Show i UINTAH BASIN WATER USERS J ORGANIZE J I Not 0 Satisfied With Iti Indian i I Burkes Burke's Su Suggestion They Appeal to lo Secretary Full I Department of Interior The Uintah Basin Water Users as association association association as- as met In Myton lyton last Saturday arid and listened to the report of oC the committee apP appointed some weeks a ago o to confer with with officials of the Uintah Indian Project with a aview aview aview view to giving the whites a voice inthe in Inthe inthe the management of oC In Indian lan canals Fred S. S Musser of or My Myton ton acted acted as chairman and O O. O C. C Nielson of of Mid- Mid view vie acted as secretary Letters from Crom Congressman Don B. B Colton and Indian Commissioner Burke were ere read Commissioner Burke said In his letter that the the plan proposed the organization of a astock astock astock stock company is inadvisable and suggested that the users appoint a committee to take charge of ot the associations association's associations association's associations association's as as- grievances and present same to the department Mr Burkes Burke's letter was not satisfactory therefore the following letter signed by a large number of the associations association's members was forwarded to Albert 1 Fall secretary of the Interior On this day we representatives of the white water users of and nd under under un un- un- un der del the Uintah Indian Irrigation Project ct Utah have met for Cor the purpose purpose pur pun pose of considering a letter from your department dated Dec 18 1922 addressed to Hon Don B. B C Colton signel by Com Corn Chas H H. H Burke and to us It pertains to the fact that through our representatives at Washington we have made a number number number num num- ber of complaint complaints against the present present present pres pres- ent system under which the above named Project is and has b been en man man- aged We have asked that the Uintah Irrigation service as it Is now constituted constituted constituted con con- be abolished and that in lieu thereof a stock company be famed wherein the water to each acre of land under the project shall represent a certain voting power pow pow- er and thus give to each white man nian manas manas as well as each Indian his rightful share of responsibility and voice VOle in I I management Mr Burke states that at the toa IH present pres pres- Sent S- S ent eat time such a plan is inadvisable He suggests that the white vater r vat or users appoint a committee from r m their midst to act as a bridge bet between weela themselves and the Indian department department depart depart- ment at Washington for the purpose 1111 of passing up complaint of any m white while whitewater whitewater water user Mr Burkes Burke's plan to us i h not acceptable acceptable acceptable ac ac- ac- ac because it would fail to do away with the objectionable feature of the project and not give gi the white whitewater whitewater whitewater water user what rightfully belongs to him We again assert that thit in our opinion a plan including the formation forma forma- tion of a stock company such a as mentioned above is the only one oneth would to all concern concern- th that t give justice to ed j jVe We Ve are opposed to th tho present sy system tem for ton the following reasons uns It Is a despotism which forces upon us us s. s taxation taxation without tion It puts the management of of our affairs into into the hands of or individuals located at Washington who seem to mow Know nothing whatever about Irrigation irrigation irrigation tion and who evidently are not con con- with our welfare It entails overhead charges and other expenses which increase the maintenance far in excess of the value value val val- ue uc of services and benefits that come to us It seems seems t to be entirely separate I and amI distinct from the Indian agency here te place through which we ob obtain ob- ob tam tain our holdings In other words illogically it us to go to toone toone one place for our lands and to another anuth- anuth er or positively unrelated for our water Last but Ilot not least due to the above facts it is is non-American non and andU U const un-const un This letter Mr Secretary shows you our position and anti tells you ou what we want however if due to technicalities technicalities technicalities of or low loss or to lo any other causes it proves impossible for you to give us our rights as spoken of above then thell and in that event we respectful ly suggest that in our opinion the Uintah Indian Irrigation Project has bas served Its purpose and we recommend recommend mend that It together with all aU that pertains to it be be turned over to the Indian agency at Fort Duchesne so that our Irrigation affairs may bo be administered here on the ground We also recommend that our maintenance maintenance maintenance main main- charges be cut down clown to the point where we get value received for Cor or money paid by us After Arter reading of the letter to the body by Mr fr Musser various members discussed it On motion the committee commit commit- tee was released with a vote of thanks and anti the following re perfected J. J L. L P. P Anderle Myton president O. O C. C Nielsen Nielson vice pros dent F. F S. S Musser My Myton ton secretary In ln addition to these the tho following constitute the committee W. W E. E Wedig Wedig We- We dig Myton George T. T Smith Arcadia Arcadia Ari Ar Ar- i cadia Clyde Fullmer Mt Emmons J. J W. W Weaver Roosevelt Louis E. E Mired Allred Cedarview Richard Fiddler Ft Duchesne Later it is 18 the in intentiOn intention ten ten- ti tion n to to h have ve a member from each ellch canal 0 i |