Cooperation in Irrigation 261 



a term of two years, and these elect their own president and 

 vice-president. The directors appoint a secretary-treas- 

 urer; who receives a small annual salary. The water 

 master distributes the water under the direction of the 

 board of directors. The company controls all laterals 

 and shares except 315 shares of stock held for the town 

 of Smithfield for town use. Smithfield is allowed one 

 director and is practically under the control of the main 

 organization. The area of land under the ditch is 2500 

 acres. This, like other similar companies, is incorporated 

 under the law of the state of Utah. The works were con- 

 structed by day labor by the water users under the direc- 

 tion of one of the directors, one director taking charge of 

 a certain length of canal and overseeing the job. A few 

 settlers borrowed money and paid cash for their portion 

 of the cost. The annual assessment averages about 

 seventy cents and the total annual revenue about $1750. 

 Dividing the total expenditures between the nine miles 

 of main canal gives an annual cost of about $195 per mile." 



METHODS OF ORGANIZING, FINANCING, AND OPERATING 

 WATER COMPANIES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 



The methods of organizing, financing, and operating 

 water companies in Southern California are described by 

 C. E. Tait, Irrigation Engineer, United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. The methods are similar in other 

 states. Mr. Tait says : - 



"Water companies are principally of two classes, public 

 service companies and cooperative or mutual companies. 



"Public service water companies are private business 

 corporations that sell water for profit. The capital stock 



