OCR Text |
Show RALPH E. HGAG OAS BOUGHT BIG PROJECT Ralph E, Hoag, president of tho Utah National bank has purchased the Big Lost river irrigation project, on which 52.000,000 has nlready been spent. Included In the territory covered cov-ered by tho project are 90,000 acres of land. The price paid by Mr. Hoag for the project was $35,000. Concerning tho transfer of the project proj-ect to Mr. Hoau by Receiver James E. Clinton, the Pocatello Tribune of last Tuesday says: "The Big Lost River Irrigation system sys-tem with Its dam at Mackay, its fine system of cement canals and laterals, its drops and headgates, a system in which It is claimed that practically $2,000,000 has been Invested, has been sold by Receiver James E. Clinton of Boise on authority conferred upon him by Judge Dietrich of the federal court to satisfy liens aggregating $050,000 held by the Corey Brothers Construction company of Ogden. Thero was but one bid, that of $35,-000 $35,-000 by Ralph E. Hoag, president of the Utah National bank of Ogden. An unexpected and rather sensational development de-velopment of tho sale was the warning warn-ing served on all prosi ective bidders by W. PI. Puckett of Boise, member of the law firm of Hawley. Puckett and Hawley. This warning was to the effect that tho land on which the Mackay dam stands and some 900 acres surrounding it is the property of C. C. Davidson, that he proposeu to protect his rights in the matter, and that whoever bought the Big Lost River project bought it at his own peril and subject to these conditions. The sale was called from the steps of the courthouse promptly at 1:30 p. m- according to the terms of the advertisement. There were present from outside, in addition to Receiver J. E. Clinton, Ralph E. Hoag of the "Utah National bank, Judge H. H. Henderson, Hen-derson, attorney for Corey Brothers. W. H. Corey, head of the firm and O. B. Gilson of, the Union-Portland Cement company, all of Ogden, and W. H. Puckett of Boise. W. II. Wat-lis. Wat-lis. head of the "Utah Construction company, announced the last time he ! was In Boise that he would not purchase pur-chase tho Big Lost River project at any price until it was demonstrated to his satisfaction that the Mackay dam would hold water, or until it was demonstrated that there was some other feasible reservoir site on the project. "On the strength of this statement, the state land board sent State Engineer Engi-neer Frank I. King to make a thorough thor-ough inspection of conditions at Mackay. This he did. What he found has not been made public, for the reason that Engineer King has not made a report. But as he has had a conference with W. II. Wattis since his inspection, it is presumed that his report was such as to Induce Wattis to buy." |