White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1926-01-01
STEPS TAKEN TO SETTLE
WATER RIGHT CASE

Preliminary steps looking toward a
permanent peaceful settlement of the
Hanford water right case that has
hung over this valley like pail for
the past thirteen years or more, him
dering development and involving the
parties at interest in long drawn out
and expensive litigation. were taken
Monday and Tuesday in Seattle
at conference between Jay Smith,
Robert Nichols, Alex McConnachie.
F. J. Bonn and E. ]. O'Leary, mem
bers of the committee representing
the Hanford water right owners,
their attorney, Carroll B. Graves, and
Charles M. Sanford, local manager for
the Consumers Ditch company and
the Black Rock Power & Irrigation
company and Elmer E. Todd, the at
torney for those companies. ]. c. Syf-
ford and B. Salvini, water right own
ers, accompanied the committee to
Seattle and were present and partici-
patcd in the conference.
No definite plan of settlement was
offered by either side, the committee
not having been authorized to take
such action, and Mr.. Todd stating
that the power company had already
offered two plans of settlement in the
past that had been turned down and
that they would not offer another. At
Their getting by that point in the con-
ference, however, a general discus
sion of the case followed, bringing
amount of differences between the
parties as to general plan Of set
Element, that, in their opinion, should
and could be worked out. =
Briefly, such plan would contem-
plate the rebuilding and charging of
the present irrigation system to fur
nish water for all the land below the
canal that would want to take water
from that source without any further
expense to the land now having a
Hanford water right; and that would
furnish a sufficient amount of water
to properly irrigate the land for a
reasonable annual maintenance
charge.
The appeal taken by some of the
water right owners from the Web
ster decree. which is now pending be-
fore the Circuit Court of Appeals, will
probably delay further negotiations
until it is disposed of. The Circuit
Court, however, is expected to pass
on the appeal in the near future.
While there is world OF detail to
be worked out in any plan Of settle
nent undertaken, it is thought that
in che event no great obstacles are
encountered it may be possible to
bring the negotiations to point
where the construction work on the
irrigation system can be started next
TALL.
Any plan of settlement adopted
must have the approval of substan-
hal majority OF the Hanford water
right owners and any member Of the
committee will be glad to discuss any
phase of the matter with any water
right owner. Everything done so far
Is tentative and the committee does
not feel justified in calling a mass
of the water right owners
until something more definite has de-
veloped.
Judge Graves and Mr.. Todd ek-
pect to have further conferences this
week to discuss the legal phases Of 10
settlement and if these can be ironed
out to point where the company
can clear the title to Priest Rapids
and the water, right owners fully pro-
tected by the proper kind of guar
antee, another conference will prob
ably bring forth something tangible
that the committee can present to the
water right owners.