White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1925-01-30
WATER RIGHT OWNERS
ARE OPTIMISTIC

What is a Hanford water right
worth? Is it transferable? What will
the maintenance charge be next year?
What is the exact status of the wa
ter right owners in regard to Priest
Rapids? What is the next move?
These and a hundred similar ques-
tions have been banded back and
forth in the valley for the past week.
The final decree in the case has not
vet been entered and until thatds done
the exact status of the water right
owners will not be known, but the
decree must be in accordance with
the decision of the Circuit Court of
Appeals rendered last spring which
says that the water right owners
have property interest in all of the
''instrumentalities" used in furnishing
water to the land, including the pow
er plant at Priest Rapids. And that
has lot of possibilities.
Since the appeal by the Black
Rock Power & Irrigation company
from the Circuit Court decision was
denied by the Supreme Court of the
United States recently, the water
right owners have been more optin1-
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been for years for they feel that the
prospects are brighter now than ever
to get the irrigation system put in a
permanent condition to deliver suf-
icient quantity Of water to properly
irrigate the lands, for reasonable
maintenance charge.
Two meetings of the water right
owners have been held in Hanford
during the past week. one Sunday
afternoon and the other Tuesday
evening. While the primary purpose
of these meetings was to devise ways
and means for financing the recent
litigation, the possibilities Under the
Circuit Court decision were freely
discussed. Following the Sunday
meeting the committee having the
litigation in charge for the water
right owners met with attorney Car
roll B. Graves at Prosser that even
ing by appointment. Mr.. Graves, who
will write the final decree in the case,
advised the committee of good deal
of what will be incorporated in the
decree and the committee in turn gave
this information to those at the meet
ing Tuesday evening.
AAllo1 0SSACC Will DS oASAASA ~
Federal Judge ]. Stanley Webster
under Mandate from the Circuit
Court that it must be drawn in ac-
cordance with the Circuit Courts
decision. Judge Graves said he ex-
pected this to be done within the
next few weeks. When the decree.
is signed and entered and of record
the case will be settled for there is
no appeal from it. 1t will furnish the
foundation upon which can be built
what is hoped will be permanent
settlement of the, whole, controversy,
Up. until Sunday Judge Graves had
received only $zl to apply on his
fee in the case, all Of the small
amount so far collected having been
used for court expenses. At the
Tuesday evening rneeting sum ap-
proximating $500 in cash was col
lected and comrlittc of four, John
Melee and Robert Nitzsche of
White Bluffs, and Manley
B. Haynes and ]. c. Syf-
ford of Hanford, was appointed to
make a house to house canvas Of all
the resident water right owners to
collect the balance of assessment of
$500 per acre, either in cash or a
note. The committee is expected to
take charge of this work at once and
to complete it as soon as possible.