The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1926-10-07

that fact that attorneys received
fees for similar services In the
Yakima valley running from 25OO
to 1000 dollars. During the first
sixteen months of the history OF
the district Mr.. Moulton was paid
for doing the secretary's work. Tor
performing all legal services ne
cessary. amounts aggregating ST.
10000. The board then entered In
to contract with him to pay him
$50 per month for maintaining
the office of secretary. for per-
forming the services of secretary
and for such legal work as might
be necessary, other than litlga-
ton. During this time his services
took him from his office, outside
of litigation, approximately 15O
days.
Throughout the entire period OF
nine years the amount paid to him
as compensation for his services
as secretary Of the district and as
attorney for the district. includ-
ing all litigated matters. has av-
eraged S142.00 per month. Those
services have included litigation
which, if conducted by outside at
torneys. would have cost the dis
trict at least $4,000. Mr.. Moulton
had full charge of all litigation
and assumed the whole response
bility without assistance from any
other attorneys, except in one IN
stance. The board employed Sc
attic attorney to advise with Mr..
| Moulton in connection with the
water right cases. For that SER
vice alone the district was obliged
| to pay $500. Both the board and
Mr.. Moulton felt that the issues
at stake were SO vital to the dis
trict that we were not warranted
in trying the cases without as
sistance. 1t is plain to be seen
from this what the expense and
cost to the district would have
been had the trial and preparation
for trial Of all cases been in the
hands of other attorneys.
The board was always conscious
of the fact that the work of pre-
pairing for the trial of these cases,
involving as it did hundreds of
| thousands of dollars in value. re-
quired many months of constant
labor, necessitating, during at least
three years of the period, the EN-
ployment by Mr.. Moulton of add.
tional help in his office. all OF
which was paid for by himself.
| Aside from litigation, it is known
to the board that the gathering
and compilation of data for te
use of the reclamation service re.
CURED many weeks of continuous
service. The directors have con
sidered the magnitude and import
ance of the litigation which tool
place during this period. and thu
months that were devoted to thu
service of the district in his of
| flee by the secretary and attorne!
and the fact that the responsibility
of the entire district fell upon hin
and, knowing that the work which
, he did for the district was con
Quoted at heavy cost to himself
have always believed that thu
; amount which he has been pait
for those services has been ia
less than the amount actually
earned. In this connection it Nigh
be interesting to note that tn
; amount Of money paid to him TO
compensation to date by the own
er of a ten acre ranch on tn
Highlands has been at the rat
. of two and one-half cents per &C
re per annum. The greater portion
, of the compensation described i
this statement has been paid on
! of the bond issue and when thos
|, bonds are paid the total amour
of all compensation will equal SO
over the entire period for tie
acre tract.
Finally, attention is called
what seems to the board to hav
! been a deliberate effort durin
the primaries to lead the publ
to believe that Mr.. Moulton. wit
/. the knowledge and approval if tn
board, had received large sums 9
: money for his own use. One state
I ment was published to the effet
that he had received $21 900 frol
: the Kennewick Irrigation distric
:. leaving the inference that the pay
:, menC was Co uluSSA. ~ 10 "a
= that he did receive $21 900 in tt
form of warrants. as shown In tt
statement referred to. Of tn,
= S21 900 however, $12,469 was
e e warrants made payable to tt
!, secretary for conversion into ca
- for payment to the u. S. reclaim
- ton service to cover surveys. 4.
- of which is a matter OF publ
:, record and was known by tho
= who circulated the report. OF
~ money paid to him in the form
20 warrants, thousands of dollars re
: resent court costs, witness re
and other costs advanced by hi
j for which reimbursement was ma
hs by the directors. The total amou
" which he has received as compe
al sation is in accord with the fol
~ GOING statement and that amor
at has been over an extended per-
IL of nine years.
no J. j. RUDK1N
he J. w. VICKERS
OO i