Richardson be removed
from the management of the pro-
ject; and also of appealing to oui
representative and senators to de-
mand a shake-up and reorganization
of the whole Reclamation Service.
Several other matters of prime
importance are coming up in the
near future. The election of -four
directors takes place in April and
your right to select the proper men
to represent you must not be neg
lected il you care how the district
is to be run.