| Show THE UTAH utah AND SALT lauie lane COUNTIES DISPUTE malab MALAD CITY idaho june to the members of the utah lake commission and persons owning land injured by waters of said luke lake gentlemen I 1 cannot take time to answer a all individual qu questions c scions at the present time but take this public means of advising you of my position bosi fosi tion I 1 think I 1 am pretty well informed as to the present situation from the information sent me and will say that I 1 am zini dire directly etly opposed to any attempt to forcibly remove any obstruction in the jordan river or even to discuss any P proposition reposition of that character at the present time as any hasty change mauge of tile the waters of utah lake might do more injury in salt lake county than benefit in utah county and this we ve cannot afford to do I 1 cannot advise the commencing of any suit either elther for damages or for an injunction at present for many reasons we are not iu in a position at present to definitely determine wicent of the injury caused by bythe lae lne hast hait ha nat it aint aini ill advised actions of a very tew fel p IA r sons who may inay be will willing ili iii macii vc vve can ean determine the amount ut of injury they have done to compensate us and I 1 1 d if so they should have the opportunity uia 1 without suit at law again there are a great many gentlemen who tacitly endorse the policy of the jordan river canal companies controlling control lim I 1 utah lake as they please who if they were truly advised of the injury to others would change their views and it would be unjust to them to sue them when they would probably prefer to pay the portion ot of damage they have caused without a suit I 1 cannot favorably consider and do not wish to call a meeting to act upon tile tiie resignation of any member or members of tile the commission agthe as the present situation is one which calls for the best endeavors of those who best understand the matter to perfect a just and peaceable solution of the whole dilli culty to tile tiie parties interested in utah county I 1 advise that as the waters of the lake lako have now about reached the maximum height of this season each person interested should establish fixed marks at the edge of the tho water on his own land at such points as will show definitely when the water recedes the area of each piece of land now submerged and to establish permanent marks at different points point son on the lake coshow to show hereafter how much the water has raised this season I 1 and I 1 think the commission for utah county should meet and arrange for doing this forthwith and adopt such other means for ascertain ascertaining in the extent of the injury c aused caused by violation bio blo lation of our agreement as their best judgment can devise devise to the parties interested in salt lake county I 1 desire to suggest the propriety ot their causing as much as practicable of the water of the lake to flow down the jordan so as to allow the people in utah county to save ss much of their crops as can be done thus reducing the amount of damages to be paid for the unnecessary violation of our just agreement I 1 am aln strongly and emphatically in favor of a peaceful and permanent settlement of this question without litigation if possible and heartily commend the efforts of many mans in both counties for a fair settlement but we must roust hold somebody responsible for the tile wrongs of the few who have done the injury so that they also will respect their neighbors rights andyes and yet at the same ti time e continue contina e our labors in the securing nf of peace and justice in tile the future 1 see mr lir isi ishael ael aei evans of L lihi ehl ehi advocates the buying of land in utah count county y for a reAr reservoir voir my aly land is not for sale saie idonat I 1 do not believe gentlemen in salt lake county will want to buy land when they become fully posted on the situation and I 1 do not acknowledge the right of any oneto one to covet my property except when reasonably necessary for a great bredt public good and then only by paying a reasonable so ae price c me say we calmly and dispassionately look at this matter squarely f from rom boti both both sides and i if f we do we can easily settle it as there is an overwhelming major majority ity ltv on both sides who want to be right rhe tile tiie grent great misfortune is utah underrates underrated under rates the me the needs of salt lake and salt lake underrates underrated under rates the injury to utah and we all need to learn more facts before taking any hasty action very respectfully JOHN joun 13 MII url ner xer chairman utah lake and jordan dam commission |
