| OCR Text |
Show ~6- While the Act of 1905 required that lands should be reserved to conserve and protect the water supply of the Indians, and authorised the confirmation of accrued water rights, the first step taken to protect their rights was to acknowledge the right of the State of Utah to the water by filing thereon under the State laws before the passage of the Act of June 21, 1906, which transferred to the State for the first time jurisdiction of the waters necessary to irrigate the lands of the Indians. The next step was to approve a right of way across Indian reserved lands for a canal to be constructed by a corporation holding adverse interests and whose prior appropriation the Government is contesting. Under the law, the ditches and canals constructed at the expense of the. Indians, may be used, extended or enlarged by any person, association or corporation, and while the construction was nearing completion, and there seemed to be no probability that the Indians oould mate beneficial use of all of the waters that had been appropriated, nor of the full carrying capacity of their ditches, the Carey Act was extended to the desert lands within the former reservation (36 Stat., 285,) and soae desert lands that will have a potential value of $80.00 an aore because of the Indians canal, will go to the State for a dollar and a quarter |
