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Show 86 ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF WATER DEVELOPMENT Rights of Way Right of way matters have been extremely difficult. Approximately one- third of the most fertile and intensely cultivated areas needed for the project could not be purchased by negotiation. Under the terms of its repayment contract with the United States the Association was required to bring condemnation suits to acquire title and settle the differences in regard to compensation. Twenty- seven tracts, with an acreage of approximately 1638 acres, were involved. On most of these, suits were filed in the District Court at Heber. Four cases were actually tried, three in Wasatch County and one in Cache County. The cases in Wasatch County resulted in excessive verdicts, in the opinion of the Association, while the one in Cache was accepted as being fair. As a result of the determined defense put up against excessive claims, fair settlements were worked out in all cases except the three in Wasatch County. Two of these, how ever, have been finally settled, at many thousands of dollars less than the judgments. The third is still pending. Of the 27 cases all have been settled except three, many at the appraised value, and others at slight increases acceded to because they were at least one- third less than the cost of continued litigation. * * * * 1 his enumeration leaves out a great deal more than it includes, but nevertheless indicates the general nature and variety of the Association's work so far. 105 Right of way for the Deer Creek reservoir is studied by Reclamation Bureau officials. Left to right, Construction Engineer E. O. Larson; Commissioner of Reclamation John C. Page: and J. R. Alexander, District Counsel of the Bureau. S. L. Tribune > |