Imperial Valley press., 1924-03-31
GOOD CHANCE YET
FOR BILL WIRES
SWING TO M'IYER
Continued from page II

committee representing the Boulde
Canyon Dam association denounee,
the report of cabinet member
Weeks, Work and Wallace us bein.
Gnjustified by facts or provisions
of such bill.
The telegram which was date5
from Los Angeles, March 2S, 1924
was approved by the board of di
rectors of. the Irrigation district in
a meeting on Saturday. Excerpts
from the message follow:
! First: Such report reads into
bill structures and expenditures not
| contemplated or provided for by
bill. Such bill is limited to con-
strnction of dam and ineidental ap-
! plianees at or near Boulder Canyon
and canals in Nevada, California
and Arizona, including the All
American canal in Imperial Valley
and provides for total advancement
out of federal treasury for such
purposes of $70,000,000. Such bill
! makes no provision whatever for
installation OF power generating
works or power distribution lines.
Despite this fact report of three
secretaries covers electric general
| ing and distributing works and any
estimated cost thereof just as if
same were included in bill and as
signs a total estimated expenditure
of s200,000,000.
''Second: Such report states that
| it is agreed that eight million acre
feet of storage is maximum requir-
ed for flood control and irrigation
whereas there is no such agree
ment.
Need Storage Waters
''Third. Such report asserts that
the nearer storage reservoir is To-
Gated to the lands to be protected
or irrigated the better. This is true
provided reservoir has sufficient ca
pacity and is so located as to effee-
lively desilt flow of river and tri-
butary streams. No site below
Boulder or Black Canyon meets
these requirements. Such report
completely ignores silt problem as
affecting domestic or irrigation wat
er and ignores problem of protect
ing lands from flood menace due to
silt deposit raising channel of
| stream. Such report completely ig-
| nores fact that silt conditions in
river impose ON farmers in Imper-
! ial Valley annual expenses approx
inately $2,000,000. Besides low
flood control dam recommended by
4hran oaarat ~, ,,-O,,fl ao.+ 80 l. 81
as much as proposed full height
dam at Boulder Canyon and would
provide only temporary make shift
and in addition would store no wat
er for dry years or additional irri-
Eation. Furthermore three times in
years past present irrigation require
ments have taken entire low flow of
river and low dam recommended by
three secretaries would afford no
! relief. Site for low dam required by
! three secretaries has never been APP
! proved as feasible or sufficient by
any engineer of experience in con
struetion of improvement work.
Fourth. Report three secretaries
criticizes plan of bill for reimburs-
ing government for cost of dam
through disposal of power rights.
This methold would impose on COM
! munities benefited by power, bur-
j den of such payment. Notwith-
! standing such criticism such report
advocates turning over power sites
| to private power companies in pre-
ference to public agencies and pri-
ate companies make their consumers
carry cost of development work
plus profit. Furthermore under bill
full payment to government for cost
of dam is affected in from 20 to 80
years while consumers under pri-
vate power companies are under new
er ending expense for works con-
structed.
Fifth. Such report urges that
land benefited by flood control and
storage should pay cost of dam.
Under such plan, power which is BIZ
product purely should be owned by
contributing lands, but such report
urges no such provision.
Playing for Delay
Sixth. Such report unjustly as
serts that construction of project
under bin would commit government
TO business of producing power for
general distribution. Such bill
neither provides for nor contem-
plates any such policy. Neither
would construction of project under
bill establish precedent for govern
ment engaging in business of power
generation or distribution.
''Seventh. Point made in such
report that development of project
should he postponed until Colorado
River Compact is ratified and agree
ment reached with Mexico is plainly
raised for no other purpose than de,
lay.
eighth. Such report should be
judged from standpoint of principle
boldly laid down therein, namely
that power resources of nation
ehould be turned over to private
companies wishing to develop same
rather than to government, states OF
municipalities. This position is in
direct conflict with policy of Fed.
eral Water Power Act which these
three secretaries are sworn to up
hold.
fNinth. Such report is even op-
posed and refuted by recent report
to your committee of one of the sig
natory secretaries namely Honorable
Hubert C. Work.
rTenfh. Suph reDort i'm effect