White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-10-17
COURT HOLDS THAT DELINQUENT TAXES
SHOULD have Been PAID BY COMPANIES
Water Right Owners Win in Final Receivership
Hearing in Yakima Last Saturday

half an hour and held the close in
terest and attention of the more than
fifty water right owners and others
interested who were in the court
room.
The injunction granted in 1926,
reducing the maintenance charge for
that year from 5000 per acre asked
by the company, to $500, was also
disposed of at the hearing Saturday
and the decree will contain para
graph canceling the injunction bond
filed by the water right owners.
The final decree in the case is now
being drawn by the attorneys for the
receiver. When it is signed by the
Court, date will be set for the re-
ceivership sale.
To protect what they have gained
in the Circuit Court of Appeals de-
cision and the final receivership hear
ing last Saturday, the water right
owners must be organized and pre-
pared with finances to bid in the
at the sale.
On at least three different occas-
ions last Saturday, Judge Webster
announced that under no circum-
stance would the Court operate the
property another year through a re-
ceiver and in order to be assured of
receiving irrigation water from the
system next year he said it was i'm
perative that the water users lose no
time in getting themselves in shape
to acquire the property at the sale.
Allowing ample time for the pre-
paration and signing of the decree
and the six weeks required by law for
the publication of the Notice of Sale,
It is quite likely that the property will
be sold before the first of the year.
The principal need of the water
right owners right now is finances,
not only to bid the property in at the
sale but to make the immediate neces-
sary repairs and eventually to rehab-
litate the whole project. At present
there appears to be but two sources
Of financing: the Milwaukee railroad
md the federal government. Because
IF its large investment here and the
possibilities for increased tonnage, the,
Milwaukee has a real interest in |
seeing the project through the re-
ownership sale and on it's way to per-
nanent development. Officials of the
Dad have kept in close touch with the
situation, have made a rather close /
tudy of it and expressed a willing
less to help.
The chances for aid from the gov
rnment are little more remote, first
because of the limited time between
low and the sale, when at least
'art of the funds will be needed and
econd, because of the large amount
# red tape in connection with all
ctivities of the reclamations service.
These conditions might be bridged by
he passage of special act of Con-
.ress at its next session early in De-
ember. This was done in the Bitter
Root section in Montana a year or
wo ago where the circumstances
we're very similar to those existing
ere.
There may be other plans advanced
or financing and if there are, they
viii quite likely be investigated by
he water right owners so that the
cry best plan may be adopted.
1t was intimated at the hearing
asst Saturday that the upset price
t the receivership sale might be $45,-
90 but the exact amount will not be
nown until all of the items that |
lust be cared for are totalled and
ntered in the decree.
The water right owners now have ;
he chance of acquiring property :
nat the companies admit cost them {
etter than a million and a half dol &
IRIS, for comparatively small sum
Y the simple process of organizing
lemselves into legal entity and it
not likely they will pass up this 6
reat opportunity. =