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Show CRISIS IS IMMINENT F. S. Richards Hastens to' Tfashinfton on Utah Lake Problem. A crisis is about to be reached in the matter of converting Utah lake Into a reservoir, with the aid of the United States Government Attorney F. S. Richards has gone to the capital at the suggestion of Engineer Engi-neer Bien to explain the Utah situation to Chief Hydrographer Newell and to the Secretary pf the Interior department. depart-ment. : His statements will make a supplemental sup-plemental report following that -of Engineer En-gineer Bien. ' ' When Mr. Bien suggested to the irrigation irri-gation commission that it would be well for Utah to have a local representative in Washington to care for the State's interests State Engineer Do rem us at once suggested that Mr. Richards be sent, owing to his intimate knowledge Of irrigation affairs. The suggestion was adopted and Mr. Richards was named. ' He will probably be, gone two weeks, and upon his return may be able to tell what aid Utah can expect from the Government, and what Utah must do to secure the aid '.' With regard to the decision of she department de-partment relating to the Salt river. Arizona, Ari-zona, proposition. Engineer Doremus said: "That decision covers many of the difficulties against which we have been contending here, but it does not dispose of all our troubles. In the first place the rights of the people are confined to the water flowing in the river, and they have no reservoir whatever. Here the people have a right not only to the water wa-ter in the river and canals, but in Utah lake as a reservoir also. Another thing we have here to contend with that docs not come up in the Arizona case is that Salt Lake as a corporation has rights in Utah lake. But I am confident that all these obstacles can be overcome in our case, and I am confident that the presence of Mr. Richards In Washington Washing-ton will go far toward reaching a just and speedy conclusion in the matter." |