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Show Those Water Cases. Editor Dispatch The readers of this paper have noticed that Water-master Water-master Scott had S. P. Eggertson, Sr., arrested ; first, for placing obstructions in a ditch, causing, the street to be flooded; second, for diverting the water contrary lo regulations. The facts are tiiese: About two, three and four years ago, Mr. Scott flooded from three to five acres of Mr. Eggertson"s land a number of times on account of a dispute dis-pute where a certain fence should be. This fence had been placed there bv Whipple, and kept there by Ed Carter, and when Eggertson bought the land the fence had stood there some ten years. Mr. Scott claimed the fence to be on his land, but at the same time refused re-fused to help pay for having tne same surveyed, lie believed and said he was as well able to say where the line should be as the surveyor. Mr. Eggertson Eggert-son did "ot believe such nonsense. The result was Mr. Seott endeavored by argument, ar-gument, abuse and Hooding, etc., to whip him to his ideas, but Mr. Eggertson Eggert-son allowed the matter to go bv arbitration. arbi-tration. A year ano Mr. Eggertson, who is 65 years of age, employed a man to water his alfalfa land, handing him a water certificate to water by. The man commenced watering at ten o'clock, and eontinnod -ji! m.At Tn the morning a dispute arose between this man and the owner of the adjoining adjoin-ing land. Each one declared he was entitled to the water according to certificate. cer-tificate. This neighbor marched for Deputy Watermaster Scott and asked him to settle the matter. Mr. Eggertson, without knowing anything any-thing about the dispute, was arrested and arraigned before Justice Noon. Witnesses were sworn and questioned and certificates produced. The Judge finding the certificate called for the water, at the same time dismissed the case. Friday, July 10, Watermaster Scott again displayed his authority. Eggertson Eggert-son had cut some peach limbs which were leaning far over the ditch from Frank Peay's side. No one could pass along the ditch on either side. The wheat owned by Eggertson could not well be watered without removing the peach limbs, which were also damaging damag-ing the grain. The limbs were cut and carelully laid along the ditch bank, and in some places, where the ditch had become about six feet wide, instead of tvvo.the limbs were fastened against the side of the bank to prevent further washing. During the night after eight o'clock, a flood came in that ditch, or some evil spirit caused a portion por-tion of the brush to swim down the diich and lodge in a certain place. The result was Eggertson's wheat, where it had been watered, was flooded and damaged, The street was also watered but no damage otherwise. The water- swear out a comilaint for Eggertson's arrest. The judge, however, only saw lit to ask that the cost be paid by defendant. de-fendant. In the second case Mr. Eggertson had nine acres of wheat to water. There was so little water in the ditch that only a small portion of the wheat could be watered in his time. He, therefore, arranged with his neighbors to use their water right. It happened, however, how-ever, that one person out of four was not seen. This person was entitled to the water; but before the watermaster knew it Mr. Eggertson had seen the person twice and made everything satisfactory. sat-isfactory. Mr. Scott had considerable difiicmliy in managing this case. .Noone was injured and noone would complain so Mr. Watermaster determined again to swear out the complaint and have the city prosecute the case. Further, while Mr. Eggertson was using the water of others by arrangement arrange-ment tor which he has written author ity, Mr. Scott tears up the dam. and says men have no right to allow other-to other-to use t heir water. This case will soon come up. Other watermasters have found Mr. Eugertsot ready and wtlbnf-io wtlbnf-io c .uiply with regulations, puy taxes, 1 and lo lp in other ways to improve and build up the irrigation system as well as other improvements. S P. Eggeutson, Jr. |