Imperial Valley press., 1932-10-25

CONTRACT
ORDE RE D
Reclamation Service Will
Sign With Imperial Ir-
rigatiOn District.
ADVISED BY WILBUR
Limited Time To Be Given
COachella For Inclusion
On Canal.


Separate contract between the
government and Imperial Irriga-
ton district for construction of
the All-American canal, removing
conditions requiring inclusion of
Coachella lands, was ordered by
Ray Lyman Wilbur, secretary of
the Interior, in a communication
sent the bureau of reclamation this
week.
Provision is to be made for
Coachella to join Imperial dis
trict within a reasonable but lin
tied period, according to a tele-
gram received at district head
quarters here yesterday.
This brings to a successful con-
clusion several months of insis-
tence on the part of the district
that Coachella has had sufficient
time to bring about inclusion and
that development should not be
delayed further.
Charles L. Childers, chief coun-
sci, and M. j. Dowd, chief engineer,
will leave for Los Angeles tomor-
row for conference with Rich
ard j. Coffey, district counsel of
the bureau of reclamation, as to
the necessary amendments for q
separate contract between the dis
trict and the government Dis
cussion of various ways for pro-
ceeding with the contract also will
take place at the conferences.
Wilbur explained in his tele-
gram to the district that "it is
manifest those who have insisted
upon scrapping the plan approved
by the department for single
contract between the beneficiaries
OF the All-American canal and
the United States have not solved
the problem which I have repeat
edly stated is the first prerequisite
for any separate contract. That
is, the securing of an adequate
water right by negotiating with
Imperial Irrigation district. It is
further apparent that no such
agreement can be obtained"
District officials said today that
every energy would be directed
toward an immediate completion of
the necessary amendments to the
contract which was accepted by
voters at a special election Febru-
airy IL.
Ends Long Wait
The. order from Wilbur brings
to an end months of waiting for
Coachella Valley to iron out in
ternal differences. Opposition to
the contract in the meantime has
instituted recall proceedings to all
members of the board of the
Coachella Water Users association
who favor inclusion in Imperial
district under the All-American
canal. The recall election will take
place October %.
1t was explained that Coachella
may present her petitions for in
clusion since the secretary of inter-
ior has definitely said there is no
hope for them to obtain q separate
contract with the government. In
that case, proceedings would
have to go forward on the original
set up outlined in the All-Amer-
ican canal contract as it is at
present.
At this time it is not known
whether, in the event a separate
contract is the course of action
taken, the entire amended contract
will be presented the voters of the
district or just the amendments.
The telegram from Wilbur was
read at mass meeting held last
night in Coachella Valley when a
discussion of inclusion was the
main topic of the evening.
W. P. Britton, secretary-manager
of the Coachella Water Users as
sociation, received conclusion OF
the brain in an automobile acci-
dent last night as he was taking
residents to the meeting. He is
we'll known in Imperial Valley as
he at one time was secretary Of
Water company No. 3.