White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1934-01-18
The
Safety Valve
Editor, White Bluffs Spokesman:

The position OF those that are pro-
testing the assessment of a 5000 water
toll charge by the directors Of the
Priest Rapids irrigation district is SIM
liar to that of the players in a game
of freeze-out poker: If you want to
see the jack pot, ante-up." Whether
we wish to or not, the laws OF the
irrigation districts of this state are
clear, and we seek to invoke the ad-
ministrat!on OF these laws, not for our
gain but for our protection, Through
out the litigation preceding the final
set-up Of this district, our idea was
not one of selfish desire, but to have
a record, or yard stick, that we may
measure our benefits by and thus elm
mate further litigation.
In protesting this method Of ASSESS
ment (wherein we with 1900 acres are
being assessed a toll charge that
should be for water cost only; we are
actually protesting the paying Of 40
per cent of this charge toward the
administration and bonds The Leavy
decree in the confirmation case, which
was upheld in the Supreme Court,
states: "Said bonds, and each and all of
them are hereby declared to be SUBJ
sisting, valid general obligation of the
district payable from the revenues de-
rived from annual assessments levied
against the lands within and under the
operation of said district in the man.
ner provided by law and from such
other revenues as may be authorized
by law, and that each and all of the
lands within the boundaries of and
coming within the operation. of said
district have been and are hereby de-
clared to be specially benefited in ex-
cess of the aggregate amount of the
principal and interest required to pay
ing that the directors assess all of
the privately owned lands their share
of this debt and also their share of
| the directors and secretary's salaries
and expenses
We allege and it is fact, that the
secretary has failed to set up proper
set of books, in which the names of
the owners and the description of their
lands be shown, with the proper as
sessments according to benefits, as to
administration bonds and interest,
state loans and interest, water tolls
and capital and surplus funds That
the directors have failed in not seeing
sessments might be properly assessed
and equalized as the laws provide for.
We take exception to the fact that
the water tolls are being assessed for
the twelve months cost of operating
the power plant; that the directors are
| as power utility and a separate irri-
! cation enterprise, thing that the
courts did not allow the old Black
Rock Power company to do; that in
arriving at the cost of water they are
! charging the users fifteen hundredths
4 of mill less than they charge the
| P. P. & L. Co.;
That they are permitting the irri-
gable lands to decrease their water use
in acreage, thereby adding to the bur-
| den that the remaining users have to
4 carry. This condition was censured by
the Court of Appeals in the Adamson
| case, and the district as trustee is in
the same position as the Black Rock
4 and Consumers Ditch Co. was;
| That, finally, more money is being
4 sought by the directors from the Pub
A lie Works Administration or RIG, and
4 that further bonds will be asked for,
so we are again calling the attention
of all interested as ourselves to this
4 simple little game of freeze-out: "Ante
/ up if you want to stay for the jack
4 pot" 1t is not matter of policy but
\ a matter as measured by existing laws.
4 Cheap and ample water and low
4 priced land will be the only induce
4 ment to get settlers in this valley.
A What is the best method, to run your
\ improved-land owner out, or the spec-
ulators who expect your improvements
1 to make them some money? Surround
ing White Bluffs and Hanford are
hundreds of acres of unimproved land
privately owned for speculation I say
\ to them CHIP IN"
4 ROBT MACDONALD
ii