552 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION December 



a non-partisan article, only an outline der ordinary circumstances the stock- 

 of the two systems is given, because it holders have the final word, 

 has been and is today one of the Under the other systenij we find an 

 moving and important questions with organization perfected upon the same 

 which the irrigation community must i ines as a school distri ct. It is the dis- 

 deal- trict system. All of the land along the 

 The company system is typified by route of a contemplated ditch, or after 

 the organization of the Winter Creek construction, which can be watered 

 Ditch Company. This ditch was be- from it, is by popular vote made a dis- 

 gun in 1889 and finished about two trict, with the proper officers. The 

 years later. Those interested built the district organization is empowered by 

 canal themselves, during the winter law to issue bonds for construction in 

 months mostly, and took out the value the same way as a school district is- 

 of their labor in stock in the company, sues bonds to build a school house. 

 There was a regular organization per- Every land owner, then, in that dis- 

 fected with officers and directors. This trict is assessed according to his acre- 

 organization remains today in spite of age. The tax levy is made to cover 

 efforts made to change to the other ditch expenses, to purchase water, to 

 system. The water is sold to the con- cover payments on the district bonds, 

 sumer at so much per year, averaging and to create a sinking fund to pay off 

 $160 for each quarter section of land, the bonds as they mature. In an irri- 

 or at $1.00 per acre. Originally, when gation district each owner of forty 

 expenses were low and the company acres has one vote, but no one person 

 and land were new, the cost was twen- has more than one vote, no matter how 

 ty-five cents per acre. But with the large his land holdings, 

 increasing valuations and with the The cost to the farmer under this 

 augmented cost of maintenance, the system is practically the same as in 

 price of water has been raised gradu- the other. The superiority claimed is 

 ally to the higher figure. Last year, that the advantage of increased valu- 

 for the first time, a dividend was de- ations are distributed more or less 

 dared on the stock, of 3 per cent, evenly to every land owner, whether 

 While the farmers have realized prac- he uses the water or not, for every 

 ically nothing on their stock holdings, acre has a share in the country's pros- 

 .ey have experienced an increase in per ity. It makes the man who holds 

 the value of their land from almost land merely for speculation or who is 

 lothing to as high as $200 per acre, waiting for simple value accretions 

 :h has more than paid them. without the application of real labor 

 In short, the corporation system is for improvements pay his share of the 

 built upon the same line as any other costs of development, as well as he 

 like business organization, and the af- who, laboriously, from year to year, 

 fairs are conducted more nearly like brings his land into good condition, 

 any other business. The administra- To sum up, the principal advantage 

 tion of finances is vested with the of- claimed for this system is that every 

 ficers and board of directors, and a man pays his share of the cost of de- 

 stockholders' meeting is called annu- veloping the country if he hopes to 

 ally, at which time all stock is repre- reap any benefit thereby. The system 

 sented by actual holders or by proxies, is designed to prevent speculation, and 

 In this system, a man buys land and the water user is supposed to get water 

 \\ith it the right to a stipulated quan- at a minimum cost. When the bonds 

 tity of water; but there is nothing to issued for construction expense are 

 prevent the price from being raised paid, the land owners get free water, 

 beyond an unprofitable figure to the except that the district, of course, has 

 tanner if the stock becomes control- to pay for maintenance and superin- 

 led by single interests. However, tin- tendence. 



