Imperial Valley press., 1929-05-04

| the state bond commission and i'll
spite of the fact that in the words
Of the state engineer, when asked
whether he would have approved
the project if he had any question as
to its being sclfSustaining. Ger
tainly not, would not give my ap-
rroval to such a proposal if | be
licvcd it would add to the tax bur
dcu of your people. >
Your editorial proceeds to say,
"Thc Press believes that every eff
fort should be made to decrease,
rather than increase taxes. In
this the officials of our district
most heartily concur and it is our
firm belief that by utilizing the re-
sources here in the valley and also
decreasing the unit cost of overhead,
as would be the case with the hand
ling Gf a power project in coniune-
ton with the canal system, step
has been taken looking towards Il
decrease i'll taxes.
on quote from one of Mr.. Wing $
conclusions wherein he states that
the canal power system offers. "in-
sufficient possibility of profit to
warrant the district entering into
this field of service. - Admitting
for the moment that there would be
no profit as such, if the roject
would At least pay it's own way
reducing rates 80 per cent and cs-
tahlishing a foundation upon which
to build complete system, also
giving us n four or five wear head
start on tho all-Amcr;cau canal pow
CT, why would it not bc a good pro-
icct to undertake! Furt hcrmorc,
why did Mr.. Wing fail to take int
consideration the saving which is
bound To result from u decrease in
;ho cost Of overhead of the district
aS applied to the irrigation system,
which would result by using our
mechanical, purchasing, engineering
and other departments, for handling
the power project! This would h.
a direct saving to the farmers of tha
valley and is worth serious con
sidcration.
Mr.. Wing and the Press both en-
dorSH developing power at Fllot
Knob and SO does the district, but
this is only a portion of the pow"r
on the all.Amcrican canal and let
me SAY here that the power whica
can be developed ON the all-Amcrican
canal represents the single greatest
resource available 20 lmpcrial Val
lcH. on state that the develop
mcnt of power at Pilot Knob crop
r"SnutS an idcai means OF settling
tho power matter. In measure, it
is compromise. - Compromise Of
what, II would mean that the poo
pie Of this valley would supply the
money and facilities for constructing
the canal and power plants and then
, turn the power over to "A private
corporatiOn at a fraction OF Il cent
per Eilowatt hour and have this
power brought 70 the valley by the
private company and sold back TO
The people at 10 to - times tho
wholesale price. Who're is the com
PROMISE IT is simply, bowing T.
the viii Of tn" power trust.
One statement in your editorial
j. unqur<tionably true, which j.
that as far rs Imperial Valley j.
concerned the Boulder Dam anl
all-Amrrican Canal matter is 4ct
tied. However, in ;hc fight thr
people made for that project they
were forced to meet the same OPP
position thOy are now facing in tn,
local power project Would you sa,-
that the people would have. baeh
better off had they not put up Tho
fight they did? Would our problems
have been solved for all time to
come had W" given in to tha op,
position and simply asked fGc low
dam, such ~ WAS advocated, with
out the possibility Of solving our
greatest and most porplcXinR prob
lrw, that of silt disposal With the
possibility Of power development,
such Il, exists in Imperial Valley,
do vou seriously believe that tho
! question can bc settled bv dodgin !.
the local power Development There
is no more logic in the people of
imperial Valley Developing power
and wholcsaing If 70 - powc1 com.
Pany for resale in This valley, than
! there would BE- for tho people 10
. d,'crt their waiter f,om tho colo.
/ RADIO River and Vlolcsalc il to y
! private corporation for resale in
! ,ho >aIlc,.
II j. u matter vhich has bccu
! rr1cr discussion hero in our val
, ley for many years. In fact, some
! "f Your own organization, logcthcr
with other, hrro in ihr vallc, were
MOO; anNiou, at tho time H. di~-
! iri't made tho original iuvostiga-
; tton tl"t something b" DONE in re.
%rr1 +" dc,cloPjng HE canal pow
I 'r. II is 'Iu" tl,o porcr compan.;
! has mad" several reductions in
! ra'", but this wa, to be- expected
IN view or H." proposed Plan Of
/ the district T." reduce rates 50 per
cent, rvcn though ~ the lime the
/ lnTcsliga was started, th local
power company was pcttioniHg tn,
raiiroad commission for an IN
CREASE in rates. Surprising the
| district had started distributing
power IN H937 aud reduced rates 80
per cent, how much money would
hayo been saved during the past
, several years! Furthermore, would
the power company have made Il
reduction of - per cent TO date or
v-ould il LayC rCdurrd tho ,.,fc. "a