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Show Fat for the Lawyers I SETTLERS LOSE CALIFORNIA SUITS Company Motion to Quash Prevails and Cases Dismissed v LEFT HOMES AND SACRIFICED i PROPERTY TO BRING ACTION Word was received by wire yesterday that the action begun by seventy-two former settlers of the Milford project against the Delta Land & Water Co., had been dismissed in the fede- ral court. Suit was filed by seventy-two settlers in the United States District Court in the Southern California District and by thir- teen settlers in the Northern California District, making eighty-five cases in all. There is no doubt but what the same decision will be made in the ' northern district. This ends the matter mat-ter in California. ' It will be remembered that the '. settlers became dissatisfied and left , this valley last fall after numerous meetings held in consultation with a firm of Los Angeles attorneys. They were advised and even urged, by the attorneys, it is said, to leave their ranches and all improvements. They were led to believe that it was to be rather a simple matter to break their contracts with the company, cause cancellation of mortgages and in many cases secure damages. Each settler was induced to put up $50 cash, making a total of $4,250 in fees to start the action. Many of the settlers led on by the representations representa-tions of others gave away or sold at a small fraction of their 'actual value their stock, implements, their household goods; etc., left their houses vacant and in most cases, open, and left for California. There is a possibiity that some of the settlers may return this spring and endeavor to regain their ranches and farm them this year. Messrs. McGarry & Hodges will personally supervise the farming of the Griffith and Buchanan ranches on the highway high-way five miles south of Milford and intend to seed the same to alfalfa in the spring. C. H. Goff, a farmer who came up from the Imperial valley two weeks since has been employed to farm the ytafornla ranch across the road and east of the Griffith and Buchanan ranches. The Delta Land & Water Company Com-pany has received less than half the number of applications necessary to fill the farm positions open. |
