White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1931-02-05
Bond Election
Saturday Is
Important
Offers Greatest Opportun.
ity in Valleys History
For Forward Step

Will VOIc Ou Glt HOcoUioI VI WiiSoAAoA
or not they will authorize the direct
ors of the district to issue bonds in
the sum of $125,000 to purchase the
irrigation istrumentalities that are
being sold by Receiver Chase on Feb
ruary 81 at Yakima, and for MAX
ing repairs and betterments to the
system. This is probably the most i'm
portant question that has ever come
UP for decision of the people of this
valley.
For more than Is years, the ques-
ton of Priest Rapids power site de-
velopment has carried continual
element of speculation into the pri-
vate and public daily acts and de-
cisions of every resident of the val
ley. At no time during this period has
any one been able to say with any
certainty how long the ditch would
be operated, nor what amount of wa
ter would be delivered or at what
price. Such state of uncertainty re-
garding the most vital factor in the
agricultural pursuits of the valley
has done more than probably any one
realizes to prevent this district maxi
ing the. same proportionate growth
during the past twenty years as have
the Wenatchee and Yakima valleys.
On next Saturday the people here
will decide whether. they will continue
this same state of uncertainty for an
indefinite period into the future, or
whether they will vote overwhelming
ly "Bonds-Yes" and put themselves
in a position to take into their own
hands the shaping of. their own des-
tiny and begin the forward march
that will place this valley in the po
sition to which all it's natural advan-
tages entitle it. = s
1t is human nature for every one
to do that which will result in the
greatest benefit to oneself. For this
reason, if the settlers bid in the prop
critics through the irrigation district
they will be interested in providing
as good service as is possible in wa
ter deliveries and at the lowest pos
sible cost; while if private interests
purchase the property, they will do
so for the purpose of making as fav-
orable a return to themselves as is
possible on. their investment.
In this connection, the following
comparisons might be made:
Under an irrigation district, all the
properties will be tax exempt.
Under a corporation, properties
will be taxed and these taxes will be
added to costs of operation which.
based on 1929 assessments against
the land taking water, will amount
to over $500 per acre.
economy, naturally, will be practised
to reduce the cost of operation; col
lections will be made and records
kept by the county treasurer.
Under "a corporation, being pub
lie service utility, more elaborate
records must be kept for self protec-
ton and there is no incentive to prac
tice economies so long as the ex-
pense can be passed on to those tax
ing service.
Under an irrigation district, i'm
provement of the power plant will
be for the purpose of developing ex-
cess power for sale in order to re-
duce costs of operation of the irriga-
ton system.
Under a corporation, improvement
of the power plant will be for the
purpose of selling more power for
the owners profit and they will nat
urally resist any effort made by set
tiers to have the returns for power
credited on ay water delivery charge.
Differences of interests between the
owners and settlers with regard to
the extent of the water rights and
the properties, will sooner or later
tend to cause further litigation to
determine the fair adjustment of this
question.
Under an irrigation district, set
tiers will adjust the amount of water
deliveries in accordance with needs,
and the manner of delivery accord
ing to methods proving most effic
lent and economical.
Under a corporation, 80 acre inches
of water will be delivered in accord
ance with the water contracts and
deeds, with cost set as high as pos
sible, and the. question of excess wa
ter will sooner or later lead to the
same litigation that was instituted
when. the Black Rock Power and IT.
rigation company and the Consumers
Ditch Company went into receiver
ship.
Under an irrigation district, the