Shame on Bullock
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Editor,
Mr. Bullock, shame on you, or may we commend you for being the Lone Ranger that produced the “Illegal Compact”? On February 27, 1905 the State of Montana passed legislation, asking Congress to issue land patents and water appropriations in the State of Montana. As we have uncovered forgotten laws, I am saddened by the amount of individuals involved.
I happen to have water rights that were decreed in Federal District Court on March 9, 1931 in the case of Sheer v. Moody. Water appropriations were decreed at 1 miners inch per acre or 18 feet in 365 days if available. State water right law from 1935 set the law for you to protect. Another District Court of the United States, for the District of Montana done in open court on July 31, 1941 reaffirmed our water rights. In 1949, Congress issued repayment contracts that 60 percent of the landowners, cities and towns included on the Flathead Irrigation and Power Project were required to sign by Congressional law, decreed in Polson, Montana.
The 1973 Water Use Act reaffirming our very valuable water rights prior to 1972, you and many others before you have allowed the “State Department of Natural Resources” to amend these appropriations from year round Irrigation, power, municipalities and other purposes, to irrigation only, April to October.
Now the Compact amends these rights to ownership to the Federal Government as of 12 a.m., July 16, 1855. This was already done to the Crow Tribe without the permission of the landowners. I’m looking forward to your testimony in January.
Gene Erb
St. Ignatius
