The border vidette., 1926-01-02
WORDS OF PRAISE FOR HUNT
Owen Valley Farmer Says Country
Needs More Statesmen Like Him

AOuO$ II lu0, lOyO OOunGy, CdllI.,
December 18, 1925.
Editor THE BORDER VIDETTE.
Nogales, Arizona.
Dear Sir:
The caution Arizona is taking
in accepting the proposition Los
Angeles tender for the Colorado
river will be one of the most
noteworthy and outstanding feats
during the reign of Gov. Hunt.
The courage he has displayed,
even against the interests of
some of his own constituents,
certainly displays his heartfelt
interest for the future prosperity
of Arizona which be himself will
probably not live to see. That
is the true statesman beyond a
doubt. What a pity we do not.
have more Of them.
We of Ovens Valley know that
Los Angeles is extraordinarily
long on promises but as equally
extraordinarily short in keeping
them. %,s.-
Like thousands of others in
this vast valley, I have tasted
the dregs of Los Angeles atroci
Gus methods. It is true that
many others Rave been much
harder hit than I and others less.
was driving the Mojave Kee.
ler stage, a desert drive of 1875
miles each way, many years be
fore the Los Angeles aqueduct
was even through of. I was the
first that had the privilege, if
such it may now be called, of
driving the first city officials to
look into the possibilities of the
great resources Owens Valley
possessed. In fact, it was that
happened to be the driver of the
stage on the day Fred Eaton paid
his first visit to Owens Valley.
Mr.. Eaton was formerly mayor
of Los Angeles and later acted.
as their first purchasing agent
in securing ranches and water
rights. I we'll remember on that,
long drive, when even a stage:
driver was welcome oppor.
tunity to pass the monotony of
the desert by enganging him in
conversation, the great things
he pictured for the future of
Owens Valley. Why, it was q
privilege-an immense honor
something unheard of, that such
a small city as Los Angeles then
was to reach out $50 miles away
from home to assist in the de.
velopment and prosperity of
Owens Valley. Mr.. Eaton's argu
ments began to make me feel,
like the thousands of others, that
Owens Valley was to have a
Santa Claus in the shape of Los
Angeles.
Mr.. Eaton still lives-holds vast
possessions in Owens Valley, but
like the others his forgotten has
been in extraordinarily good
working order. AS a matter Of
fact, Mr.. Eaton saw the posi-
bilities to make stake here, and
took possession of some vast
acreages which are the only
logical dam site that would ad.
equately supply the needs of
Owens Valley and Los Angeles.
Will Eaton sell? Some say. no,
others say yes, if the City will
tickle his palm with a mere mil.
lion dollars, the price be is said
to be asking.
I know the good Los Angeles
people could easily have done
for Owens Valley, and refused
to do, and I know the harm they
have done with their big concrete
ditch sucking the life blood of
this immense territory like a
gigantic leech.
I have lived in Owens Valley
all of my life, endeavcring to
make a home. I have failed.
And I can say that without hang
ing my head in shame, for it was
through no fault of my own. AS
it is now, [ am too old for any
change of pasture, and like hun
dreds of others who will always
live here even if the chuckawallas
assume possession and overrun
everything, I'm going to stay!
Such is life when a big city
must reach out and strangle the
little fellows in order to gain
sustenance for themselves. We
are even yet liable to flop from
this extreme to another, and may
the hand of Providence, Fate or
some other Supreme being deal
with the ones who are respon.
sible for our devastated lands.
ro1;f0rrio I'D oplx, hoI ~,