The Water Crisis at White Bluffs

Unless those owning land watered from the White Bluffs Water company plant pay their back maintenance at once, the White Bluffs Land Irrigation company, the largest single user under the plant, will withdraw from it and put in its own pumping plant. This is the message delivered by James Armstrong of Tacoma, manager for the company, who was in the valley Thursday, accompanied by an engineer and equipped with blue prints, and who, while here, went over the ground where the new pumping plant will be installed. The White Bluffs Water company owes $1060 on its 1915 power bill, and Mr. Armstrong says he does not propose that any money he might pay in for 1916 maintenance shall be applied on 1915 bills. Therefore it is up to the local people to pay their back maintenance if they expect the White Bluffs Water company to operate this summer, for it seems unreasonable that the balance of the land owners under the project could carry the expense of operation if Mr. Armstrong’s company withdraws. A meeting of the stockholders of the company will be held some time next week when the local people will determine what they want to do.