Salt Lake Telegram | 1932-06-07 | Page 1 | Hoover Dam Tax Dispute near Climax

HOOVER DAM TAX DISPUTE NEAR CLIMAX Nevada Threatens to Call Call Out Militia and Seize Seiz Land in Area CLAIMS REVENUE RIGHTS Reported Promise by Wilbur Attacked n a Br Associated Press Puss LAS VEGAS Nev Nov June 7 A 7 A dIspute dis dis- pule over state rights in the Hoover dam area brought hot words today and talk of mobilizing the state stale mill mill- Ua tia to lo seize the federal property properly District Attorney Harley A. A Harmon Har Har- mon after afler listening to lo a statement credited to lo Secretary of the Interior Wilbur relating to lo freedom of the property from taxation said the cabinet cabinet cabinet cabi cabi- net officer if he made the remark was subject to impeachment Nevada has cast an anxious eye for some months upon the revenue bear ing poss possibilities of the district but the right of the state to lo collect taxes was brought to a head hend in the revelation of Secretary Wilbur's alleged promise to lo make the dam project tax free TELL OF CONFERENCE E. E G G. McGriff chairman of the Clark count county board of commissioners and F. F C C. DeVinney county assessor told lold Harmon that in a 3 conference last week W. W A. A Bechtel president of the Six Companies builders of the dam stated to them Before we took this contract we had a definite understanding with wilh I Secretary Wilbur and the government govern sovern ment meat that this would be a withdrawn area area and free tree from taxation It was vas as with this understanding that we bid bidon bidon bidon on the contract Harmon announcing I he ie would demand demand demand de de- de mand a showdown on the whole tax proposition claimed if it the secretary secretary secretory secre secre- tary tory made such a promise he was subject to impeachment and added that amounted to a discrimination in favor of one of the bidders on the project STATE CLAIMS TITLE The prosecutor contended that de de- spite spile withdrawal of ol the reservation area from the state stale of Nevada and creation of a government controlled district state and national laws still give Jive the state the area between the thelow thelow low and high water waler mark o of the Colorado Colorado Colo Cole rado river In this particular section much of the Six Companies property is located Harmon said he would advocate send sending state militia to lo seize the area between low and high water waler mark and the board of commissioners delegated him to confer conCer with wilh Governor Fred B. B Balzar and state officials relative to such a move The conference willbe will willbe willbe be held in Carson Cil City Nev New later this month S