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Show THAT LAND AFFAIR, The Case for tbe Protests Baamed lull .Horning. When our rport of tbe Beach lands caia clcsed yesterday afternoon, after-noon, Mr. A. O. McCormick, C.E, was under examination as ths first witness called on the side of the proteslee. Beyond what has ap-peared ap-peared In the News nothing of public pub-lic interest developed during the remalnderof the aflernoon, the testimony tes-timony being almost exclusively connnodtotbetahln.jor the levels upoa the lands In dispute and tbe results thereof. This morning Mr. McCoimlck continued his evidence, but it was nearly eleven o'clock before the Court settled down to business. The witness, In reply to Attorney Thompson's questions, gave a detailed de-tailed statement as to bis measurement measure-ment of the "big dam' at the neck of the south Inlet, the materials used in its construction, etc He next spoke of the Testation crowlnc In the immediate vicinity of the dam, consisting simply of what is ordinarily ordin-arily termed "tumble weed," and grass commonlydeslgnated"squlrrel tall," also a few specimens of "shad scale." As to the character of the soil on the lands in dipute, Mr. SIc-Cormick SIc-Cormick described this at some length, In tbe main traveling over much of the ground covered by preceding witnesses. Having described the nalun t', the smaller im, j 0UtI,j,;',the mompson entry, the witness was asked whether he saw any Indication Indica-tion of vegetable growth within the limits of the so-called salt ponds. On each side of the Island, be said, grease wood undoubtedly grew at some time, until drowned out by vtaluxi aUo at a uuoibcr of places around and near the edges of the salt ponds. There were pieces of vegetation covered with salt which, apparently, had grown in their position. posi-tion. From the surveys which be made of this land, and the levels which ho took in October Oc-tober and November, he believed that tbe eflect of taking away tbe large artificial dam at tbe neck of tbe south inlet would be the draining of tbe salt pond, except to tbe extent of some sixty acres about tbe north-ast north-ast corner of lot , sec IS. All tbe water about three feet above the Salt Lake level would run to the outlet and erode gradually its own outlet of 210 or 3-10 of a foot, so as to drain lack as far as tbe section line between sections 13 and 24, and also the area north of the Thompson entry, cxceHlng a small portion of ground near the corner before mentioned. To that extent this wouid be a natural drainage result from the taking away of tbe dam already referred to. As far as tbe southern portion in fact all of tbe Thompson entry except a small area between stations sta-tions 53 and 69, and perhais some hummocks of ground, which stuck up to a like elevation on tho ditch as it at present stood was concerned, con-cerned, the land could bo made valuable for irrigating ground. As it at present stood, the ditch on the south sido of tbe entry would irrigate all the land south and cast of the dam; In other words, between the salt pond and the ditch Itself. Sleans v. ould havo to be taken to carry thewateracrossthe depression at tbe dam, such as was used in every irrigation and mlningdltcb. Mr. Thompson asked what the effect or tbe smaller dams was in relation re-lation to the retention or water In tho various sloughs. Witness answered that, so far as he could judge, the dams n ere put in in order to restrain the waters from tbe adjoining country and those which might come down the main channel of the slough from flowing into the main salt pond or area included between the retaining and restraining dams, and thereby diluting and lessening the density of tho waters held in tho latter area. The effect of cutting the upper and lower dam together would be to allow most of Uio water in the salt slough Into the lake ile did not believe that the smd bar at the south Inlet would be at its present elevation had the dam never beeu built. Witness proceeded proceed-ed to st-ilc his reasons for entertain-Jus entertain-Jus tills belief. Inquiry proceeding. |