Imperial Valley press., 1933-12-20
FAVOR
WATER PLAN
Continued From Fage II

signed to affect directly only the
Sacramento and San Joaquin val
leys and possibly the San Francis
CO Bay area, while the mountain
counties and Southern California
were to be reached only indirectly
by any possible benefits.
The project, as outlined by its
proponents, was expected 10 pro-
vide employment for 10000 men
over a period of four years or more.
1t was designed to include a 400
foot dam at Kennett, near Redding,
on the Sacramento River; another
huge dam at Friant, near Fresno,
on the San Joaquin river; various
other dams to control the flow of
water; power plants and transmits
sion lines to transport cheap cleo
tricity to agricultural and urban
communities throughout the valleys
and the bay region; and a network
of canals to increase irrigation facil-
tiles to farms in the valleys.
Low priced electric energy was
advanced as one of the main argu-
ments in favor of the project, and,
! according to Attorney General U. S.
Webb, the state or its taxpayers
could not be held liable for the
S170, 900, 900 debt which would be in
CURED should the project find a
market for its bonds. The revenue
bonds must be financing, ac-
cording to terms of the act.
Opponents insisted there would
not be enough outlet for electricity
! developed in the project, and that
revenues therefore would not be
sufficient to retire the bonds.
Time alone was expected to settle
that problem, and meanwhile back
erS of the plan looked to the federal
government for financial aid to make
possible one of the largest irriga-
ton, power and reclamation pro-
jectS ever devised in the west.
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 90 U.P) =
CALIFORNIA; voters have authorized
the s170,000,000 Great Central VAL
| ley water project returns from 6,594
of the states 1859 precincts indica-
ted today.
With 1865 precincts yet to report,
the vote in yesterdays special elec-
ton stood: for the project, 390,474,
against, 376.090. The majority in ia
vor was 14,334 votes.
The State Water Plan aSsocia-
ton claimed victory despite a ten
dency in late returns to reduce the
lead the proposal had held through
out the counting.
Voting in central and northern
California precincts were, almost
without exception, in favor of put
ting the state into the water and
power business on a gigantic scale
Southern California districts voted
against the measure. The Sacra-
mento and San Joaquin valleys will
be principal beneficiaries, according
to claims of sponsors of the propo-
sal.
Complete returns from all the
county precincts with the eXcep-
ton of Palo Verde show that vot-
ers of the county favored the Cen
trail Valley Project yesterday by
vote of over three to one. These
figures as tabulated at the county
clerks office show: 2401 in favor
Of the project and 720 against it.
In Ell Centro the ratio was about
the same, with asa voters in favor
of the proposition and Isl rejecting
it. BraWley's ratio was slightly low
er, with figures of $50 for and 173
against. The voting throughout the
country in the light Of heavy re-
gistrations at the courthouse during
the past three weeks was extreme
ly light, according to information
received at the court house this
morning.