The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1925-10-15
IRRIGATION DISTRICTS PLANS
FOR COMING YEAR EXPLAINED
Manager Muldrow Tells of Financial Condition and
Operating Methods Equalization Board
Nov. Water out Monday

its bonds are paid off. Its warrants
now circulate freely at a hundred
cents on the dollar and its bonds are
highly regarded by investors in Cal
ifornia, Portland and Seattle. It will
be this way as long as our credit
lis jelously guarded and our obliga-
ltions always met when due. 1t may
even be possible, with some improve
ment in the general situation, to
carry out a re-bonding operation at
a lower rate and reduce the heavy
annual interest burden. But a little
.carelessness in meeting present obli-
cations would destroy these chances,
for you don't lend any more to a man
who fails to meet his obligations.
Since interest accounts for such a
big part of our assessments, it is
plain that no substantial cut could be
made in assessments unless this in
terest could be reduced. You could
cut the wages of every man who
works for the district half in two and
the years cost would be reduced only
one-sixth. A rancher with twenty ac-
res would save twenty dollars. The
best possible water service thruout
the season is of infinitely more i'm
portance to the man who is farming
twenty acres in this valley than IS
the dollar or two that may be pruned
out of his operating costs by too
much economy. While the board
spares no effort to reduce expenses
to the lowest possible limit, it is
plain that there is common sense
limit. To go below this would not be
economy but short-sighted misman-
agement.
The water will be turned out for
the season next Monday night, the
10Th, running out at most points in
the lower valley on the Goth. The
first maintenance work will be the
removal Of the short box flume in
the main canal about one mile above
Kennewick. This flume, which spans
an old break in a concreted section
of ditch, has been danger spot for
some years. The wash will be filled
with dirt as soon as the flume is
removed, the dirt puddled and settled
over winter, and the section lined
with concrete in the spring. 1t is
about 100 feet long. Twelve teams
will be required, and the job will take
about week. BY that time the canal
should be dry enough so that the
crew can go right ahead on fall clean
ing.
The usual procedure will be fol-
lowed on fall cleaning, one crew
from the headgates to. flume one;
a second crew from there to Kenne-
wick; and third crew below town.
The latter will cover all laterals ex-
cept the main line from Valley club
house to Hover, which will be left till
spring. Those desiring to work on
the crews should leave their names
at the district office so that they may
be notified when needed.
The manager can certify that the
members of the district board spend
great deal Of time and effort on the
districts affairs, studying and dis
cussing way of reducing its costs and
improving its service. They are al
ways open to suggestions from along
this line, and will gladly adopt any
sound plan proposed by anyone. The
district office contains clear records
of costs and service, and the manager
istalways glad to go over these mat
ters with any water user who will
take enough interest to look into
them. It is something that every land
owner should do.