Copiapó, March 27, 1877
Señor:
The Illustrious Municipality of Copiapó, in extraordinary session on the
5th instant, resolved to appoint the mayors as a commission with instructions
to call a meeting of those residents of the valley who have interests in the
irrigation system, for the purpose of taking the proper steps toward changing
the order of rotation in the use of the water, and, if possible, to make the
rotation in upstream order: inasmuch as the Intendente has pointed out
that, in an effort to improve the present system so as to avoid the numerous
difficulties that are encountered and the unpleasantnesses which spring from
the attempt to secure each irrigator’s rights and to know with certainty
those who truly lack water, he had conferred with some of those interested,
with the chief water master, and with other persons familiar with the present
situation, regarding the advisability of adopting an upstreamward order of
rotation, and that all had approved the plan as a just and equitable one which
might be expected to put an cnd to the difficulties that were daily being
presented.
The mayors, carrying out their instructions, met in session the 21st of the present month and adopted the following resolutions:
1. In order to carry out the resolution adopted by the Municipality on
the 5th of the present month, the Commission resolves to ask the representa-
tives of the subdelegaciones of the valley to call together all those persons who
have interests in the irrigation system, for a meeting to be held before them
[the above representatives] for the purpose of naming delegates from each
one of the irrigation districts, who, with the approval of the municipal com-
mission, should proceed to discuss and adopt appropriate measures for al-
tering the present system of rotation and making it in upstreamward order;
advising them that in those subdelegaciones in which there are more than
one irrigation district, it shall be the duty of the inspectors to direct the
meeting; great care being exercised also that no district be without a delegate,
and that everything done in the meeting or meetings of the delegates with
the municipal commissioners be submitted for the approval of the proprietors
or renters of farms as soon as it has been agreed upon, and that no measure
be put into effect without having obtained their consent.
2. The meeting for election of the delegates shall be held in the form indi- cated and upon the 15th of April of the present year at t o'clock P. M.
3. Those proprietors or renters who are unable to attend personally may do so cither by proxy or by sending their votes in written form.
4. In the meeting to elect delegates, each proprietor or renter shall have the number of votes corresponding to the number of hours in which he has the use of water.
5. The proprietors of small farms may combine their votes for the purpose mentioned in the preceding resolution.
6. In the city the meeting for the election of delegates shall be held the day and hour indicated above, in the municipal hall and in presence of the appointed Commission.
7. The first meeting of the municipal Commissioners with the delegates shall be held on the 29th of the coming April at 1 o'clock in the municipal hall.[1]
- ↑ The translation of this and the following document is by Dr. George M. McBride.
