, 1922-11-15
RESERVOIR TAXES
SPELL RUIN, THINKS
BURLINGTON MAN
Grant YarneIl Stands With 0. B.
Mann In Opposing DAM
Referendum Vote Would Be
Against Construction
Burlington, wyo., Nov. 6, 1922

VIM "JO=t tNOfs vs. 4SGG.
Cody Enterprise:
l notice in a recent issue an article
regarding the Sunshine dam written
by Fred Harmon of Otto, in reply to
o. B.. Mann's letters upon this SUBJ
ject.
l think every man n own
ing land on the Greybull river or Lib
erty Bench should express their opin-
ion openly in regard to the construc-
ton of this reservoir.
l believe it was during the summer
of 1919 that the Greybull farmers or
ganized an irrigation district for the
purpose of building a reservoir.
Stock and farm produce were selling
high at that time. The farmers call
ed a meeting and appointed a com
mittee to locate a reservoir site. l
happened to be one of the committee
chosen.
After visiting different reservoir
sites, we finally selected the Sunshine
Basin site. We had the former state
engineer, Mr.. James B. True of Chey-
enne, and we made a rough estimate
of the cost of construction.
We decided it would o cost over
$40 per acre foot. Petitions were
then drawn up and circulated on that
basis of cost.
OF course, it was no trouble to get
signers enough to comply with the
state law. The district was organ
lied and commissioners elected, a
meeting called and the news broke
to the people that estimates now
made by the engineers gave the cost
of construction to the people as SIS
or $50 per acre foot.
The average farm that is not bog
ged down will require an acre foot
and a half Of water which will cost
the farmers not less than s25 per
acre foot.
Now, then. let us just figure a little.
The average 100 acres of land has 120
acres which can be irrigated. At SIS
per acre foot this would be $4,000,
! With the bonds selling below par, say.
9Oc on the dollar, there is 10 per cent
of your money given to the bond
holders, who, at thesametime collect
interest on the full amount at what
aver interest rate agreed upon by the
commissioners.
We will say this is 6 per cent with
1 per cent for the up-keep of the res
ervoir, and Z per cent paid to the en-
gineers for construction which makes,
all told, for the first years expenses,
paid out in interest, "a per cent.
So. Mr.. Farmers, on the average
16O acres, when the reservoir is COM
pleted, you will owe s720. Can a far
farm produce and stock selling at he
lowest price for % years and freight
rates double what they used to be,
with 90 per cent of he land mort
gagged?
1 think II Mr.. Harmon had AXE
his pencil and paper and figured a
little before he wrote that letter, he
would have come to the same conciu-
sion thai l have, and say, Let US "a
our debts first and build reservoirs
when the mortgage is lifted"
If was a commissioner, l would
have to have at least seventy-hve
per cent of the people in favor of it
before l would consider the construc-
ton of the reservoir.
If the people had known when the
petition was circulated that it would
cost the amount they have since reck-
oned it will cost, they would not have
ter per cent Of the land wne
aoree IN build a reservoir. In other
words, If a referendum vote was TAX
en-. 1 daresay they would not have
enough votes to comply with the
state law to sell the bonds. The ma
jority should decide this matter, not
the minority.
Yours truly,
GRANT YARNELL.