Arizona state miner., 1925-10-17
MINUTES

A special meeting of the Directcra
of the Verde River Irrigation & Pow
er District was called at 1890 P. M
Friday, October 8, 1925.
The purpose of the meeting was
for consideration Of certain propa
ganda being presented in the press
of this vicinity which vitality affects
the interests of this District.
In view of the impending Hearing
before the Senate Irrigation Commit
tee to be held here in Phoenix, No
vember 3rd and 4th, next, concerning
the controversy between the Salt
River Valley Water Users Associa-
tion and the Verde District, it was
the unanimous opinion of the Board
of Directors that this propaganda was
exceedingly destructive to the Dis
trict and to the interests of every
landholder within the District who is
not in position to profit more by
the disruption of the District than
the development of same;
And that steps should be taken to
enlighten the landholders concerning
this propaganda, asking them to with
hold any decision in the matter until
after the Senate Committee reports
on their Hearing.
On motion, unanimously carried,
the following letter was adopted and
the Secretary was ordered to have
same presented to the various news
papers of the Valley for publication.
No other business appearing, the
meeting adjourned.
OKIE ZIMMERMAN,
Secretary, Verde River Irrigation
and Power District.
Phoenix, Arizona, October 8, 1925.
To the Land Owners within the
Verde River Irrigation and
Power District,
Gentlemen:
Press publicity has been given to
the recent announcement and public
speaking activities of Frank o. Smith,
newly elected president of the Phoe-
nix Chamber of Commerce, in which
he states that one of the main OBJ
jectives of the Chamber for the COM
ing year will be it's cooperation with
the Salt River Valley Water Users
Association in the development of
the Paradise Valley in accordance
and a "fact-finding committee Of
the Chamber.
This so-called committee was ap-
pointed something less than a year
ago, and just prior to hearing or
dered before the Secretary of the In
terror at Washington between the
Verde River District and the Associ-
alton upon the easements and rights
of way now held by the District upon
the Verde River, and was appointed
for the avowed purpose of hearing
the controversy as between the AS
sociation and the District and pass
ing judgment thereon.
The District very properly refused
to prosecute it's action before this
committee and the findings and
scheme referred to by Judge Smith
are based upon such information as
may have been furnished this COM
mittee by the Association.
The activities of the Chamber of
Commerce were then regarded as an
unwarranted and improper intefer-
ence by that organization with a
serious controversy existing between
the Association and District which
can only be determined by the Sec
retary of the Interior upon trial
of the issues before him.
Judge Smith, who has proposed to
further the activities of this so-called
committee is law partner of John
Gust, who is the attorney of the Salt
River Valley Water Users Associa-
tion and whose duty it will be to
prosecute the Associations side OF
this case before the Senate Commit
tee on Irrigation next November 3rd
and 4th. 1t should be of significance
to every land owner that Judge Smith
is manffesting the activities indi-
Gated by the public press just thirty
days prior to a most serious hearing
before an official tribunal whose duty
it will be, after hearing all facts in
evidence, to make its findings and
recommendations to the Secretary of
the Interior.
In other words, we announce to
you that the things you are reading
in the press are propaganda, pure
and simple, designed to influence the
land owners within the Verde Dis
trict and to embarrass the Senate IT.
rigation Committee in it's serious du-
ties here next month.
We have at all times refused to
litigate your rights in this fashion