Show o WATER FOR BlUE BENCH GH Water Vater Storage Commission Manifests Mani lm rests Interest Gateway Club Committee Met With State Commission March 23 Once more the Blue Bench tract looms up and effort is in indicated indicated indicated in- in that may soon insure tangible results wherein this entire entire entire en en- tire tract will soon be reclaimed Leon P. P Christensen member of the commission of Vernal wrote the Club March 7 advising that the state commission would consider consider consider con con- sider the Blue Bench March 23 and asking for information which he might present Our Gateway club committee Victor C. C Billings Judge L. L A. A Hollenbeck Mayor Geo C. C Kohl Attorney R. R G. G Porter and J. J P. P May appointed early in the new yea year to do all possible for this excellent excellent excellent ex ex- tract of land met and decided decided decided de de- de- de to send a delegation to Salt Lake City for the Water Storage meeting Billings Hollenbeck Hollenbeck Hollenbeck Hol Hol- and May attended and I presented the general situation to Lo the state board I Mr Allen AIlen manager of of the Knight Investment company controlling controlling controlling con con- trolling nearly half of the bench was was- also on hand and expressed the desire of the Knight peoples people's joining in any move that will provide provide provide pro pro- vide water and make less the ex ex- pense The entire matter now is a move to get the reclamation department department department de de- de- de to make male a survey of the he entire area and secure federal help making it all into a g government government govern govern- vern- vern ment reclamation project if pos pos- sible There is every reason to bell believe eve th that t such cooperation may maybe maybe maybe be secured Data regarding the estimated cost the soil acreage water supply etc must be prepared prepared prepared pre pre- pared and presented to the commission commission commission com com- mission in time for their next meeting This means some work gathering gatherIng gathering gather- gather Ing information from reliable surveys so that a fair presentation presenta presenta- tion of the case may be made By such method it is believed the reclamation department will di direct direct direct di- di a survey be made with the purpose in view of federal reclamation reclamation reclamation if the project be found feasible which we have reasons to feel sure will be the case Our Blue Bench has waited a along along along long time and still the major jor part of that fine tract remains although it was homesteaded twenty years ago or as early as 1905 and two irrigation irrigation irrigation gation districts created the lower lower lower low low- er district having the land nearest nearest nearest near near- est to and adjoining the town of Duchesne and the Upper Blue Bench district Jesse Knight invested invested invested in in- vested considerable money in the section near Duchesne and possibly possibly possibly pos pos- sibly acres has been irrigated irrigated irrigated gated and about acres now cropped While all appreciate the investments investments invest invest- ments made by Jesse Knight and operations carried o-n o on by his famIly family fam fam- ily lly since his demise under Mr Allens Allen's directions managed locally locally locally local local- ly for years by Arthur Brown it itIs itIs itis Is the desire of all property owners owners owners own own- ers that hat the entire tract about acres shall be watered Differences of opinion may be common as to the advisability of consolidating the two areas and making one main canal answer for tor all the land yet what all want Is to see about homes on that land The Utah Water Vater Storage commission commission commission com com- mission indicates genuine interest interest interest inter inter- est and manifest a desire to help us to get federal assistance Some expense may be necessary in fi financing financing financing fi- fi preliminary operations but ways and means must be found as the burden will not be heavy while the advantages to all the Duchesne section will be Continued on last page I |